White lesion on eyeball?

[socalchickens76]

We noticed a white growth on the eyeball of our 6 month old barred rock. Our flock of six is just getting over fowl pox, which all but two chickens seemed to have gotten in varying degrees. Our barred rock never showed any symptoms of having fowl pox, but now we are wondering if this could be fowl pox on her eyelid.

Any thoughts/ideas on what this could be?

Thank you!

 

[Eggcessive]

Is that the same chicken. How far apart were the pictures? Have you tried to gently wipe off the white matter with a wet QTip or washcloth? I am not sure what that could, but an ulcer or infection come to mind. Can you see a vet for some treatment or antibiotics? About all we can get without a prescription are Terramycin eye ointment from your feed store or plain Neosporin ointment. Vetericyn eye gel can be applied as well, but this may require antibiotics and steroid eye drops.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

My dog had what looked exactly like that. After taking her to the vet it ended up being a scratch on the surface of her eyeball.

 

[socalchickens76]

Is that the same chicken. How far apart were the pictures? Have you tried to gently wipe off the white matter with a wet QTip or washcloth? I am not sure what that could, but an ulcer or infection come to mind. Can you see a vet for some treatment or antibiotics? About all we can get without a prescription are Terramycin eye ointment from your feed store or plain Neosporin ointment. Vetericyn eye gel can be applied as well, but this may require antibiotics and steroid eye drops.

Yes, it is the same chicken. Pictures taken seconds apart. We haven't tried wiping it off. We won't go to the vet (too costly) but I think we have some Terramycin that we could start using. The flock did have fowl pox recently so I'm wondering if it's related.

 

[socalchickens76]

My dog had what looked exactly like that. After taking her to the vet it ended up being a scratch on the surface of her eyeball.

Ok, good to know. Did you have to treat it? Or did it heal on its own?

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Ok, good to know. Did you have to treat it? Or did it heal on its own?

The scratch itself required no medical attention to heal. Hers was caused by an eyelash that had grown curled towards her eye and was scratching the surface. They did do surgery to shave the lower lid so her eyelashes wouldn’t grown back, but that was only to prevent the eye from being continuously scratched. Once the eyelash was permanently removed the scratch healed up on its own.

 

[Eggcessive]

Corneal ulcers look like that. Vets use ciprofloxacin drops and may use steroids as well. That is why I would ask your regular vet, and maybe if you have a regular relationship, they might give you something like that. Corneal ulcers can cause blindness. But chickens can get by with sight in only one eye. Neosporin or Terramycin are about all you can get over the counter.