Severe respiratory infection in duck, hot feet, barely eating or drinking

[Nuggetanddaffy]

I want to make this post to hopefully help others who are like me (first time duckling owner) who may be struggling with the same issues that my week old duckling Nugget was experiencing. I want to start by saying the advice and quick answers I have received in this group is AMAZING and I couldn’t be thankful enough. My week old duckling, Nugget, started having noticeable breathing difficulties. It was breathing with its mouth open a lot and appeared to be panting but wasn’t overheating (the panting wouldn’t stop even when I took him COMPLETELY out of his enclosure away from the heat lamp), had a “crackling noise” when he was breathing and was sneezing a lot, had extremely hot feet from a fever, was barely eating or drinking, and all he wanted to do was lay down and sleep. When I tell y’all I tried EVERY PIECE OF ADVICE yall gave in order to save my Nugget. I was told by many that he was just too far gone and that he wasn’t going to make it and I needed to prepare myself for when he passed. I REFUSED to give up hope that my baby Nugget wouldn’t pull through. And HE DID. So I’m going to compile a list of all advice I was given by all of y’all to hopefully help others struggling with these same issues HELP SAVE THEIR BABIES!! ::

1.) VetRx. Make sure it’s FOR DUCKLINGS. During the day I would mix a cup of HOT WATER with 2 teaspoons of VetRx. Note that the water HAS TO BE HOT in order for the VetRx to properly mix in otherwise it will just float at the top!! I gave a bowl of water with the VetRx mixture in it during the day for him to drink on and at night would directly drop one drop of undiluted VetRx down his throat.
2.) electrolyte and probiotic packets. These two packets CAN BE MIXED TOGETHER!! Mix the packets with a gallon of water and give it to your babies!! (Yes the water should be an odd orange color this threw me off a bit lol).
3.) make sure food, bedding, and water is changed out REGULARLY. Especially when your baby is already experiencing breathing difficulties. Dirty bedding can cause mold which will worsen the respiratory symptoms. Same with food. If your ducklings food gets wet or you decide to add water to it, don’t allow it to be eaten if it’s been wet for over an hour. Wet food can go sour and also cause mold. Just don’t risk it!!
4.) if you’re like me and have concerns of a niacin deficiency (even if they don’t have a niacin deficiency extra niacin in their diet won’t hurt) and can’t seem to get brewers yeast or any kind of niacin powder ANYWHERE (I ordered some but it will take another week to arrive) give your ducklings CRUSHED PEAS. They have niacin in them. Don’t give it to them whole if they’re young considering they will get stuck in their throat so be sure to crush them!! Frozen peas are fine as long as they are completely defrosted!!
I hope this helps someone else who is struggling to help their baby. I refused to give up hope on my duckling despite how bad off he was and what the statistics for survival were. Fight for your duckling. Couldn’t be thankful enough for this advice from this group. Yall truly helped save my sweet nuggets life ❥

 

[Nuggetanddaffy]

Here is a video of my duckling. He was in TERRIBLE SHAPE unfortunately but has now made a full recovery )

 

[Miss Lydia]

Truly amazing. Thank you for you for sharing Nuggets story and awesome recovery!!

 

[eibweN]

Do you have any antibiotics?

Not really but i do give it oregano which i heard is a natural antibiotic, is that okay? It also has scratching episodes and bad head shaking.

 

[eibweN]

Does the duckling have any discharge coming from its nares or eyes? What about bedding don’t let it sit in real wet bedding mold and can grow which isn’t good for them to breathe. What type of bedding are you using?

No not that I think so, I also change the bedding every day, I use paper towels and newspaper but I do put plastic underneath to not wet the box and I dry it under the sun every morning.

 

[eibweN]

Slippery surfaces like newspaper can cause duckling to get splay leg where the legs splay out because it can’t get a good grip to walk normal. Old clean towels that can be shaken out washed and reused are good and also the rubber shelf paper. What breed is your duckling and do you just have one? Are you in the United States? What are you feeding your duckling?

Oh no I'll find something to change it, I live in Asia and the duckling came out of a duck egg my mum was supposed to cook so I don't know what breed, it's a black duckling is all i could say and it's alone since the other one died a few days ago.

The feed was bought by someone else and came in plastic so no information except it was given as baby duck food.

 

[eibweN]

are you keeping water and food out 24/7? They need to have a bowl deep enough to dunk their heads but not climb into and get soaked. Are you suppling any type of heat to keep the duckling warm? I wouldn’t keep putting the duckling into water it might get chilled.

Yes I do keep food and water for it. Thanks for the information, I will follow and I do have a warmer for it. I will stop giving it baths for now since I didn't think it would get chilled having a hot beak and feet( which I think is a fever?)
It is late here so I may have to do tons of changes tomorrow I really really appreciate the help, I will update soon.

 

[eibweN]

Hii i believe my duckling has the same symptoms right now how long before you tried all of this? I dont know how to find the medicines right now and might have to ship them which will take quite some time. I dont want to give up either but im a student and a beginner so im panicking it's pretty urgent. Pls help

 

[eibweN]

Hii i believe my duckling has the same symptoms right now how long before you tried all of this? I dont know how to find the medicines right now and might have to ship them which will take quite some time. I dont want to give up either but in a student and a beginner so im panicking it's pretty urgent. Pls help

It keeps panting and shaking I'm scared of how urgent and I don't want it to die, for now I've put it in water to cool off cause I don't know what else to do. And vet Rx is not in my budget right now any alternatives?

 

[Miss Lydia]

It keeps panting and shaking I'm scared of how urgent and I don't want it to die, for now I've put it in water to cool off cause I don't know what else to do. And vet Rx is not in my budget right now any alternatives?

Do you have any antibiotics?