Question on Canker & Fish Zole Treatment

[Krazy4Chicks]

I have a hen that I just noticed yesterday that has a swollen cheek. When opening her mouth, there was a cheezy substance in her cheek area, so I'm guessing it's canker. Thankfully, I have Fish Zole on hand and I started treating her yesterday. I've read to give her one 250mg tablet per day for 5 days. I've also read to give her one-half 250mg tablet twice per day. Which is the best treatment? Also, do the eggs need to be discarded?

 

[dawg53]

Treatment for canker is Metronidazole, Fish Zole which you have. Dosage is one 250mg tablet per day for 5 days.
It is contageous and chickens remain carriers. Ensure all waterers and feeders are clean.
Copper sulfate at 1/8 teaspoon per gallon of water for 3 days in a row once a month will control it.

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

Thanks dawg53! I'm guessing that I need to discard her eggs, correct? And if so, for how long?

 

[dawg53]

I havnt found anything on egg withdrawal for metronidazole. People use it against gram negative bacteria. I'd eat the eggs afterwards. However if someone were allergic to it, it would be best to toss the eggs for at least a week.
When mixing copper sulfate in water, do not add more than 1/8 teaspoon to the gallon of water, measurement has to be exact. I'm not sure if it has a withdrawal period.

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

Thanks for all of your help, dawg53!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Poultry DVM and @casportpony have said that metronidazole (FishZole, Flagyl) is given 1/2 of the daily dose twice a day. Some links online say to give the full dose once a day, and pigeons are usually treated with putting it in their water for 5 days. Kathy has Plumbs Veterinary Handbook for dosages to many drugs. I think she has used it with her vet’s direction as well. I have no personal experience with it’s use.

I am only writing this since I have posts recommending giving it twice a day. It may not make a difference. In some antibiotics, they are given more often to keep the amount of dru up at a constant level. Dawg53 has tons more experience with chickens than I do.

 

[casportpony]

Most of what I have read says treat once a day for five days, but some pigeon sites say to treat twice a day for weeks. I have done both. One could try once a day for five days, then twice a day if it doesn't clear up.

The maximum dose my vet told me to use is 23 mg per pound orally twice a day for several weeks, but that was for treating necrotic enteritis.

When I treated one pigeon for canker I gave it 23 per pound orally for for five days and that cleared it up, but it didn't work for the second pigeon. With the second pigeon I tried for weeks with various amounts, but it never resolved, so I culled it. And as @dawg53 already said, even if it clears up, they will remain carriers for life.

While experimenting with doses on the second pigeon I found that one of the side effects of too large a dose are seizures, so one should be careful using larger doses.

Metronidazole is quite bitter, so I would not recommend putting it in drinking water.

Keep in mind that other things can look like canker.

• Bacterial infection
• Wet pox
• Cancer

Thanks dawg53! I'm guessing that I need to discard her eggs, correct? And if so, for how long?

Technically, metronidazole is *banned* for use in all food animals, so you are never supposed to eat the eggs or meat of animals treated with it. I use it, and I eat the eggs after about two weeks.

 

[dawg53]

I recently had to take metronidazole 500mg for 7 days after I had a back tooth pulled. My gum got infected and the penicillin that the dentist prescribed didnt work. I ended up going to my doctor and got metronidazole which kills anaerobic bacteria, and it worked thankfully. That was an a fun adventure lol.

 

[casportpony]

I know people take it, but for some silly reason the FDA put it on the banned list.

 

[Krazy4Chicks]

I’ve actually been giving my hen a whole tablet the last 2 days. If you think I should change to 1/2 twice a day, let me know. She’s already looking a little better. I feel so bad that I didn’t notice it sooner. It’s hard to see her face behind all of her fluff (she’s a Buff Polish). I checked the mouths of the other 11 hens, and no signs of the nasty stuff.