Lingering canker growth.....mouth

Subject: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Mon Aug 02, 2010 1:47 pm

Hello all. I managed to pull Fortuna in through my kitchen window several days ago...she had been a baby who was hatched and grew up in my lightwell who I recently noticed was getting sick - fast.

To make her life more awful, her ol' Dad was trying to drive her away from the lightwell (probably noticing she was ill). Amazingly, as luck (or fate) would have it...he managed to drive her away from her usual sleeping spot, which was not within range of a grab and only accessible by a noisy extension ladder....to a temporary scaffolding rail 4' away from my window ! (So I guess we shouldn't be too hard on Dad, after all).

I was able to open the window enough to grab her after sunset on Friday night. BTW she's about 13 weeks old now.....

It was amazing to me the poor thing was still alive. Mucous all in her mouth and mucous bubbles coming out her nares, and the nastiest, foulest-smelling canker in her mouth I have ever seen on a bird.

Started Metronidazole immediately (with some Medacam added just to ease her discomfort) and she has been pulling through like a trooper ! The lesions appear to be about 65% gone and yesterday I allowed her to start eating small, small seed...which she has been devouring. I had been lightly feeding her baby bird formula before then (fortunately she had not become emaciated by the time I got her so a very aggressive feeding regimen was not req'd).

Now...there is one particularly nasty canker growth which is lingering, right next to the base of her tongue; which keeps me from giving her larger food morsels for fear that they may dislodge the growth. We are only at Day 4 of the Metro, and she is getting 2 doses/day. The foul breath is mostly gone, one really has to sniff to catch a whiff of it any longer, whereas on Friday it immediately filled an entire room. Her poops don't look bad, either.

Is this just a matter of being patient ? As I said, the worst of it disappeared VERY quickly...within 2 doses. But I really do not wanna start diversifying her food until this one is receding or gone....

No danger-zone any longer, here; she is stronger and alert and she is getting hydration and nutrition just fine.

Subject: Re: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Mon Aug 02, 2010 2:29 pm

Jaye...the thing that Jim did with his canker bird rescue, was add spartrix to the mix. He made a paste and lightly painted it on the stubborn pieces. If you don't have spartrix, I think it would be worth asking Elizabeth or anyone else in you area that may have some, if she/they can spot you a couple of pills. I don't know if it's available locally, but Jedd's does carry it.
It's my understanding that there are many different strains of the parasite that cause canker and some are becoming resistant to the metronidazole alone and so adding another drug to the mix is necessary.

Subject: Re: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Tue Aug 03, 2010 1:20 pm

Hi Jaye,

Hope Fortuna is better -- does that growth near the base of her tongue look any smaller or drier?

Subject: Re: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Sun Aug 08, 2010 11:30 pm

Thanks for the replies. After 5 days of Metronidazole I have now gone to 5 days of Spartrix. It was very interesting and a bit alarming because on his/her (she may be a guy, actually) day 5 there was definitely a turn for the worse. It was like great improvement the first 3 days, then a plateau on day 4, then a nosedive on day 5....fluffed out a lot, eyes closed, etc.

That was when the Spartrix arrived so I went at an aggressive regimen. The growth was still there and I have carefully swabbed it a few times with powdered Spartrix, and have been dosing him/her for 4 days now. Day 5 is tom'w.

That growth is better...but not gone Lingering canker growth.....mouth Suspect

Lingering canker growth.....mouth Suspect

yet. I am thinking of going to Ronidazole next.

He is acting very well...wants like heck to get out of the cage...is eating and drinking well, and is strong and alert-looking; but that growth is still there, albeit diminished.

Subject: Re: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Mon Aug 09, 2010 12:02 am

What I have done, is use them both at the same time. Metronidazol given down the throat and the Spartrix mixed with a small amout of water to make a paste and swabed directly on the canker with a Q-tip.
I believe that recently, Jim used the same approach and it worked.
The bird needs to say on the medicine until there is no visable sign of the canker remaining. It may take up to 10 days in a case this severe.

Subject: Re: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Mon Aug 09, 2010 8:15 am

Jaye.........I had the same problem with a recent rescue "Sweetie" which was severly infected with canker.

I started with the Flagyl, then added Spartrix as per Dr. Hauck's instruction and also continued with the Flagyl at the same time. He also added a course of Cipro to the treatment.

It was a very slow recovery process. Sweetie remained fluffed and listless for almost a month. The diminishment of the canker seemed like it took forever. I also treated Sweetie for coccidia.

Ultimately, Sweetie fully recovered and was successfully released. Full recovery took 2 months.

Give it time. Hang in there

These severe cases take much more time than the standard 5/7 or10 day treatments.

Louise
Lingering canker growth.....mouth 789920

Subject: Re: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Mon Aug 09, 2010 8:52 am

I was hoping you would talk about Sweetie, Louise.

Subject: Re: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Mon Aug 09, 2010 9:58 am

Jaye. ..... Here is the thread about Sweetie......

http://www.pigeonangels.com/feral-pigeons-and-doves-f3/seriously-ill-feral-t1807.htm

Louise

Subject: Re: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Mon Aug 09, 2010 1:15 pm

OK, thanks; and thanks for that thread.....so this won't be a quickie, then.

Now, I have already done 5 days of Spartrix....do I need to stop for a few days ?

I have started Ronidazole today. Can I do the Spartrix swabbing along with Ronidazole oral ????

Subject: Re: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Mon Aug 09, 2010 2:38 pm

Jaye...if you can still see the canker, I wouldn't stop the treatment. Where the bird in my care,I would go back to metronidazole and in addtion make a paste using the spartrix mixed with some water and swab the past directly on to the canker that can seen, coating it lightly.

Subject: Re: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Sun Oct 10, 2010 10:08 am

I would go with Ronidazole without delay and use Lugol's Iodine diluted in water to swab growth.

Subject: Re: Lingering canker growth.....mouth Sun Oct 10, 2010 10:15 am

plamenh wrote:: I would go with Ronidazole without delay and use Lugol's Iodine diluted in water to swab growth.

...Plamen...nice to see you!

Jaye's bird with canker is all cleared up now.

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