canker in a chicken

Re: canker in a chicken

Marie Kubiak — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 21:26:52 GMT

Metronidazole is specifically prohibited in food producing animals and chickens can't be designated as pets like horses can so it metronidazole must be avoided.

As above, check what is actually causing the lesions if this hasn't already been done. Candidiasis, capillariasis and deep seated bacterial infections can all appear identical so no point despairing over a lack of treatment until diagnosis is proven!

Marie

Re: canker in a chicken

Evelyn Barbour-Hill — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 21:17:41 GMT

Of course I can't see your chicken, and I don't know how many chickens you see, so please don't take this the wrong way. The sort of lesion I'm visualising – great masses of yellowish inspissated stuff? – could just be chronic bacterial infection, maybe mycoplasmosis. In which case, debridement and Tylan are indicated, though the prognosis has to be guarded.

Re: canker in a chicken

james herriot lied — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 20:42:59 GMT

As above, check that it is frounce - fairly simple to do.

Then, don't be afraid to anesthetize (definitely put a small tube in) and attack gently with a scalpel. If you end up with bits of hyoid on the table, don't necessarily despair.

The pigeon fanciers all use carnidazole (spartrix), mainly because they can get it off the internet. Not being able to see yours, I don't know if it's gone too far, but I'd probably make sure the chicken isn't going to be a food producer if you do use it (I don't have any problems with metronidazole and eggs, given a reasonable withdrawal period).

Pigeon ronidazole looks like a great bet, given the cost of the drug through outfits like Nova, but the formulation is usually pretty poor, and it's often not much cop.

Re: canker in a chicken

Sammy82 — Mon, 27 Apr 2015 17:22:40 GMT

Have you confirmed the trichimonasis? Just take a long swab, wet the tip and take a crop swab/swab the lesions. If you then press the water from the swab onto a slide and put a cover slip on it you will see the little beasts wriggle under the microscope. One practice I did work experience in saw a lot of racing pigeons, and it is very common among them. The big problem we have with treatment is that the most commonly used drug in pigeons is Ronidazole, which unfortunately is not permitted in food producing animals (neither is Metronidazole). I am not aware of any alternative treatment options myself, maybe someone with more pigeon/chicken experience can be more helpful.

Hygiene is important, especially keeping the drinking water clean and avoiding contamination by wild birds.