Female Zebra'a eye infected again...how to treat now?

[Corkysgirl]

To make a long story as short as possible...after treating her eye with colloidal silver 10 days, eye infection/feathers missing seemed completely better. When it started returning I treated her with Amoxitex for 10 days then acidopholis for 10 days. She was completely better and now her eye is worse than ever. She has no clicking, scaling, or any other symptoms except weepy eye and missing feathers, the same as originally. I just think she needs a stronger anti-biotic and don't know what is the next strongest one for conjunctivitis which is what I was told she had as she has no respiratory symptoms or any other. I just want her to get completely better from this. The room became a little damp at the time her infection came back. It was the only variable. We are new to this place and did not know the power goes out here often and we have no heat so we had a short time of moisture in the room and 60 degrees when it out in a snow storm. Not sure what to treat her with now so any input would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[cindy]

I would order a new medication, a broad spectrum possibly. Call ladygouldian back and tell them the c.silver did not work. It could be a sinus infection or conjuctivitis, bacterial. One of my books recommends a broad spectrum antibiotic like tylosin, but at this point I would seek a vet's help.

[debbie276]

From what I've read the recommendation seems to be Doxycycline/Tylosin for conjuctivitis but I agree with Cindy I'd also seek a vet at this point.
best of luck

[cindy]

If ladygouldian recommends retreating with the c.silver...I know you sprayed it on the eye in the beginning last time because you did not want to put her through catching her to treat the eye directly....this time it might be good to treat the eye directly because it seems whatever was causing the issue was not and has not cleared up. Right now I personally would look at it this way, catch the bird and treat or her loose an eye or worse. She may have a stubborn bacteria that amoxitex may not be able to clear.

Vet at this point might be required.

[Corkysgirl]

If you read back over my posts, I sprayed/misted her eye for the first couple days, maybe it was three, because I didn't want to traumatize her! She is very unlike all my other birds and she was in a weakened condition. I'm still not sorry I did that! After that, I caught her and continued putting colloidal silver drops in her eye for the remainder of the 10 days 5 times per day. The infection cleared up completely and was gone a week or so. Then it started coming back. I called ladygouldian and got Amoxitex, treated for 10 days at her advice and then treated with acidopholis after. I'm now treating her with Amoxitex again as I feel the colloidal silver is not strong enough, just until I find a stronger broad spectrum anti-biotic. I don't feel it's viral any more, but bacterial. She may have reinfected for whatever reason, but I took good care of her, and still will. I realize we have a difference of opinion about the spraying but I know my bird, and temperment. Traumatizing her wasn't worth it. I sprayed enough in her eye to equal a dropper full, without force. I'm smart enough for that. Her feathers grew back and she was doing very well! I'm not going to "let her lose her eye!" I simply wanted to know the next strongest anti-biotic for conjunctivitis. I will call ladygouldian and just do that from now on. Thank you for your help.

[cindy]

What I am trying to say is that for the entire time of treating IF they recommend the c.silver again is to do it directly into the eye for the entire time. But quiet frankly I think she might need something strong than amoxitex....a broad spectrum is recommended in the avian medical guide. She should really be seen by a vet since it flared up a second time. It could be fungual or bacterial...that might be resistant to what you are treating her with.

We see this in children that are treated for ear infections with one antibiotic only to have it return a few days later, they then require a different course of treatment possibly another anitibiotic family.

Our advice is to get her to a vet before she looses her eye to the infection or worse. They may need to do a swab, culture to find out exactly what it is.

[Ameza]

I don't have access to a lot of medication so I don't know about that. But in my cases of eye infections I have found it work well to either clean the bird's eye out at least once a day with saltwater or give the bird a bath with saltwater, easier that catching the bird every day. I usually use rough sea salt.

It sounds like it is more serious than that, but it might help along with other medication. At least it won't do any harm!

Good luck!

[DanteD716]

Good luck with her.