My Campbell duck appears very sick. I've checked the emergencies and injuries posts, but need something more specific for ducks especially in first identifing the problem, so I can find the best treatment. Not sure what else I can do. No vets available to help. Your assistance will be greatly appreciated.
I found her sitting quietly near the back door with the other ducks 2 days ago, but when she went to move she could not walk, only flutter her wings and pull herself along the ground. I thought she was lame, possibly from trampling by 2 overenthusiastic drakes. She had been fine, lively and running about with the flock in the morning. The only problem at this point in time (afternoon) was that she could not walk. She appeared bright and healthy in every other way.
I penned her away from the rest of the flock to let her recover. Next morning she was showing no interest in food. I gave her plain yoghurt and honey in water to keep her hydrated and provide some energy. She dabbled a little in this. I moved a baby bath into the pen filled it with water and put some condies crystals (potassium permanganate) in the water and lifted her in to float. I thought this would disinfect any wound that I could not see. She seemed to enjoy this, but did not even want to flutter in the water as she would usually do. She kept dipping her head into the water and trying to reach the bottom with her bill, she also kept drinking the water. I bathed her all over as ants were beginning to find her and climb all over her. Throughout the day she seemed to move less and less. She did, however, manage to crawl her way up to the wire door to the pen, where she simply layed all day, being as close to her flock as she could get. The others come over and lay outside the door when they are not off foraging. I put a container of cool, clean water just in front of her so she can drink without needing to move more than her neck. Later in the day I put out wheat cereal biscuits mashed up in water for her but she did not even want to look at this. I do the same with food bowls - side by side in front of her - water, yoghurt and honey mixture, cereal.
By late afternoon she was looking scruffy, feathers fluffed up, eyes half closed, she seems to tremble slightly at times, and there now seems to be no movement in her legs. She seems to be able to move her wings less, too, and is lop-sided when floating, lolling to the right. When placed in the baby bath she just sits and floats, the feet don't move at all, and she drinks, drinks and drinks. Her head lolls from time to time both in the water and out of it, she looks sleepy with eyes half- to fully closed when this happens. When I pick her up she now wimpers slightly as I place my hands under her. She does not like being moved, I think it hurts, and I suspect the pain may be initially in her crop. She wimpers if I gently touch it, and her tummy girgles, so it may have moved down, she may have a sore stomach as well. When given some shell grit she frantically grabbed a couple of mouthfulls, and washed it down with lots of water, but after that would not touch it.
Possible causes: With the wet season the ducks dabble in the water everywhere, including near the reed bed of the septic system. We have flooding every wet season with the water table rising near to the surface, which also flushes the septic system reed bed to the surface. I thought she may have injested bacteria from this, although the wet season also brings moulds and mildew everywhere. The garden itself smells mouldy. We also have poisonous cane toads, and there is the possibility that she ate one. I've seen the ducks catch and eat little cane toads, and fully expected them to drop dead the next day but they have been fine. So I wondered if she caught a large one and got too much poison. I've also considered that she may have picked up and swallowed some foreign object, a piece of wire, a twist tie, something I've missed. With strong winds all sorts of things get blown into the garden. I pick up everything I see.
I checked on her this morning. She is still alive, but weak, quiet, not moving, eyes half closed, she looks sleepy and drousy, feathers still fluffed and without lustre. She still wimpers. She is laying one egg a day. I plan to give her fresh water with epsom salts today. I'll also try feeding her some charcoal if she will take it. I will also examine her again incase I have missed finding a paralysis tick.
I'll continue with treatments of:
Rest
Fresh drinking water
Water, honey and yoghurt for energy
A float and bath to clean her and remove troublesome insects
What else should I be doing?
What suggestions do you have as to the problem?
I found her sitting quietly near the back door with the other ducks 2 days ago, but when she went to move she could not walk, only flutter her wings and pull herself along the ground. I thought she was lame, possibly from trampling by 2 overenthusiastic drakes. She had been fine, lively and running about with the flock in the morning. The only problem at this point in time (afternoon) was that she could not walk. She appeared bright and healthy in every other way.
I penned her away from the rest of the flock to let her recover. Next morning she was showing no interest in food. I gave her plain yoghurt and honey in water to keep her hydrated and provide some energy. She dabbled a little in this. I moved a baby bath into the pen filled it with water and put some condies crystals (potassium permanganate) in the water and lifted her in to float. I thought this would disinfect any wound that I could not see. She seemed to enjoy this, but did not even want to flutter in the water as she would usually do. She kept dipping her head into the water and trying to reach the bottom with her bill, she also kept drinking the water. I bathed her all over as ants were beginning to find her and climb all over her. Throughout the day she seemed to move less and less. She did, however, manage to crawl her way up to the wire door to the pen, where she simply layed all day, being as close to her flock as she could get. The others come over and lay outside the door when they are not off foraging. I put a container of cool, clean water just in front of her so she can drink without needing to move more than her neck. Later in the day I put out wheat cereal biscuits mashed up in water for her but she did not even want to look at this. I do the same with food bowls - side by side in front of her - water, yoghurt and honey mixture, cereal.
By late afternoon she was looking scruffy, feathers fluffed up, eyes half closed, she seems to tremble slightly at times, and there now seems to be no movement in her legs. She seems to be able to move her wings less, too, and is lop-sided when floating, lolling to the right. When placed in the baby bath she just sits and floats, the feet don't move at all, and she drinks, drinks and drinks. Her head lolls from time to time both in the water and out of it, she looks sleepy with eyes half- to fully closed when this happens. When I pick her up she now wimpers slightly as I place my hands under her. She does not like being moved, I think it hurts, and I suspect the pain may be initially in her crop. She wimpers if I gently touch it, and her tummy girgles, so it may have moved down, she may have a sore stomach as well. When given some shell grit she frantically grabbed a couple of mouthfulls, and washed it down with lots of water, but after that would not touch it.
Possible causes: With the wet season the ducks dabble in the water everywhere, including near the reed bed of the septic system. We have flooding every wet season with the water table rising near to the surface, which also flushes the septic system reed bed to the surface. I thought she may have injested bacteria from this, although the wet season also brings moulds and mildew everywhere. The garden itself smells mouldy. We also have poisonous cane toads, and there is the possibility that she ate one. I've seen the ducks catch and eat little cane toads, and fully expected them to drop dead the next day but they have been fine. So I wondered if she caught a large one and got too much poison. I've also considered that she may have picked up and swallowed some foreign object, a piece of wire, a twist tie, something I've missed. With strong winds all sorts of things get blown into the garden. I pick up everything I see.
I checked on her this morning. She is still alive, but weak, quiet, not moving, eyes half closed, she looks sleepy and drousy, feathers still fluffed and without lustre. She still wimpers. She is laying one egg a day. I plan to give her fresh water with epsom salts today. I'll also try feeding her some charcoal if she will take it. I will also examine her again incase I have missed finding a paralysis tick.
I'll continue with treatments of:
Rest
Fresh drinking water
Water, honey and yoghurt for energy
A float and bath to clean her and remove troublesome insects
What else should I be doing?
What suggestions do you have as to the problem?
