Canary Eye Infection

Canaries rely on their accurate eyesight to find food and avoid dangers. When a canary develops an eye infection, it becomes vulnerable. Proper treatment is required to nurse the canary back to health.

  1. Symptoms

    • Possible signs of an eye infection include red eyes, closed eyes, weeping eyes and loss of balance. Lesions may develop around the eyes as well. Canaries may suddenly fall off their perch.

    Causes

    • Possible reasons for a canary to develop an eye infection include bacterial or viral infection, vitamin A deficiency, dirty cages and eye injuries.

    Treatment

    • The first step involves isolating the canary from other birds. Next, apply antibiotic eye drops such as Terramycin or Tobramycin. Vitamin A supplements aid in the recovery process. Treat pox virus lesions with antibacterial solutions, and remove the scabs around the eyes using mild baby shampoo.

    Prevention

    • To prevent your canary from developing an eye infection, maintain a clean bird cage. Prevent disease-carrying mosquitoes from infecting your canary by erecting screens around the cage or vaccinating your canary. Mosquitoes are the main culprit in the transmission of the pox virus. Poximune C is a vaccine that provides some immunity against the pox virus.

    Consideration

    • If treatment is unsuccessful, your canary may become blind. It can no longer fly and will require hand feeding. The vaccine is usually administered to canaries living in a flock and not an isolated household pet.