A Duck with Serious Gape Worm

[Duckstruck]

Hello! I'm rekindling a thread I created last month. Here's the link to the last thread.
I have a Pekin duck with Gape Worm. We pinpointed this when I posted some videos of her panting/gasping after I held her and the lurching of the neck. I know this could be in the Ducks Category, but I'm hoping that chicken people might know what to do.
This has been occurring for a month and a half now. While it looked like it cleared up November 15 after giving her three days worth of the goat safeguard wormer, it started up about a week or two later. I'd have to get a new bottle of safeguard, but I'm wondering if it really did much to kill off the Gape Worm. I need some advice. My parents aren't fond of the idea of taking her to the vet.
Thank you for reading.

 

[Pyxis]

@casportpony @Ravynscroft

What dosing did you do for the first time around with Safeguard? The dose should be 0.23cc/mL per pound for 5 consecutive days. Or, you can use Valbazen instead and give it at a dose of 0.08cc/mL per pound for 3 consecutive days.

It sounds like you didn't do the Safeguard for long enough the first time, and maybe not the right dosage.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Hello! I'm rekindling a thread I created last month. Here's the link to the last thread.
I have a Pekin duck with Gape Worm. We pinpointed this when I posted some videos of her panting/gasping after I held her and the lurching of the neck. I know this could be in the Ducks Category, but I'm hoping that chicken people might know what to do.
This has been occurring for a month and a half now. While it looked like it cleared up November 15 after giving her three days worth of the goat safeguard wormer, it started up about a week or two later. I'd have to get a new bottle of safeguard, but I'm wondering if it really did much to kill off the Gape Worm. I need some advice. My parents aren't fond of the idea of taking her to the vet.
Thank you for reading.

Like Pyxis mentioned, 3 days wasn't enough using Safeguard... at this point I would switch to Valbazen and give that for 3 days... Pyxis gave correct dosage and time lengths... gapeworm is one of the hardest to clear out, you must do the full treatment even when she looks better before finishing...

Or get praziquantinel... @casportpony can help with dosage info for that one...

 

[Eggcessive]

Keep in mind that gapeworm is rare. Respiratory diseases can look a bit like gapeworm, and are more common. Head shaking, gaping or gasping, nasal drainage, watery eyes, or sneezing are common symptoms. Also a crop problem can cause gaping. So, feel the crop in early morning before she eats or drinks to check if the crop has emptied normally.
As posted above, make sure that the fenbendazole wormer is given at 1/4 ml per pound daily for 5 days, which takes care of most hard to treat worms. Getting a weight on her would be good.

 

[Duckstruck]

Keep in mind that gapeworm is rare. Respiratory diseases can look a bit like gapeworm, and are more common. Head shaking, gaping or gasping, nasal drainage, watery eyes, or sneezing are common symptoms. Also a crop problem can cause gaping. So, feel the crop in early morning before she eats or drinks to check if the crop has emptied normally.
As posted above, make sure that the fenbendazole wormer is given at 1/4 ml per pound daily for 5 days, which takes care of most hard to treat worms. Getting a weight on her would be good.

She doesn't have any sneezing, sinus, or watery eyes, though her eyes were a little crusty last time. She lurks her head and pants when I hold her. I've never found a duck crop before (at least not like the chickens), but I'll try to look for it. Any homemade remedies I can use in the meantime until after Christmas? I've separated her and have been giving her some apple cider vinegar in her water and have soaked some garlic cloves to put in her water. Any suggestions?
I also need to decide on a medicine to use once Christmas is over. Some say that Verm-X and VetRx, both being respiratory medicine, can help clear up Gapeworm. If it was a respiratory infection, it would work for that too, but does that sound correct?
You guys seem to agree that Valbazen would be a good medicine, so should I try that or the respiratory medicine?

 

[chickens really]

The problem is it's pointless to medicate anything without actually knowing what the real issue is?
A vet is the answer. You took on the Ducks so it's responsible ownership to Vet them when sick also. Having animals is not always easy.

 

[Chullicken]

Like it's been said, just to reiterate..just canvasing medication is very ineffective and can cause more issues in the future. I read it a 100 times a day on here, people just automatically jump to medicate without fully understanding the medical issue. The sentiment is there, just its not the best decision. In Europe Gapeworm is a little more common, in the states is almost unheard of. It also resembles several other much more common issues so to be absolutely sure, a avian vet should be contacted with an exam.

Taken the liberty of finding avian vets in your state..didn't read them all but most deal with avian. http://www.poultrydvm.com/poultry-vets.php

 

[chickens really]

Like it's been said, just to reiterate..just canvasing medication is very ineffective and can cause more issues in the future. I read it a 100 times a day on here, people just automatically jump to medicate without fully understanding the medical issue. The sentiment is there, just its not the best decision. In Europe Gapeworm is a little more common, in the states is almost unheard of. It also resembles several other much more common issues so to be absolutely sure, a avian vet should be contacted with an exam.

Taken the liberty of finding avian vets in your state..didn't read them all but most deal with avian. http://www.poultrydvm.com/poultry-vets.php

Your so correct..Before in the U.S. Antibiotics were pushed on here in almost every thread with an ill Bird. Now that antibiotics have been removed from the shelves and a Vet is needed its wormer being pushed and vitamins
Just my observation .

 

[casportpony]

@casportpony @Ravynscroft

What dosing did you do for the first time around with Safeguard? The dose should be 0.23cc/mL per pound for 5 consecutive days. Or, you can use Valbazen instead and give it at a dose of 0.08cc/mL per pound for 3 consecutive days.

It sounds like you didn't do the Safeguard for long enough the first time, and maybe not the right dosage.

When I use it for gapes I give 0.23 ml per pound of body weight for 3-5 days. This book says you can give 0.14 ml per pound of body weight for five days:

 

[casportpony]

Like it's been said, just to reiterate..just canvasing medication is very ineffective and can cause more issues in the future. I read it a 100 times a day on here, people just automatically jump to medicate without fully understanding the medical issue.

There is no downside to worming with Safeguard or Valbazen.

Keep in mind that gapeworm is rare.

In Europe Gapeworm is a little more common, in the states is almost unheard of.

Uncommon in chickens, but not uncommon in waterfowl and gamebirds.

Respiratory diseases can look a bit like gapeworm, and are more common.

It also resembles several other much more common issues so to be absolutely sure, a avian vet should be contacted with an exam.

Agree.

I'd have to get a new bottle of safeguard

Why do you have to get another bottle? Didn't you buy one on November 12? When you gave her the Safeguard, did you give 1.8 ml three days in a row?