Sick Goose

[Jones81]

So I posted earlier about Baby my 2 month old goose being sick. It sounded like toxins, but the vet was very inexperienced with geese and wasn't much help. The trouble started Friday night, I have been caring for her and by Sunday she had improved but still could not walk, since Sunday she has not improved any more. She is eating and drinking, her poop is sometimes normal, sometimes watery. How long would you give her to recover, this is my first time dealing with a sick goose. One part of me wants to give her as much time as she needs, but the other part of me knows she's not happy living like this. I don't know what to do. Is there any kind of time frame for recovery?

 

[Miss Lydia]

So I posted earlier about Baby my 2 month old goose being sick. It sounded like toxins, but the vet was very inexperienced with geese and wasn't much help. The trouble started Friday night, I have been caring for her and by Sunday she had improved but still could not walk, since Sunday she has not improved any more. She is eating and drinking, her poop is sometimes normal, sometimes watery. How long would you give her to recover, this is my first time dealing with a sick goose. One part of me wants to give her as much time as she needs, but the other part of me knows she's not happy living like this. I don't know what to do. Is there any kind of time frame for recovery?

Did you do the molasses flush? any poultry vitamins? as far as time frame I really don't know what to say.

 

[Jones81]

I did do the molasses flush yesterday. No vitamins I'll go to the feed store today to see what they have.. Ugh I just want her better. I'm tempted to make another vet appt.. but I don't want to waste another $60 and get NO help

 

[kimberly35042]

Please give your gosling more time. I had a similar incident with a blue american earlier this year at about 2 months old. It acted dizzy and the next day it was still standing but would sway back and forth and stopped eating...not even treats.

I knew I was going to lose him if I didn't do something and wrong or right, I used an herb grinder and ground activated charcoal (from a water filter) into a powder, mixed with cantelope and honeydew juice and put into his mouth with a plastic syringe 3-4 times a day for 3 days. VERY SLOWLY -- they will aspirate if you don't give time for them to swallow.

Then I switched to molasses. It took 6 FULL days before my guy started eating again and starting to show improvement, but he recovered fully. I still have no idea what happened. I suspect mushrooms, but he never told me.

Good luck with your little guy!!!

 

[kimberly35042]

I just read your original post. Does your goose have a leg injury by chance? Can it walk?

I also found another little guy flailing like you said (on his side and kicking and can't get up and crying), but I'm pretty sure an evil roo was mean to it and it's leg was injured to where it limped a little. I kept it inside by itself for about 10 days and gave him exercise time in the kiddie pool and/or bathtub. It took time, but it recovered.

Geese are very trauma prone -- sometimes they require time to mentally recover.

If he's eating and drinking and good spirits, I would think it would recover. I'm no expert BY ANY MEANS.

good luck and keep us posted!

 

[Jones81]

Hi and thank you for responding. No his legs seem fine, no visible injuries at all. I am DEFINITELY giving him more time. My kids and I are very attached to him, we hand raised him since he was just a few days old. In fact we have discussed making a wheelchair if he never fully recovers and let him live out his life (but that may be unfair to him, that's no way to live) He is eating and drinking and we take him in the pool a couple times a day where he gets excersize and gets to talk and swim with his feathered family. He still cannnot walk and falls on his back when we let go of him. Any other advice is welcome, I'm going out in the yard now to do a mushroom check, didn't think of that!!

 

[Jones81]

Oh and how long did you do the molasses? On another post they said no more than 8 hours so he drank it all day yesterday then I gave him regular water.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Oh and how long did you do the molasses? On another post they said no more than 8 hours so he drank it all day yesterday then I gave him regular water.

I think the reason you don't do the molasses any longer than 8 hrs is because it has a laxative effect which is why it cleans out the digestive track. But you wouldn't want to keep it up. I would try giving him some kind of poultry vitamins. Theres one by Agri labs that has vitamins .electrolytes and probiotics in it, then theres poultry Nutri Drench I know you can get the nutri drench at TSC not sure about the other one. When he's in the water does he use his legs?

 

[Marty1876]

Gosling can take a lot of time and touble, but they are so worth it.

When an unhappy baby is still eating, drinking, and pooing (not watery poo) time is in order. Just like hatching, it can take 3 or more days to recover from even a mild illness. If her boby is working it out, and it probobly is, just Keep her comfy and happy. If shes over a week old, a little warm (not hold or cold) bath can perk them up a bit too, but only if they can move around well. If she does not began to decline, continue to feed her and water her regular, keep bedding meticulously clean, and maybe offer very small amounts of spinch or kale (which they love) to cheer her. Not too much, or you'll have poop troubles.

If she had diarhea, I'd consider grinding a bit of fish charcoal, and maybe mixing 1 Tb to 1/4 c. food (mix it up) and offer it. It will not hurt her, and can sweeten the digestive tract, and remove any toxins she may have ingested (like other goose poo).

Good luck, I'll check back.

 

[Jones81]

@Miss Lydia The kiddie pool I have is a small one (the big one was too hard to clean daily) and she uses her legs and/or floats. She walks around the tub. My son and I just made her a wheelchair out of a laundry basket, I'll post a pic, and she walks backwards in that but seems happy to be on her feet And thank you I was wondering why her poop got loose (duh)

@Marty1876 Where can I buy fish charcoal? She is 2 months old, we are not going to give up on her easily trust me She is a pet and very loved.

You guys have no idea how happy I am with all the advice, my vet saw her Saturday and wanted to put her down Monday. I just couldn't do it since she came back to her self just can't walk!! Hopefully in time she will be able to