Monty14 Posted November 11, 2015 Share Posted November 11, 2015 Hi all This year I've lost two of my gang of girls to mouth canker so I hope everyone keeps on the ball with this. Both stopped eating corn first, looked fed up and then upon examination had huge, cheesy masses in their beaks. Unfortunately after a few weeks treatment there was nothing else to do medically as the canker had taken hold elsewhere in the throat or jaw and couldn't be treated further. My eldest girl Mabel, coming up for 7 and a hardy dame, has also been diagnosed and is in her second week of antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs. She's perkier and I have my fingers crossed but who knows? I keep my feeder and drinkers really clean and yet this disease has thrived this year. Please don't be complacent about cleaning chicken feeder/drinkers and when checking your hens open their beak to inspect - no gunk or stinky saliva. And keep the wild birds out, we have an ongoing battle with this and its them who spread the trichomonas bacteria! Rip Jasmine Rip Daisy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beantree Posted November 12, 2015 Share Posted November 12, 2015 We have this in our Buff Orpington flock Monty14. It was bought in years ago with two arrivals from a breeder and we have contained it simply by isolating the flock because it transmits on feed and in water. A regular inspection last week revealed that another three had signs of it. What we have found is a 1mL shot of cod liver oil with multivitamins once a week and chopped onions will boost their immune system and suppress it. The Trichomonas Gallinae is a parasite that lives in the airways and the apparent 'canker' (not to be confused with fungal cankers) is a combination of inflammation and ulceration. It has very poor environmental resistance though and we found that feeding them crushed ice stops it in the throat very quickly. Unfortunately we lost a few before discovering that; it was only after the flock ate hailstones! Flagyl is the usual treatment but the whole flock would need it. We treated a bought-in cockerel successfully with that after cankers appeared whilst he was in isolation and it never reappeared. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted November 15, 2015 Share Posted November 15, 2015 I'm sorry to hear about this, not a nice one at all, and something that we should all watch out for in our birds. Someone dumped a bird locally recently - it had what appeared to be swollen sinuses on one side, so I went in to have a look at it on my way past. It had canker 'cottage cheese' deposits inside it's beak, so classic signs of canker. Luckily, it had bee isolated when brought in, and I was gloved up. It needed vet treatment, not something you can treat at home; she was put on Metronidazole and made a full recovery. Some vets prescribe Flagyl or Daktarin. You have to catch it quickly though so that the problem doesn't spread and choke the poor thing. Good luck, and sterilise everything! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
