Turkeys with Fowl Pox?

[hurr1canelily]

Can anyone tell me what this is? I've got SEVERAL turkeys with what seems like pox, but I'm not sure... and I'm not sure how to treat this! These are the two best pictures I could get.Thanks for any input!!

 

[casportpony]

Looks like dry pox to me. Check inside their mouths for yellow cheese like pus, that's wet pox, and they can get both at the same time. Dry pox will go away on it's own.

-Kathy

 

[Wyandottes7]

Yes, it looks like dry Fowl Pox, which is a disease caused by a virus (its not related to Chicken Pox in humans). Fowl Pox does not have a treatment, and runs its course in about three weeks. It isn't usually deadly in the dry form, which your bird appears to have. However, it can be deadly if it progresses to the wet form, which causes lesions and scabs in the throat as well.

The main carriers of Fowl Pox are mosiquitoes, flies, and other flying insects. To reduce the spread of the disease, treat your area for flying insects. This will eliminate most of the carriers.

Keep your birds as stress-free as possible to prevent a secondary bacterial infection. Electrolytes and probiotics might be a good idea. You might want to put them on a course of antibiotics as well. Oxytetracycline like Duramycin, Terramycin, and Tetroxy HCA-280 is a good antibiotic, as it is broad-spectrum. Make sure that you don't give probiotics, yogurt, apple cider vinegar, or other dairy products while using antibiotics, as they will interfere with the success of the antibiotics.

The scabs may get bigger, and cover more of your turkey's face. They may block their vision, making it difficult for them to see to eat and drink. To make them more comfortable, mix together some vaseline with sulphur (I believe that sulphur can be found at garden stores, but I'm not sure). Put this mixture on the scabs, and they will soften so that you can remove them. Without the scabs, they will be able to see to eat and drink, and the sulphur will help repel flies.

Hope this helps!