Swollen & Red Eye

[Renae]

I need help ASAP!

I have a Cockatiel that has a red and swollen eye, I noticed before putting him to bed (luckily). I have him in another cage just to be safe.

It's only one eye, and it's red and swollen, but he's not squinting it shut, he's keeping it open. His poops are good, he's eating, drinking and acting the same, only I noticed his breathing is a bit labored (tail bopping) so maybe it's a resp. infection?

Anyway, I checked him again just before and these are the things he DOESN'T have: discharge from eye or nares, no sneezing or coughing, eyelid isn't crusty, eye isn't watery. Have I forgotten anything?

Is there anything I can put on it? I am hoping and praying I can get him in to see the Avian Vet tomorrow! (it's nearly 1:30am here)

 

[GG.]

I'm moving this to 911 for you, I think more folks will see it


is he where it is warm, perhaps put him in a smaller cage for now

does it look like there is an injury near/around his eye?

 

[suncoast]

Wash with cool sterile eye wash. Hopefully somebody will be along with more experience.

Ginger

 

[Renae]

Yep, it's extra warm in my room and he's in a small cage, it's actually a decent sized for a 'tiel, but he's okay in it for now.

I can't see any injury, the whole eye is just red. I did dab a bit of warm water on it after I seen it, was going to add salt, but didn't just in-case. I can't see anything in the eye either, or under the eye-lid.

These are the best photos I could get of his eye, he thinks out time = run away from the cage!

ETA: okay.. the eye doesn't look as bad in the photos but it is.

 

[Renae]

Wash with cool sterile eye wash. Hopefully somebody will be along with more experience.

Ginger

I don't have any of that stuff. I am going to have to get a list of things like this I should have, but don't.

 

[GG.]

no salt

looks like Gary is here, he should be able to help you

 

[WingedVictory]

Good morning, you are doing great by separating your bird. Please keep him warm and hydrated. From what you described he could have a respiratory infection and needs to see the vet for exam and possible antibiotics. Here is a link to a water soluble antibiotic we keep on hand. Neo Poly Dex Ophthalmic: Eye Antibiotic For Cats & Dogs - 1800PetMeds

If you bird appears to have an eye injury you can wash with saline solution or a homemade eye wash. Here is a link which might help. What is Needed for a Homemade Eyewash?

You may have human eye drops or wash on hand that will work. Check labels and ask questions if you are not sure.

Please keep us updated.

gary

 

[Renae]

Thanks a lot for that Gary.

I had human eye drops but can't find them (typical)! I will tomorrow ring up the Avian Vet first thing and hopefully get him in - usually she likes to keep them in there for 1 night, but see how we go and see what she says.

I'll check out those links now. Thanks again.

 

[spencertoo]

Get a saline made for contact lenses and rinse his eye with that. Don't worry about the salt. Use saline only, not any of the mixes for contact lenses. Best not to make your own because it needs to be sterile.

The saline will hopefully help keep the comfortable and might also help rinse out a foreign body, if there is one. There doesn't look to be a problem with the cornea being scratched so there could be a foreign body lodged under a lid.

Please, do not use an eye drop with a steroid in it unless under direct supervision of a vet. Neopolydex has dexamethasone in it. The steroid gets ingested via the plumbing in the eye, sinuses and choanal slit.

He looks to be albino. Albanism has traits that can cause eye problems that have nothing to do with infections.

Hope he feels better soon!

 

[southernbirds]

I used contact solution with my dog and it helped. Good luck and let us know how he is doing today.

 

[srtiels]

Renae,

I have a tiel with the same problem. it was like that yesterday, and today is fine.

I took pix's, but right now I am just going off the computer for an hour and will repost.

Has the bird had alot of millet recently? i have found that my weaning babies will still nibble and play with the millet long after the seeds are off of it, and the dust from the empty millet spray gets into their sinus cavities, inflames the eyes, and a slight infection is in there. What you will see is an enlarging, under the skin in the front corner of the eye. The pus or whatever it is called solidifies within a day, and gets trapped under the skin towards the front of the eye. With gentle pressure behind the lump this yucky stuff can be worked out fron=m under the membrane and removed.

More later...I'll upload some pix's and post more....

 

[Birdasaurus]

Your cockatiel's eye looks exactly like my Pi after he fell into a seed dish and got a hull caught under his eyelid. I was able to remove the hull, but from it being under there he ended up getting a mucous clog (think what comes out of the human eye when we get pink eye). I couldn't visibily see it, but the doctor was able to remove the clog and gave us a sterile eye solution to keep him lubricated. It took about 2 weeks for his eye to return completely to normal.

I can see how it could be a respiratory issue as well, though. I was lucky since I saw the hull in his eye and knew that's what caused it. The eye itself should be nothing to worry about, so I'm hoping he just had a little clumsy accident too

 

[Riley's mom]

Kind of looks like a little conjunctivitis to me. There is not always a discharge associated with conjunctivis. Flushing with saline is the way I go until you can get to the vet for positive diagnoses. Good luck. Big to you both.

 

[srtiels]

but from it being under there he ended up getting a mucous clog (think what comes out of the human eye when we get pink eye). I couldn't visibily see it, but the doctor was able to remove the clog and gave us a sterile eye solution to keep him lubricated. It took about 2 weeks for his eye to return completely to normal
--------------------------------

The eye first looks reddened and swollen for a day or two. Then the corner starts to really enlarge. If any foreign matter gets under the eyelid, or exits from the sinus cavity, first it is pus-like type stuff and then hardens into a lump, that looks similar to the heart of a niblet of corn. It is easily expressed from under the skin with pressure in the corner of the eye. Many times it is a 2 day process if alot of stuff is in the sinus cavity.

The BEST thing I have found for eye irrations is Optique. It can be found in the homeopathic section of a health food store. Each package contains individual sterile plastic dropper vials, and most eye irratations can be cleared up within a day, if not bacterial related.

Your vet can also do a sinus flush if it is suspected that there is dust or any inhaled foreign objects causing this.

Shown below is the eyes after I expressed what was caught under the eyelids. prior to the eye was red and swollen looking.

 

[Renae]

Thanks for your help!!

I just checked him and there's only a little bit of redness now. I think something might of gotten under his eyelid. They haven't had millet, but they've had budgie seed which I noticed leaves lots of nice hulls.

I rang and the AV she's booked out until tomorrow and said she'd call me right away if anyone cancels, BUT I'm going to go into town today and see if I can find the things mentioned that'll help.

 

[southernbirds]

Good luck. Glad things are doing better. It's always good to have some eyewash in the house like a small bottle of contact solution. Enjoy your evening.

 

[srtiels]

Keep us posted. Hopefully it is just an irratation. Saline or the homeopathic solution may help releive the redness.

Also, important, check the shoulder on the side that the eye problem is. If the bird is rubbing there, use some saline to wash (dab with a cottonball) to clean the feathers. This will help to further aggrivating the eye. Also feel the area. Sometimes if the bird is molting a new pinfeather could have also irratated the eye if the bird was rubbing his head on the shoulder.

 

[Renae]

Contact Solution is the first thing I'm going to look for. If I can't find it, I'll have to make-do with one of the other things suggested, hoping they have at least one thing!

ETA: thanks Susanne, I'll do that now.

 

[Renae]

One more thing - when I go and get some drops, is there anything I should avoid getting? like a certain thing that's in the drops that could hurt him.. if that makes sense. I haven't had much sleep so I'm really sleep deprived atm.

 

[srtiels]

I really can't answer that. i'd steer clear of human eyedrops like visine. I'd stick with the solution used for contact lens users. You might also want to pick up a couple of eyedroppers to use to apply the drops to the eyes if the solution bottle does not have a controled dropper tip.