# Ear Infection???



## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

I have pigeon with following problem:
Growth in the ear or from the ear. Opening is completely closed. When I gently pressed, pus-like liquid started oozing between the skin and eyelid.
Pigeon is having balance problem when flying/landing. On the ground is doing fine.
No problem with eating, drinking, pooping, acts completely normal.
Action taken so far:
Canker treatment – Dimetridazole, Carnidazole;
Bacterial treatment – Baytril;
Local treatment – saline solution and Terra-Cortril Eye/Ear ointment.
Any idea what this can be and suggestions for treatment?
Sorry for the pictures quality (tried to get it close and on focus).
P.S. Note that beak is slightly overgrown!


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## Skyeking (Jan 17, 2003)

It could be mites that are affecting the bird. Have you treated your birds with a wormer/parasite treatment like Moxidectin, that will get rid of them IF that is what it is?

Do not let the bird fly if he has balance issues.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

Our Stellar had a lump behind her eye when she arrived, she had been ill with possible chlamydia. John asked Dr Colin Walker for his opinion and this was his reply:

_If the bird has a swelling below the eye the most likely cause is an infection in the sinus. This could be due to Chlamydia, canker or a bacteria. If you wanted to try treating him at home I would give him a broad spectrum antibiotic (the Baytril you are using is a good choice, the dose of Baytril 10% is 2 drops twice daily) and an anticanker drug (e.g. Flagyl 200mg, 1/4 tablet once a day). Alternatively it would be a good idea to have him checked by the closest vet to you who sees birds. Sometimes material can build up in the sinus necessitating lancing._

I don't think ear mites would have that effect, our Piglet had ear mites, they have to be suffocated with vaseline smeared over the outer ear.


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

No, these are likely no mites. Bird was treated with Ivermectin for parasites. I forgot to write this, because I threat all of them on arrival for external and internal parasites.
It could be Chlamydia though. He was on Baytril for 10 days, but if it is Chlamydophila psittaci it could be that treatment was to short. Maybe Doxy-t ???


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

In this sort of case it is worth doing a lot of careful research first about antibiotics and current formularies. This is from a very recent post by one of our members, solly, who used Doxy and then was switched to Baytril, the duration of the course seems right but I am wondering whether the dosage was too weak , or whether the bacteria are becoming resistant...or whether the results of the swab test were wrong:



> Well Walter my original woodie who was 4 last week was really unwell and all the signs showed to ornithosis so vet sold me 4 weeks supply of doxycyline and that was in all of their water for this amount of time.....
> 
> Well Walter still didnt look well and so i bought a swab and poop test and sent it off....well came back with chlymidia(ornithosis),salmonella,cocci and mild yeast......on the bright side no worms or canker..
> 
> vet said to start with baytril for the ornithosis and salmonella for 10 days


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

I don't really know much but I do recall reading that birds do get inner ear infections that cause dizziness or as what I read called "twirling". An inner ear infection would cause lack of stability. Hope you figure it out soon! Best of luck!


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Hi Plamenh

The one Feefo mentioned, Stellar, had a Chlamydia infection earlier from what his rescuer said (nasal discharge, watery eyes), so we concluded the swelling was likely conjunctivitis and/or sinusitis resulting from it. The vet who examined him concurred and noted that this swelling was not soft, or with any indication of discharge from it. The 10 days of Baytril did work, though. The swelling was behind the eye and level with it, more of a swelling of the cere.

Piglet did have a yellowish/orange discharge from his ear. The precise cause was not 100% certain, though ear mites seemed probable, but we did the vaseline smearing and dosed with Moxidectin, and it did clear up quickly.

John


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

This bird has no nasal discharge or watery eye. Swelling is hard on touch. Discharge is yellowish/orange and probably comming from ear chanel (I can't see clearly because it is closed by growth/swelling.
Since yesterday discharge stopped but I don't knoe maybe it is still active internally. 
Step 1. I'll treat for ear mites again, maybe first time wasn't enough and reinfected.
Step 2. Bacterial infection treatment - still not sure if baytril to be used again because it will be second time.


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

I'd treat for canker and aggressively .. JMO . Yes, I saw the pics and the posts ..

Terry


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Hi Terry
What to treat with? I already did Spartrix for 3 days and Emtryl for 5 days.
Canker medication is not a problem as I have full set on hand:
Ronsec – Ronidazole 
Soft trico 2000 – Secnidazole
Emtryl – Dimetridazole
Soft Niadizole – Niadizole
Medtrich - Metronidazole


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

*Ear Infection Update*

Hi everyone,
Just update on the sick pigeon condition. Looks that Terra Cortril does the job. Growth is falling apart. For the first time I can see ear channel open and clear. On the picture I took, it can be still seen last chunk hanging bellow the ear.


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## Charis (Feb 11, 2007)

Good. The bird looks so much better.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

That is interesting and worth making a note of. I was wondering whether this was a pseudomonas infection because of its resistance to antibiotics (my dog has had a nasty experience). I looked up Terra Cortril...one site said _It is particularly effective against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Haemophilus aegyptius (Koch-Weeks bacillus) frequently found in local infections of the eye and ear._ 

I am so glad that the pigeon is looking better. Ear infections are nasty.


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Originally I use it for conjunctivitis in pigeons. Reading that this is eye/ear ointment and its action, I decided to use it. So far it is working. I wish I knew what was real cause.


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

> I wish I knew what was real cause.


What matters is that it is getting better. I suppose that you could ask for a bacterial culture, but if you saw the same symptoms in another bird then the chances are they would have a different cause.

Cynthia


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Sorry, I'm tired of guesswork and especially today!
I released one pigeon after successfull canker tretment, got two new squeakers to feed, improvement in ear infection case and lost one bird in fight with intestine infection (maybe salmonella), I was to late.


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## penname (Jul 28, 2008)

plamenh said:


> Sorry, I'm tired of guesswork and especially today!
> I released one pigeon after successfull canker tretment, got two new squeakers to feed, improvement in ear infection case and lost one bird in fight with intestine infection (maybe salmonella), I was to late.


It's very hard, when Noddy's eyes were bad we were at a loss. Unfortunately there seems to be an awful lot of guesswork with birds. I'm happy to hear the infection is getting better. Please don't be sad, you win some you lose some, you do your best and that's all you can do. Think of the success stories, without you where would they be?


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## TAWhatley (Mar 6, 2001)

plamenh said:


> Hi Terry
> What to treat with? I already did Spartrix for 3 days and Emtryl for 5 days.
> Canker medication is not a problem as I have full set on hand:
> Ronsec – Ronidazole
> ...


Well you've certainly done an aggressive canker treatment. Seeing your post today looks like you've found a treatment that works for whatever this is. I don't often see canker coming out of the ears but did have a youngster not too long ago that was a very difficult case that looked similar to what your photos showed. You've got a very well stocked medicine chest .. good on you!

Terry


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

Hi Terry,
I will wait a week to clear off all medications from the bird’s body and give a dose of Metronidazole (just to be on the safe side). In the past I had case of under-skin canker too and I know what you talking about. This time was like pus oozing.
I keep various medicines because every case is different. Sometimes bird is in too bad condition and you need fast acting medicine while in other situation is too young and you need safer one. Often pathogen does not react on one type and I need to switch to other.
(I must confess that I'm bit paranoid too. Scared that bird will need me and I won’t be able to help because I don't have right tool for the job.)


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

*Ripley - Believe it or not!*

Another day filled with stress and worries. This morning ear infection treated bird managed to escape. Went over my head when I was opening loft door and took a fly.
Treatment is actually over and ear was cured, but I wanted to keep eye on it for some time. Anyway it made two circles around the property and went out of sight.
I waited, looked around, drank extra cup of coffee and finally went to work…
This is not the end of the story!
When I came back, I started cleaning loft and relocated one of the squeakers to vacated cage. Finally when finished, it was 16:00 and I went to house for a shower. There in my lounge quietly was waiting my lost pigeon. Loft was closed house window was open so what a heck, let’s wait inside.
I couldn’t refuse, took it to the loft, perching on my hand!!!
Once inside, two top-full feeders were emptied (I could swear there is no place to put all these seeds in this bird), water container dried out and then SHE felt it is time for love affair and went into the cage of one of mine PMV cocks who was situated by HER hospital cage.
Tell me now isn’t pigeons intelligent? Are we intelligent enough for them?


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## John_D (Jan 24, 2002)

Yep, you have a smart pigeon there 

Great story! 

My lounge is where I had my first close up meeting with a pigeon - lost racer who got in while I was at work, he drank some water from a potted-plant's pebble tray (from the evidence) and chomped on a bit of the greenery 

(and I agree, we could do worse than learn something about life from pigeons - they just keep it nice n simple and get on with it)

John


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## Feefo (Feb 8, 2002)

How long had you had her before she escaped and came back?


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## plamenh (Aug 11, 2006)

A bit more than three weeks. (3 days Spartrix+5 days Dimetridazole+10 days Baytril+4 days Terra Cortril+2 days between)


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## TerriB (Nov 16, 2003)

That pigeon knows a good thing when she sees it! So glad she made it safely back to your place.


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