[Help] Canary with sore eye!

[Deslandes]

Hello everyone,
I have come across this forum because my canary has some sort of eye disease and I would like to hear others' opinion on this matter. I've been to the vet last Saturday and yet I've seen no signs of recovery. The vet prescribed an oral antibiotic (enrofloxacin) and administered a subcutaneous injection containing an anti-mite substance (don't know how it's called). The bird is doing a topical ophtalmic antibiotic (tobramicin) as well. The vet didn't came up with a clear-cut diagnostic, but he said it could be due to mites (which honestly I doubt).
So, I am posting some pictures of my bird's eye for you to tell me your opinion on what sort of disease it might be and how you've been able to treat your own birds somehow in case you've ever had sick birds as well and successfully treated them.
Initially I thought it was just a conjuntivitis, but now that it doesn't go away with antibiotics I think it might be a tumor. Does it look like it? What's your opinion overall?
Thank you!
The pictures: Last week http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/1548/img2885q.jpg ; Today http://img541.imageshack.us/img541/71/img2889w.jpg

 

[Anne & Gang]

I think you need to take the bird back to the avian vet either for a recheck or to a different avian vet..hard to say what it is.

 

[newatthistx]

Awe, poor baby....not sure what it could be but the picture from today looks worse than the one from last week....It does look similar to a fatty tumor....I agree with Anne that a recheck and possibly a change in meds is diffinately needed...

Maybe a Mod could move this to the 911 section so more people will see and can help better.....

 

[Deslandes]

Thank you for your replies! I' so concerned about his health! If a moderator sees this thread I kindly ask him to move it to the 911 section. Thank you!

 

[suncoast]

Did you see an avian vet? Where are you located so we can help you find one or another one if you need it. The eye looks worse I agree. Is she housed with any other birds? I would isolate her immediately. What kind of wash are you using? Sterile Saline? You need to make sure she's getting good nutrition. And I would put her food, water and perches dow low so that she doesn't have to expend too much energy moving around.

Ginger

 

[Deslandes]

Did you see an avian vet? Where are you located so we can help you find one or another one if you need it. The eye looks worse I agree. Is she housed with any other birds? I would isolate her immediately. What kind of wash are you using? Sterile Saline? You need to make sure she's getting good nutrition. And I would put her food, water and perches dow low so that she doesn't have to expend too much energy moving around.

Ginger

Hi there.
Yes, I did see one, specialized in birds. He prescribed oral enrofloxacin and injected some anti-mite substance on the bird's groin. He didn't came up with a clear diagnostic, just suspicions of mite infection and/or conjuntivitis. I've been putting the oral antibiotic since Saturday.
I have this canary as pet, he's alone in his cage. I used to wash his eyes with sterile saline in the first days but saw no recovery and stopped. Since yesterday I'm applying an ophtalmic solution of the antibiotic tobramicin, but it seems to be getting even worse so I should stop.
The canary is still eating well and moves around all day, I only noticed that he doesn't sing anymore as he used to, which is odd. Could he be hiding his disease?
I'm so concerned to lose the little bird.
By the way, I'm not located in the U.S. I'm living in Europe.

 

[waterfaller1]

Looks like mites to me. Is his cage located inside or outside? Is there any wood on the cage? I would disinfect the cage, change out the perches, and sterilize everything in the cage. If he has mites and is also molting, this is extra stressful for him. All male canaries stop singing when they are molting, or do not feel well. How old is he?

 

[waterfaller1]

I wonder if the vet may have considered this? Look at the corner of the eye where the underlying membrane is protruding. I wonder if he has a seed hull stuck behind his eye or in his sinus? It happens.

 

[Deslandes]

I wonder if the vet may have considered this? Look at the corner of the eye where the underlying membrane is protruding. I wonder if he has a seed hull stuck behind his eye or in his sinus? It happens.

His cage is inside, in the kitchen. No wood, just sterilized sand I buy, on the bottom. As far as I notice he's not losing feathers, so I think he might not be molting yet. I will desinfect the whole cage and sterilize the perches and feeders tomorrow to see what happens. He's 9 months or so. He does sing a bit, from time to time, but it's more like random chirps, nothing like the vibrant, sustained singing he used to have. The vet didn't hypothesize over a stuck seed hull, but I'm going back there this Saturday and I'll come up with that, thank you.

 

[Birdbabe]

Dont use sand dear, use white paper towels or newspaper..better for poop patrol. He may have gotten a piece of the sand in there?? Is he scratching it? I would get a second opinion asap, good luck and keep us updated. also, if you can, move the cage out of the kitchen, possible fumes from cooking and/or cleaning.

 

[Deslandes]

Dont use sand dear, use white paper towels or newspaper..better for poop patrol. He may have gotten a piece of the sand in there?? Is he scratching it? I would get a second opinion asap, good luck and keep us updated. also, if you can, move the cage out of the kitchen, possible fumes from cooking and/or cleaning.

Hi, Thanks for your input. Yes, he does scratch a bit on the perch and sometimes he uses his paw. I wonder whether the scratching might be responsible for the worsening.

 

[suncoast]

How is your canary?

Ginger