very sick goose *update: she's gone

[bibliophile birds]

when i went out to put them up for the night, i found my goose Lucy (tufted roman ~2-3 yrs old), laying in the grass. she didn't get up when i approached her which was strange. she let me pick her up, which she has never done. she obviously couldn't stand up and was breathing irregularly. she had foamy slime coming out of her mouth and a little out of her nose.

what should i be doing? i've got her wrapped in a cool damp towel and i've been squirting water on her beak to rinse the slime away and hopefully hydrate her a bit. she will drink from the bucket, but not much. she's tried to stand a few times but she falls over after a few steps with her legs straight out behind her.

it's been very hot today, but she's been fine every time i've gone out to check on them. an hr and a half ago she was up drinking out of the bucket. they free range in the yard and have tons of places to get shade. is she overheated? dehydrated somehow? or is this something else? i've only had these geese about 6 weeks and they are my first, so i'm truly out of my element here.

 

[Cottage Rose]

Awww, so sorry!

I have no idea what is wrong with your goose.
Just keep her in a quiet area and put chick electrolytes in her water
and offer her fresh tender greens to nibble on.
Best wishes...I hope she pulls out of it.

 

[bibliophile birds]

thank you. she's got her grain in the pen, but i'll take her some greens. those would probably be easier on her- good idea.

 

[adrian]

It could be poisoning causing neurological symptoms, and that goo from her mouth also sounds suspicious. Could be salmonella. If it's hit this quickly, it might be heat stroke. Only an avian vet can truly help; unless you can bring her to one, keep doing what you are doing.

 

[bibliophile birds]

just read this forum about botulism. this is a decent possibility based on symptoms and how quickly this came on. anyone have experience with botulism in geese?

 

[Jenifer Kraus]

It could be a staph infection also. Do you have access to Baytril. It is a wonderful antibiotic that can be used one geese. Ask your vet. Will she eat anything.?

 

[adrian]

Botulism is another possibility; she'd have to have had access to an infected food source. Usually, that means your other birds are going to get it, too.

 

[bibliophile birds]

Quote:
the geese free range in the yard where the chicken tractors run. the only way she could have gotten into infected food would have been from chicken feed in the grass once the chicken tractors have been moved. it has been raining a decent amount lately, but i never thought about the little bit of feed left in the grass being a problem. if that's the case, the only other bird that could be affected would be Ricky, her gander.

i'm really hoping that it's NOT botulism, but, if it is, at least it should be just the two of them and not 40+ birds.

i've not seen her eat since i found her sick, but she was eating fine earlier. i'm about to go back out and check on her and hopefully she will have eaten something.

 

[bibliophile birds]

i went out to check on her about 30 mins ago and she was already gone. i have to say, that was one of the most heartbreaking sights- wings extended, neck gracefully curved on the ground. at least it was fast and she didn't suffer for long.

poor Ricky, her mate, seems so confused. he didn't want to let me pick her up to move her out of the pen. now he's standing out there, periodically honking quietly. poor little guy.

what do you do when a goose looses it's mate? now he's the only one, so he's not only lost his mate, but he's all alone. should i try to rehome him? i don't know if i'm up to taking on more geese at this moment after this. i know i will have more in the future (since that was always my plan) but i think trying to "replace" Lucy so soon, soon enough to cheer up Ricky, would be too hard.

 

[JROOSTER]

Im sorry for you loss.

Now you have to think about Ricky. Im sure he dont want to be rehomed. Spend some time with him, and start looking for a friend for him.