Turkey with a cold HELP.

[Amie DePrimio]

Hello! I have a pet Turkey that has a head cold. She has been sick for over a month now. I’ve been treating her with VetRx and it’s helped but she’s still sick. She’s just had some congestion until the day before yesterday when I noticed a small cough (I assume that’s what she is doing). I don’t really have a local vet that can help her. What can I do the get her healthy?

 

[Welshies]

Examine her. Are her eyes clear, or milky with slow blinking? How's her breathing- is she struggling, taking long and fast breaths, or just breathing normally and relaxed? Is she moving around, eating and drinking lots? Is she laying? Does she shiver constantly?
If she is sick in appearance, seperate her. This will allow her to rest, feed, drink, and move around at her leisure. If it is cold where you are, a heat lamp could help- but don't do this without someone else's advice, as she probably doesn't need it.
Make sure she has adequate feed, fresh water (not snow). Do you have pictures of her?
If she isn't sick in appearance, you can keep an eye on her as well as further looking into her behavior. Check out turkey sounds as well.

 

[Eggcessive]

It could be mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG,) which is a common contagious respiratory disease that is spread by carrier birds. It may last weeks or months, and can be chronic, returning when a bird is stressed during cold weather or molting. Symptoms can include watery or foamy eyes, lethargy, cough or sneeze, rattles or wheezes, or gasping. Frequently, they need extra heat to stay warm.
Tylan 50 or 200, an antibiotic, can be used to treat symptoms. Dosage is 10-20 mg given 2-3 times a day, and can be given orally or by injection. Tylan 50 is 50 mg per ml, while 200 is 200mg per ml. You can find those at many feed stores.

 

[Amie DePrimio]

Breathing normal but you can hear she’s clogged up. Acting normal, eating, drinking, moving around. She has free choice feed and water 24/7. Is in a coop at night with constant access to a barn and free ranges at her leisure all day. When she sees me, she runs up to me and plops down and kind of shivers and fluffs her feathers but then gets comfy and sits happily for me to love on her. Her eyes seem clear but I do see her blinking a decent amount with her third eyelid while I’m petting her. She still makes clear purrs and pops (I’m sure they have a technical name but that’s what it sounds like to me.

 

[Amie DePrimio]

It could be mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG,) which is a common contagious respiratory disease that is spread by carrier birds. It may last weeks or months, and can be chronic, returning when a bird is stressed during cold weather or molting. Symptoms can include watery or foamy eyes, lethargy, cough or sneeze, rattles or wheezes, or gasping. Frequently, they need extra heat to stay warm.
Tylan 50 or 200, an antibiotic, can be used to treat symptoms. Dosage is 10-20 mg given 2-3 times a day, and can be given orally or by injection. Tylan 50 is 50 mg per ml, while 200 is 200mg per ml. You can find those at many feed stores.

She is with a flock of 13 chickens and another turkey. This has been happening for a little over a month and no one seems to be showing signs of getting sick. (I really don’t have the set up to quarantine her which is why she’s still with the general population). She does not wheeze or gasp. Her cough sounds more like a quack and it just started a few days ago and it’s not very regular. The discharge from her nostrils is very minimal. I will take a video tonight when I get home from work. Her face isn’t swollen and during this, she started laying eggs every other day (which I find strange for the time of year). Thank you for your help!

 

[Amie DePrimio]

It could be mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG,) which is a common contagious respiratory disease that is spread by carrier birds. It may last weeks or months, and can be chronic, returning when a bird is stressed during cold weather or molting. Symptoms can include watery or foamy eyes, lethargy, cough or sneeze, rattles or wheezes, or gasping. Frequently, they need extra heat to stay warm.
Tylan 50 or 200, an antibiotic, can be used to treat symptoms. Dosage is 10-20 mg given 2-3 times a day, and can be given orally or by injection. Tylan 50 is 50 mg per ml, while 200 is 200mg per ml. You can find those at many feed stores.

The only Tylan I can find is an injectable for cattle and swine. Is the the correct stuff? Is orally still an option for the injectable?

 

[Amie DePrimio]

I took a video this morning but it won’t let me load because it doesn’t have the right extension. I’m not sure what that means. Also, I don’t think it’s a cough, I think it’s more of a sneeze. It sounds like a honk more than a quack.

 

[Eggcessive]

Yes Tylan is for cattle and swine, but also used on chickens. How much does she weigh? Tylan 50 is less expensive, but Tylan 200 is more concentrated and smaller volume can be given. Tylan 50 dosage is 0.2 mg per pound of weight 2-3 times a day, and can be given orally or by injection, but orally would be less likely to cause muscle damage at the injection site. Tylan 200 dosage is 0.2 ml per every 4 pounds of weight. Let me know if you need dosage help.

 

[Amie DePrimio]

Yes Tylan is for cattle and swine, but also used on chickens. How much does she weigh? Tylan 50 is less expensive, but Tylan 200 is more concentrated and smaller volume can be given. Tylan 50 dosage is 0.2 mg per pound of weight 2-3 times a day, and can be given orally or by injection, but orally would be less likely to cause muscle damage at the injection site. Tylan 200 dosage is 0.2 ml per every 4 pounds of weight. Let me know if you need dosage help.

Thank you! Ok, I will place the order online. I prefer to give orally if that’s an option just because I don’t like giving shots and only give them to my horses when I HAVE to. I have not weighted her, but will do so this evening.