Crusty Eye, closed shut - UPDATE

[whoacowboy]

This morning I picked up my silkie and her eye was closed shut and crusty. The other eye and her nostrils are fine. I brought her inside and dabbed a warm wet cotton ball on it. She seemed to like that and started scratching at it and rubbing it on her back. Slowly but surely she opened her eye. I'm not sure what happened. It looks like caked food. She is inside now and her eye are is swollen. Thoughts? She has no other symptoms. Poop is good. Eating and drinking. Behavior is normal.

 

[whoacowboy]

Here is the eye. It seems to be tearing.

 

[86121]

What I would do: I would cut the feather back from her/his eye and wash his the head area with warm water. Keep an eye out for debris or a scratch on the eye itself, or a tiny cut around the edge. Just keep it flushed.

 

[Judy]

I'd clean it (as you did) and put a little ophthalmic ointment, or plain Neosporin ointment, on it once or twice a day. Usually you can buy Terramycin ophthalmic ointment at feed stores. But a vet told me years ago you can use the brand name Neosporin ointment in eyes -- and I've used it in my own without a problem.

 

[whoacowboy]

Her eye closed shut again overnight. When i dab it with a cotton ball she is eager to wipe it off. Then her eye opens back up. I have been using Visine drops then Neosporin. I can't see any cuts or debris. Poor thing.

 

[dawg53]

Possibly her feathers/fluff are rubbing her eye causing irritation, you can trim them back with scissors. Then maybe a respiratory disease... coryza or MG. Coryza, smell her head/nostril area for a foul odor. No foul odor could possibly be mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG.) Here's a link:
http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/ps044

 

[whoacowboy]

Thank you for the link. There is no discharge from nostrils, no raling or sneezing yet. I have someTylon so I can start her on that. I have the link you sent me last summer about dosing. No foul smells. I have her separated and will just monitor her.

 

[Tressa27884]

I had this happen to one of my polish hens last week. I used saline solution on a cotton ball to clean it out, cut all the feathers around her eye and kept her in the house for a few days. Make sure she is eating and drinking; mine wouldn't. There is a great avian vet at Four Corners Veterinary in Concord. Her name is Dr. Ivey.

 

[whoacowboy]

At the suggestion of my vet/lady down the road who has chickens, I purchased Terramycin ointment. This has been working VERY WELL! I'm so happy to go to the coop and see her eye open. I continue to flush with saline and apply ointment. She is looking great.

 

[whoacowboy]

And thank you, Flockwatcher, for this reccomendation, also. Super happy