POULTRY
Causes of Eye and Respiratory Symptoms
By Dr Rob Marshall
Respiratory diseases often present as one or more birds sneezing, snicking, gaping, or wheezing. These birds can have nasal discharge and foamy/sticky eyes. In severe cases, the sinuses become swollen around the eyes and the bird stops eating leading to death. It is difficult to differentiate the causes of eye and respiratory symptoms, as many diseases may affect the eye and respiratory organs.
Most commonly, the primary underlying cause of eye and respiratory symptoms is secondary vitamin A deficiency that has impaired immune function leading to opportunistic bacterial, fungal and/or viral infection. The most common opportunistic infections in backyard and show poultry are: Infectious Coryza, CRD (Mycoplasma infections), Chlamydia, Pseudomonas, Klebsiella, and Staphylococcus bacterial infections. ILT, IB Marek’s Disease (MD), Fowl Pox and. Aspergillus fungal infections may also be present. The treatment plan therefore involves both antibiotic therapy and vitamin A supplementation. If your bird is diagnosed with opportunistic infection associated with secondary vitamin A deficiency, a complete nutritional plan is provided to prevent relapse (refer to ZADE Liquid for Poultry brochure). Birds suffering from respiratory disease must always be isolated from healthy stock until fully recovered to limit the spread of the disease.
It is difficult to differentiate ILT from Coryza and other viral respiratory diseases but there are means for doing so if we look at the following respiratory and eye symptom check list:
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Eye discharge
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Nasal discharge
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Face swelling
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Conjunctivitis
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Sneezing
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Shaking head
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Gurgling sounds
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Coughing
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Gaping
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Bloody discharge
Sticky eyelids as seen here are an indication of xeropthalmia (dry eye) as a result of severe secondary vitamin A deficiency.
The eye is often infected with opportunistic bacteria and complicated by coryza, CRD and other viruses. Treatment targets the infection as well as the vitamin A deficiency.
Gaping is often associated with gastro-intestinal dysmotility that has led to an irritating pharyngitis as a result of secondary vitamin A deficiency.
Birds infected with ILT remain quiet because breathing is difficult. Coughing, sneezing, and shaking of the head to dislodge exudate plugs in the windpipe follow. Birds extend their head and neck to facilitate breathing and gape. Inhalation produces a wheezing and gurgling sound. Blood-tinged exudates and serum clots are expelled from the trachea of affected birds. Many birds die from asphyxiation due to a blockage of the trachea when the tracheal plug is freed. The treatment and prevention plan of virus infections includes vitamin A supplementation (ZADE Liquid).
Eye discharge, nasal discharge, face swelling, conjunctivitis, sneezing, shaking head, and gurgling sounds are also seen with Infectious Coryza, but Coryza does not cause coughing, gaping or any bloody discharges.
Gurgles, gaping, eye discharge, nasal discharge also occur with Infectious Bronchitis, but IB does not cause coughing, sneezing, head shaking, facial swelling or conjunctivitis.
It is difficult to differentiate ILT from Mycoplasma infections as CRD shares most symptoms except bloody discharge and infection is usually not rapidly fatal.
Eye swellings can occur with other diseases such as this bird with Marek’s Disease.There will be no sneezing or coughing with this particular eye form of Marek’s Disease.
Eye problems also occur with fowl pox but this is easily distinguished from respiratory viruses.
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