Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
If you cannot find the antibiotic you need in your local farm store, check the Re-
sources section in the back of this topic for sources.
Maintenance and Treatment
The best way to control coryza: cull all infected birds! If you choose not to, then you'll
probably deal with the disease for the rest of the poultry at your particular facility. You
can vaccinate for this disease, but the vaccine has only moderate effectiveness. You'll
have to revaccinate the same birds on a continual basis. Although the untreated disease
does not often kill birds, it typically leaves them disfigured in some fashion. And affec-
ted birds — even those who are no longer symptomatic — become carriers of the dis-
ease, causing problems in your flock for years to come. It will continue to run its course.
Some medicines take care of coryza within a week of treatment. Sulfadimethoxine
works best, but other antibiotics such as Gallimycin are also effective. Bring it under
control rather quickly by simply adding the medicine to the water following the instruc-
tions on the package.
You'll know the medicine is working when the swelling goes down and no more new
cases appear. This is a disease you'll want to catch in the early stages to keep it from
becoming a chronic condition in your flock. In some cases, culling of the entire flock
may be necessary to control or eradicate coryza.
Tetracyclines like Terramycin and Aureomycin will not have any impact on this dis-
ease.
To save special birds with advanced forms of the disease and for whom the antibiotics
are not entirely controlling it, the cheesy material can be pushed out, a process that usu-
ally pushes out the eye as well. Care and timing are crucial here.
Removal of the cheesy exudate is best done with the fingers. Simply apply pressure
to both sides of the bacteria-filled eye and press until the eye and cheesy material pop
out. Be forewarned: this may cause those with a delicate stomach a bit of discomfort. If
the visual doesn't get them, the smell will.
Once the mass is removed, treat the area with a topical antibiotic and spray with
something like Blu-Kote. Although this is too messy and gross for some, special pet
birds can be doctored at home with a high success rate. The bird will obviously have
no sight on one side, but the entire area will heal over and the bird's overall health will
return.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search