This time last week I had to put my beautiful 12 &1/2 year old Albert to sleep. A fortnight before, he had started refusing his regular pellet feed. He would eat other types of food when I encouraged him, but gradually over the course of a fortnight reduced to eating nothing at all. He also had a really strangle gurgling noise going on somewhere is his gut, but no other noticeable symptoms. Even though he wasn’t eating normally he still seemed like his usual self - making happy sounds, enjoying foraging, bathing and preening, and even trying to bicker with the other drakes (in a separate pen), and standing his ground with my bossy girl. He still had every feather in place and looked perfect. I was remarking just the week before this all started that for an old boy of 12 he still looked the same as he did at 2 years old! (maybe I jinxed him )
A week into his illness I took him to my avian vet and they did a full blood panel revealing that he had elevated white blood cells and urea/uric acid in his bloodstream. (They also did a fecal float that showed a higher than normal ratio of some kind of Protozoa). Based on this they diagnosed him with chronic kidney disease.
He was prescribed antibiotics (Amoxyclav) and an anti protozoan medication (Metrogyl), and a couple of days later a medication used in humans to try and slow down the progression of kidney disease (Allopurinol) which is a bit experimental for use in birds.
I took him back to the vet a couple of times during the week to be given a crop feed and intravenous fluids but nothing seemed to be really helping. He would seem to pick up a bit one day and eat a tiny bit of food and then go downhill the next refusing to eat anything, and losing weight all the while. On his last day he was starting to stumble around and was making gagging motions like he wanted to vomit so I decided it wasn’t fair on him to keep trying, and took him to be PTS.
Albert was a such handsome calm boy. He and his Khaki brother were the very first ducklings I bought home 12 & 1/2 years ago. His passing feels like the end of an era. I really miss him.
NOW, over the last few days his 11 & 1/2 year old son Walter is refusing his food too!!! His belly is also making strange gurgling noises as well. Unfortunately, my avian vet isn’t open over the weekend, so I have him booked in for a blood test first thing Monday morning. I’m really terrified of losing him as well! He’s the sweetest little boy. The friendliest, and most cuddly of my drakes.
Please HELP I don’t know what could be causing this. Could it be something environmental? Too much calcium? Too much protein? Some kind of toxic plant? An infection of some sort... but what kind?
I really don’t want to loose Walter too, or any of my other ducks. Is there something I can do to try and help him before he can see the Vet on Monday? I still have Albert’s left over medications that I could give him.
WALTER
1) Khaki Campbell X drake, 11 & 1/2 years old. Unsure of his weight, but he doesn’t seem to have lost any weight yet.
2) No strange behaviour except refusing food. The other remaining (usually submissive) drake is being more dominant with him (maybe he can tell something’s wrong?)
3) I heard the gurgling stomach noises from about 5 days ago and he’s been eating less than normal for 3 days
4) None of the rest of my flock have any symptoms that I’ve noticed, but Albert died with the same symptoms a week ago.
5) No signs of trauma - body and feather condition perfect.
6) I have no idea what could have caused this
7) Walter has been refusing regular pellet food the past 3 evenings, but ate a small amount of mixed grain food for two nights instead, and tonight is refusing that too. He was still eager to eat meal worms though.
8) From what I can tell, his poop looks relatively normal but he doesn’t seem to be pooping as much as normal and it’s maybe a bit more watery than usual.
9) No treatment yet. Just trying to encourage him to eat.
10) Vet appointment booked for Monday morning, but I’m not confident that they’ll be able to help much. I still don’t know the underlying cause of the illness despite Vet treatment for Albert.
11) No pictures
12) Sleeping quarters are a large metal aviary (sheltered on one side) with concrete base and rubber matting. The ducks have nest boxes filled with sugar cane straw on the floor and Walter sleeps up on top of the nesting boxes. Day time quarters is a large 8 x 3 meter run with dirt floor and fresh sugar cane straw in a layer on the soil. They have fresh water for drinking and swimming daily. They also free range the garden when I’m home.
Any comments or suggestions would be really appreciated
A week into his illness I took him to my avian vet and they did a full blood panel revealing that he had elevated white blood cells and urea/uric acid in his bloodstream. (They also did a fecal float that showed a higher than normal ratio of some kind of Protozoa). Based on this they diagnosed him with chronic kidney disease.
He was prescribed antibiotics (Amoxyclav) and an anti protozoan medication (Metrogyl), and a couple of days later a medication used in humans to try and slow down the progression of kidney disease (Allopurinol) which is a bit experimental for use in birds.
I took him back to the vet a couple of times during the week to be given a crop feed and intravenous fluids but nothing seemed to be really helping. He would seem to pick up a bit one day and eat a tiny bit of food and then go downhill the next refusing to eat anything, and losing weight all the while. On his last day he was starting to stumble around and was making gagging motions like he wanted to vomit so I decided it wasn’t fair on him to keep trying, and took him to be PTS.
Albert was a such handsome calm boy. He and his Khaki brother were the very first ducklings I bought home 12 & 1/2 years ago. His passing feels like the end of an era. I really miss him.
NOW, over the last few days his 11 & 1/2 year old son Walter is refusing his food too!!! His belly is also making strange gurgling noises as well. Unfortunately, my avian vet isn’t open over the weekend, so I have him booked in for a blood test first thing Monday morning. I’m really terrified of losing him as well! He’s the sweetest little boy. The friendliest, and most cuddly of my drakes.
Please HELP I don’t know what could be causing this. Could it be something environmental? Too much calcium? Too much protein? Some kind of toxic plant? An infection of some sort... but what kind?
I really don’t want to loose Walter too, or any of my other ducks. Is there something I can do to try and help him before he can see the Vet on Monday? I still have Albert’s left over medications that I could give him.
WALTER
1) Khaki Campbell X drake, 11 & 1/2 years old. Unsure of his weight, but he doesn’t seem to have lost any weight yet.
2) No strange behaviour except refusing food. The other remaining (usually submissive) drake is being more dominant with him (maybe he can tell something’s wrong?)
3) I heard the gurgling stomach noises from about 5 days ago and he’s been eating less than normal for 3 days
4) None of the rest of my flock have any symptoms that I’ve noticed, but Albert died with the same symptoms a week ago.
5) No signs of trauma - body and feather condition perfect.
6) I have no idea what could have caused this
7) Walter has been refusing regular pellet food the past 3 evenings, but ate a small amount of mixed grain food for two nights instead, and tonight is refusing that too. He was still eager to eat meal worms though.
8) From what I can tell, his poop looks relatively normal but he doesn’t seem to be pooping as much as normal and it’s maybe a bit more watery than usual.
9) No treatment yet. Just trying to encourage him to eat.
10) Vet appointment booked for Monday morning, but I’m not confident that they’ll be able to help much. I still don’t know the underlying cause of the illness despite Vet treatment for Albert.
11) No pictures
12) Sleeping quarters are a large metal aviary (sheltered on one side) with concrete base and rubber matting. The ducks have nest boxes filled with sugar cane straw on the floor and Walter sleeps up on top of the nesting boxes. Day time quarters is a large 8 x 3 meter run with dirt floor and fresh sugar cane straw in a layer on the soil. They have fresh water for drinking and swimming daily. They also free range the garden when I’m home.
Any comments or suggestions would be really appreciated
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