Please help!!! Duckling is hot and breathing heavy!

[AutumnMerritt]

Hey everyone! So my yellow duckling I posted about before needing identity has always been healthy! She is bigger than my Cayuga now at about 4 weeks. The past two days she has been panting almost and breathing hard and fast. Eating normal acting normal but the breathing is wrong. I have always cleaned their cage and their water bowls and food everyday. She always swims and baths. I do not have money for the vet but I do have antibiotics from the last emergency vet trip I had and I still have some. I am very worried. Any help would be appreciated!!!

 

[AutumnMerritt]

Here she is this morning. I let them outside right beside me. She is acting normal. I am so worried I don't want to lose her!!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Here she is this morning. I let them outside right beside me. She is acting normal. I am so worried I don't want to lose her!!!

Is it hot temp wise in your neck of the woods, birds pant that is how they cool themselves. She sure looks healthy, any discharge from eyes or nares? can you hear rattling or wheezy when you listen to her chest/

 

[AutumnMerritt]

I live in Florida, it's hot outside but I keep the house at 78 during the day and 74 at night. I figured she was hot but even this morning after a cooler night and many baths she is still breathing a little harder then I think is normal. She's sneezed only a couple times. No discharge or rattling either.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I live in Florida, it's hot outside but I keep the house at 78 during the day and 74 at night. I figured she was hot but even this morning after a cooler night and many baths she is still breathing a little harder then I think is normal. She's sneezed only a couple times. No discharge or rattling either.

Then try this before you go to an antibiotic, put some Apple Cider Vinegar into their drinking bucket. 1-2 Tab to 1 gallon of cool water. let her dunk her head in it ACV is a good tonic and can kill certain bacteria. If you can get Braggs it has the mother in it and is better but for time being even just plain ACV would be okay. Let her do this for a couple days and see if there is improvement. Or if she gets worse then you might consider an antibiotic. But keep in mind antibiotics can cause their own set of problems so they should always be last resort.
Also is this something that you only noticed last 2 days? you might want to think congenital, could be a heart condition, hopefully not though but something to consider if it doesn't clear up on it's own. At this time I'd keep a close watch try the ACV and post back say by Sunday evening how she is doing. Unless she is getting worse of course.

Vets we aren't but we try to help the best we can and with things that have worked for us.
She sure is pretty.

 

[AutumnMerritt]

Thank you so much!!! I will deff try your suggestion. I pray it is not a heart defect. That would be terrible. I am very attached to them and they are to me. I can't turn the corner without them both crying or by my side. I've accepted mother role! I also have one other question. The feed store I went to said use all grain southern state feed. I felt like this was too early to be giving to them. I try to give them fresh veggies and oat too. I am going back to the store because I feel that they still need a waterfowl starter/finisher feed. I want to make sure they are getting the right nutrition. I really appreciate your help.

 

[AutumnMerritt]

See she keeps panting like this. Now I'm starting to hear what sounds like wheezing maybe. I'm so worried. I put her in the bathtub again. She's divinf and playing but every couple seconds picking her head up and acting like she's trying to throw up or gag.

 

[Miss Lydia]

See she keeps panting like this. Now I'm starting to hear what sounds like wheezing maybe. I'm so worried. I put her in the bathtub again. She's divinf and playing but every couple seconds picking her head up and acting like she's trying to throw up or gag.

If your hearing wheezing you might want to start her on a round of antibiotics what do you have on hand? and I would keep her out of the water for now if she is sick she could chill. When you put her in water has it been warm water or cold?

 

[AutumnMerritt]

Not too sure what the antibiotics are. The bet gave them to me for the other duckling. So I'm sure they are fine. I put her in like warm room temp water. I will keep her out for now. I only do it because she is so hot she's burning up. It tends to cool her little feet down and her body just a little.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Not too sure what the antibiotics are. The bet gave them to me for the other duckling. So I'm sure they are fine. I put her in like warm room temp water. I will keep her out for now. I only do it because she is so hot she's burning up. It tends to cool her little feet down and her body just a little.

That's good cold water most likely wouldn't be a good idea. Do you think she is running a fever? It's up to you about the antibiotic if the vet gave it to you for the other one than most likely it's a safe one for water fowl. I'd get some probiotics for when she is through with them though to get the good bacteria into her body again since antibiotics kill off good and bad bacteria.

You might want to consider a vet.