madchickenlady Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 My pekin girl, Mini, has had a bad bout of mycoplasma. She is now better, apart from one eye. The eye is swollen, and there is yellow, rubbery matter under the eyelid. This stuff can be removed. We have been back and forth to the vet, and she has had baytril, tylan and antibiotic eye drops. Nothing is making a difference. I am now sending swabs to Retfords for diagnosis. The lady on the phone told me that it's possibly a cyst behind the eye, and that it may need operating on. Has anyone had their hens under anaesthetic? How successful was it? I'm really worried about her However, she is eating, drinking, dust bathing and running for treats, so well in herself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 I have one like this, its a beautiful Sultan cockerel, its eye gets really clogged up, its been on antibiotics and drops etc... As a last ditch attempt I have bathed all the manky stuff completely away under warm running water applying some pressure to get it all clean (as demonstrated by my vet)which was extremely harrowing for me and the bird and have I have now cut all the feathers away around the eye so there is less for the gunk to stick to After reading up as much as I can I realise that operations on birds eyes are not always sucessful, some chickens eyes heal over and the vet says this is often the best way as it loses the eye without medical intervention I am sorry to say that if my bird doesnt recover soon I will have to cull it, I just dont think its fair to make it suffer any more Quality of life has to be the main consideration, you do need to reasearch the amount of pain that the bird may be in Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 I am concerned about pain, Redwing She certainly shreiks when I remove the rubbery matter However, generally, she seems happy enough. She pootles about the garden as normal, and runs for treats etc. She is coping remarkably well with the one eye. Unless she shows signs of illness, I am very reluctant to have her pts, as she's a dear favourite of mine. I suppose the eye thing has been going on for about 6 weeks now, and she was poorly at the beginning but seems to have got over the illness now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 (edited) I dont want to put a dampener on it but chickens can be in pain with no outward signs - that makes them obvious targets for bullying so they dont display it Having the chicken PTS isnt the only option dont get me wrong, I personally wouldnt put it through an operation but would look at other options Metcam which is an animal painkiller (NOT licenced for poultry as far as I know - must say that!) is an option, its a vets only medicine but a bottle would last a while, perhaps this is a long term solution if you really cant bear to let the chicken go but it wont help the symptoms It might not be a cyst but it could be that a different type of antibiotic may be needed, I have heard that Tylan is excellent for myco symptoms If the chicken loses the eye naturally or medially she will be fine with just the one, I dont think its unfair to keep a one eyed chicken its just how you get there thats the problem You can only make a decision based on the info you have so ask Retfords and your vets lots of questions and take it from there but dont forget that your little pal needs you to make the right decision for them and not you no matter how hard that may be Sorry if that sounds harsh, its not intended to be, you have my utmost support, its a horrid situation to be in x Edited December 3, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 My first cockerel had an anaesthetic because of an eye problem six or seven years ago. He'd been in a fight with his 6 month old son and we nursed him back from the brink of death. After a few weeks of bathing, drops, antibiotics et al, he still had one eye closed and the only option left was to operate to see what was causing it. A great lump of puss was the answer and he was sorted in minutes thankfully. I think the vet was as surprised at the cause as we were! There is a risk with poultry but tbh when it's the last option before culling, there isn't a lot to lose. However, if she's fine in every other respect and is happy enough using just one eye, then maybe it's not worth it. Sorry, not much help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted December 3, 2009 Author Share Posted December 3, 2009 Thanks, Redwing I suppose I am resigned to her losing at least some function in that eye. I will send away the swabs, and see what Retfords find. The lady I spoke to was very knowledgable and kind, so based on the results I will ask her advice I think. I would be perfectly happy to treat Mini for pain until the eye either heals, or heals over, if that meant that in the end she would have a decent quality of life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted December 3, 2009 Share Posted December 3, 2009 Ella had a bowel operation early this year and recovered successfully, vet was superb and she was a model patient - vet was so impressed that Ella and her operation is now his "party story" at parties! After the operation though as it was cold (snow) she lived in our kitchen for about 6 weeks and I really feel that the warmth and tlc she received inside really aided her recovery. We have a chicken who is blind in one eye - the vet will not operate to remove it. This is the same vet who operated on Ella so he is not "anti chicken" he says the eye/head area is so delicate he wouldn't want to even attempt it and she lives a perfectly normal life with the blind eye still intact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 oh.... PTS because only one eye??????? Seems abit extreme There are very many ex bats out there that cope really really well with omly one eye AND sometimes limited vision in the other, there are also 3 that I know of that are blind and cope amazing well. I think it depends on your set up... Mind set... time etc AND how much a pet or not as to how you proceed with ANY illness injury disability... Also there are heaps that have had ops for different reasons that do pull through just fine from the anasthetic. There is an amazing sad and happy story here. http://free-at-last.org.uk/#/freebies-life/4536988906 Freebie now has a forever home. Even SHE survived an op!!!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jools Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I don't think that's what Redwing was suggesting, my reading of her posts was that she was more concerned about her cockerel being in pain rather than only being able to use one eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redwing Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 (edited) Quite right thanks Jools Sandy you will see from one of my posts that I did say that a bird with one eye/sight in one eye is perfectly able to live a good life but what mattered was how it got to that stage My cockerels eye is copiously weeping/gungy/pus filled and I just dont think that at present thats a quality life for him, bedding gets stuck to his eye and he often has to come inside on a bed of flat kitchen roll for a few days to allow the eye to settle again, he has been to the vets twice we have exhausted all possibilities apart from surgery that the vet doubts will help anyway In 6 months time he may be recovered with sight in one eye but I am not prepared to let him suffer for those six months, sometimes I think we humanise our animals and expect them to 'push through' illnesses the way we do as humans but at the end of the day this is a flock bird, alone, in pain and in an alien environment and I dont propose to keep it that way just to satisfy my own sense of what I think is "Ooops, word censored!"le I have spent nearly £100 on vets bills for a cockerel that I dont need or want just to try and make him comfy so my lack of care is not in question here so please dont say you think its a bit extreme to cull him, I have done all I can for him, if he recovers I will be overjoyed Sorry to hijack the original thread, I do hope that the hen in the original post recovers Edited December 4, 2009 by Guest Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 I do hope that yours gets better Tasha, but you're doing the right thing in ending his suffering if it doesn't. I know of a couple of one-eyed hens which manage fine, one was hatched like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 4, 2009 Share Posted December 4, 2009 in a rush still. just big Soreeee I probably read to quickly.and inacurately. (you'll see why when I post in a min) sorry guys Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted December 4, 2009 Author Share Posted December 4, 2009 It's a horrible position to be in My hen doesn't have a weeping eye, the gunk is very solid and doesn't 'gum up' her eye at all, so we thankfully don't have the issue of things being stuck to it. She is still with the flock, and isn't getting any trouble, so I'm very reluctant to seperate her. I have taken the swabs and sent them back this morning, so I'm hoping to hear good news on sunday I am hoping, with fingers crossed, that it is a simple infection which can be easily treated with the right drug. I understand the difficulty in judging quality of life, Redwing, and I hope that your bird makes a swift recovery x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 Just a quick update. The lab called today to say that she does have a bacterial infection, and by tomorrow lunchtime they should have identified the best antibiotic to kill it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 6, 2009 Share Posted December 6, 2009 oh blurry brilliant!!!!!! That you get the right meds that is. How long did it take from them getting the swab to identifying? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted December 6, 2009 Author Share Posted December 6, 2009 I sent the swabs friday morning, so very fast really. I can highly recommend them, they are ever so friendly and helpful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted December 8, 2009 Author Share Posted December 8, 2009 The antibiotics arrived from Retfords this morning, along with a tonic to help disguise the taste Mini is clearly not feeling well, but still eating etc. I am hoping that we have got the correct treatment in time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skye Posted December 8, 2009 Share Posted December 8, 2009 Fingers crossed Mini feels much better soon as a result of the treatment sent, madchickenlady. skye x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted December 15, 2009 Author Share Posted December 15, 2009 Well, the eye is much less gunky, but still not perfect. Mini is spending a lot of time in the coop, but not looking ill, just snuggled in the nestbox. I suspect that she is avoiding the cold/damp and other hens. She is eating and drinking. Her general condition is good, and she's not hunched up. I suppose now I just wait and see? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chelsea Posted December 15, 2009 Share Posted December 15, 2009 Thanks for the update and glad to hear it's improving. I would be inclined to pay another visit to the vet for some antibiotics just to finish the infection off once and for all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandyhas3chucks Posted December 16, 2009 Share Posted December 16, 2009 I agree. I had 2 that needed a second bash to cear things up! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 Mini has already had two courses of tylan, two of baytril and now the soludex Surely there can't be any more bacteria on her! Maybe it'll just take time to fully recover? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted December 16, 2009 Author Share Posted December 16, 2009 Sorry, the antibiotic given by Retfords is soludox doxycycline, not soludex Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madchickenlady Posted December 17, 2009 Author Share Posted December 17, 2009 Ok, I cracked and called Retfords. They strongly suspect a cyst behind the eye, and the only treatment would be surgery at nearly £200 However, the vet said that if I just leave her to heal, she'll lose the eye anyway (most likely outcome of surgery). She very much doubts that the hen is in pain (no sitting hunched up, still eating/drinking) but thinks that she's hiding in the coop because she feels vulnerable (not used to only having the one eye yet). So, I've set her up in the greenhouse where she can see the others, and be seen, but not harassed. She has food, water and a warm place to sleep. I'm hoping that removing the stress of her flock mates might aid the healing process. I will of course review the situation constantly, and if I think she is suffering then I'll have to make more difficult decisions. Oh, how I long for a healthy, problem free flock Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plum Posted December 17, 2009 Share Posted December 17, 2009 Hugs for you, you are doing a good job. Can't say anything to help but just wanted you to know I'm sending you positive vibes for her and empathise if you have to make that hard decision. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
