Antibiotics at Tractor Supply?

[SeaSea47]

If you are going to give it in her drinking water, that needs to be her sole water source for drinking. Otherwise, she will not get enough.

Giving orally is not that difficult. The hardest thing is getting their beak open and learning how to handle a syringe one handed. The main thing is to put the syringe toward to the upper beak and stick it back in pretty far. If you get in the wrong pipe, she will let you know. Here is the article on how to do it.in case you change your mind.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

You could try putting some hydrocortisone ointment on it and see if that will help with the inflammation. If you do this, you will want oi

The only other things I can think to suggest are all given orally, Benadryl and ibuprofen. Benadryl may not be worth it, because an allergic reaction should be going down by now.

The more I think about it, I think she got some sort of cut/sting/scrape that day and it just got infected because it came on suddenly, and when I first inspected her, I saw no signs of anything, but after about two weeks or so, that pocket of fluid came up.

I may at least try the antibiotic orally tomorrow. My dad said he would help me restrain her — she is a feisty little duck. I have to hold her tight to do the soaks! And I'm pretty sure I hurt my back (and her leg) today trying to catch her. I'm still curious as to how you came up with your dosing though? I worry that even with that her being her only drinking water that she's not getting enough. I could put her back into the crate with just a small bowl, I guess, for a couple of days, but she loves to swim/bathe — would that affect her at all?

I had a dying chicken a few months ago who I tried to feed with a syringe and she died shortly after. She was already on her way out, so I will never know if I hurried her along or not, but that has me a little nervous about it.

I'm also going to keep doing the soaks daily now through the weekend. If between the antibiotic and the daily soaks, we don't make any progress, I'm gonna see if I can find a vet who will work with birds on Monday. Thanks for your help!

 

[Quatie]

The more I think about it, I think she got some sort of cut/sting/scrape that day and it just got infected because it came on suddenly, and when I first inspected her, I saw no signs of anything, but after about two weeks or so, that pocket of fluid came up.

I may at least try the antibiotic orally tomorrow. My dad said he would help me restrain her — she is a feisty little duck. I have to hold her tight to do the soaks! And I'm pretty sure I hurt my back (and her leg) today trying to catch her. I'm still curious as to how you came up with your dosing though? I worry that even with that her being her only drinking water that she's not getting enough. I could put her back into the crate with just a small bowl, I guess, for a couple of days, but she loves to swim/bathe — would that affect her at all?

I had a dying chicken a few months ago who I tried to feed with a syringe and she died shortly after. She was already on her way out, so I will never know if I hurried her along or not, but that has me a little nervous about it.

I'm also going to keep doing the soaks daily now through the weekend. If between the antibiotic and the daily soaks, we don't make any progress, I'm gonna see if I can find a vet who will work with birds on Monday. Thanks for your help!

I can understand the worry about giving medication orally again after an experience like that. Many of us have lost animals and blame ourselves for its death. We wonder if we shouldn't have done something, or done it sooner, or something we wish we had done. You just keep on doing the best you can.

The baths should not be a problem as long she doesn't have access to it all the time. If she can constantly choose that water over the antibiotic drinking water, then it will become an issue. When I have sick ducks, I give them a modified plastic container with holes in the top.

For soaking, you can put a duck in a bucket. It makes it a lot easier and less stressful on all parties involved.

The dosage for oral administration is a commonly recommended dosage here. Below is a link for the dosage that can be found at multiple other sources as well. If you convert it to ml/ lb, you will come out to something around 0.05mL/lb. A higher concentration can be used, but I have had good luck with that dosage. Plus, if you don't get the syringe completely accurate, a higher dosage wont hurt them.
http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/enrofloxacin

A vet would definitely be your best bet if it doesn't improve.

 

[SeaSea47]

I can understand the worry about giving medication orally again after an experience like that. Many of us have lost animals and blame ourselves for its death. We wonder if we shouldn't have done something, or done it sooner, or something we wish we had done. You just keep on doing the best you can.

The baths should not be a problem as long she doesn't have access to it all the time. If she can constantly choose that water over the antibiotic drinking water, then it will become an issue. When I have sick ducks, I give them a modified plastic container with holes in the top.
View attachment 3112772


For soaking, you can put a duck in a bucket. It makes it a lot easier and less stressful on all parties involved. View attachment 3112765

The dosage for oral administration is a commonly recommended dosage here. Below is a link for the dosage that can be found at multiple other sources as well. If you convert it to ml/ lb, you will come out to something around 0.05mL/lb. A higher concentration can be used, but I have had good luck with that dosage. Plus, if you don't get the syringe completely accurate, a higher dosage wont hurt them.
http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/enrofloxacin

A vet would definitely be your best bet if it doesn't improve.

Thanks for these pictures. I live alone, so that's definitely helpful! My dad is going to help me later, and we're going to try the meds orally today, so fingers crossed!

Do you mean 0.05 ml or 0.5? My math may be off! And you give that twice a day?

My vet stopped seeing birds due to avian flu, and I haven't had much luck finding one who could see me in a reasonable amount of time for a reasonable amount of money, but I may just have to give up and pay the expensive one if she doesn't improve with the antibiotic.

 

[Eggcessive]

The dosage of enrofloxacin for chickens is 0.05 ml per pound of weight. A five pound bird would get 0.25 ml or 1/4 ml twice a day. A 7 pound bird would get 0.35 ml and so forth. It should not be put in the water, although they say to do it on the label, but they may not drink enough since it tastes bitter. It is best to give it orally twice a day for 5 days. It helps to use a 1 ml syringe to withdraw the medicine, and those are available with a needle free at most pharmacies.

 

[Quatie]

Thanks for these pictures. I live alone, so that's definitely helpful! My dad is going to help me later, and we're going to try the meds orally today, so fingers crossed!

Do you mean 0.05 ml or 0.5? My math may be off! And you give that twice a day?

My vet stopped seeing birds due to avian flu, and I haven't had much luck finding one who could see me in a reasonable amount of time for a reasonable amount of money, but I may just have to give up and pay the expensive one if she doesn't improve with the antibiotic.

Treating ducks on your own can be challenging sometimes. There are several tricks people use. A lot of people like to wrap a towel around a duck and make like a duck burrito. It helps restrain them when you work on them. When I do oral drugs, I like to kneel and straddle the duck with us back facing me. Then I hold their beak and open it with both hands. I stick my fingers from my non-dominant hand into their mouth to hold it open. With my now free hand, I can grab the syringe and give them the drugs. But it is not always easy with some ducks.

It is 0.05ml /lb. For example, a 9 lb duck would get 0.45ml twice a day.

Vets can be difficult. I have a vet near me who says they will do poultry, but he really doesn't know enough about them. We took one to him and it was a mistake. Another vet hospital, I really hate the service there. The vets are great, but they over charge and just poor service. So I treat mine myself. The black duck in the previous post, had a slipped tendon. I am not sure if she will ever be fully healed. The injury doesn't hurt her, but she will unlikely be free ranging with the rest of my ducks again.

 

[SeaSea47]

Well, we just gave her her first dose — she's only a little over 3 lbs, so it wasn't much liquid, but it didn't happen quite like the pictures and videos you sent! First, she bit the heck out of me (I'll probably wear gloves tomorrow for the next dose), and second, she bit the heck out of the syringe, forcing the liquid into her mouth, so I didn't have to worry about which pipe it went down — she basically drank it on her own. She's is the wildest of my ducks.

You said she can't overdose on this? I'm wondering if I gave her a tiny bit more in case some spilled out if that would be okay? Also, since I was only able to do one dose today with the timing of my dad helping me (he'll have more free time the next few days) would it be okay to put some in her water overnight?

Two good things (I think): She was more relaxed for her soak today. I think she's getting used to it. Yesterday was just rough on both of us. And I think her foot looks a little better/less swollen, though it's still warm to the touch in that area. I am wondering if massaging it would help?

My dog/cat vet has seen chickens for me before, and while he is not an expert, he did take time to study if he didn't know something and was so good with them, so it just kills me that he doesn't see them anymore. There's a farm animal vet about an hour from me, but he's ALWAYS booked up for weeks in advance, and there's an avian vet about 40 minutes from me, but they are expensive and hard to get in to see too. I've got a local mobile vet who does poultry, but she charges $400 for new customers and then whatever treatment/time on top of that. And finally, there's a vet's office not far from me that has rotating vets, and one of their doctors is actually a poultry science grad from UGA, but you have to catch her when it's her shift. So yes, I'm trying to learn as much as possible about treating them myself, and you all have been a big help! I have a little more experience with chickens as I've only had ducks for about a year now.

That's so sad about your duck with the slipped tendon. How many ducks do you have?

 

[Quatie]

Well, we just gave her her first dose — she's only a little over 3 lbs, so it wasn't much liquid, but it didn't happen quite like the pictures and videos you sent! First, she bit the heck out of me (I'll probably wear gloves tomorrow for the next dose), and second, she bit the heck out of the syringe, forcing the liquid into her mouth, so I didn't have to worry about which pipe it went down — she basically drank it on her own. She's is the wildest of my ducks.

You said she can't overdose on this? I'm wondering if I gave her a tiny bit more in case some spilled out if that would be okay? Also, since I was only able to do one dose today with the timing of my dad helping me (he'll have more free time the next few days) would it be okay to put some in her water overnight?

Two good things (I think): She was more relaxed for her soak today. I think she's getting used to it. Yesterday was just rough on both of us. And I think her foot looks a little better/less swollen, though it's still warm to the touch in that area. I am wondering if massaging it would help?

My dog/cat vet has seen chickens for me before, and while he is not an expert, he did take time to study if he didn't know something and was so good with them, so it just kills me that he doesn't see them anymore. There's a farm animal vet about an hour from me, but he's ALWAYS booked up for weeks in advance, and there's an avian vet about 40 minutes from me, but they are expensive and hard to get in to see too. I've got a local mobile vet who does poultry, but she charges $400 for new customers and then whatever treatment/time on top of that. And finally, there's a vet's office not far from me that has rotating vets, and one of their doctors is actually a poultry science grad from UGA, but you have to catch her when it's her shift. So yes, I'm trying to learn as much as possible about treating them myself, and you all have been a big help! I have a little more experience with chickens as I've only had ducks for about a year now.

That's so sad about your duck with the slipped tendon. How many ducks do you have?

So you will want to stick with one method or the other. You don't want to switch. You won't really be able to regulate how much she is getting.

So they can get too much drugs. The higher dosage is 0.075ml / lb. So for for 3 lbs you can give her from 0.15ml to 0.22ml. So you have a little bit of wiggle room but not much.

So ducks do sometimes bite when you try this. I don't really blame them. You need to hold on to their beak really well. I hold on to the base of the beak firmly and use my fingers to keep the beak open. It can be a challenge until you get the hang of it.

 

[SeaSea47]

So you will want to stick with one method or the other. You don't want to switch. You won't really be able to regulate how much she is getting.

So they can get too much drugs. The higher dosage is 0.075ml / lb. So for for 3 lbs you can give her from 0.15ml to 0.22ml. So you have a little bit of wiggle room but not much.

So ducks do sometimes bite when you try this. I don't really blame them. You need to hold on to their beak really well. I hold on to the base of the beak firmly and use my fingers to keep the beak open. It can be a challenge until you get the hang of it.

Thank you. We will try again today!

 

[Quatie]

I meant to respond more in the morning, but I didn't have the time.

Two good things (I think): She was more relaxed for her soak today. I think she's getting used to it. Yesterday was just rough on both of us. And I think her foot looks a little better/less swollen, though it's still warm to the touch in that area. I am wondering if massaging it would help?

That is good she is relaxing. I have one duck who is really hard to work with, the one with slipped tendon, but with lots of time she slowly became easier to handle. It took her a few months to stop hissing and biting us. I am not really sure if massaging would help. But she may enjoy a spa treatment .

I may try and get a picture or video of me administering drugs. My Pekin always needs more calcium, partly cause she lays virtually everyday and partly cause she will not eat enough calcium. So I could show you how I do it. My girl is very use to being handled now and pretty lazy about fighting me.

That's so sad about your duck with the slipped tendon. How many ducks do you have?

Thanks. My girl doesn't have a typical slipped tendon injury, so she gets around fairly well. It has healed most of the way, but it just may never be 100% again.

I have 22 ducks currently.

 

[SeaSea47]

I meant to respond more in the morning, but I didn't have the time.

That is good she is relaxing. I have one duck who is really hard to work with, the one with slipped tendon, but with lots of time she slowly became easier to handle. It took her a few months to stop hissing and biting us. I am not really sure if massaging would help. But she may enjoy a spa treatment .

I may try and get a picture or video of me administering drugs. My Pekin always needs more calcium, partly cause she lays virtually everyday and partly cause she will not eat enough calcium. So I could show you how I do it. My girl is very use to being handled now and pretty lazy about fighting me.


Thanks. My girl doesn't have a typical slipped tendon injury, so she gets around fairly well. It has healed most of the way, but it just may never be 100% again.

I have 22 ducks currently.

A picture or video would be great if you have a chance! If you don't mind me asking, what breeds do you have?

Thankfully, mine don't hiss at me, and I've only been bitten once (yesterday). Even my drakes are pretty calm, though they've started chasing my little rooster around the yard when both are free-ranging.

So far so good today, I think. I had a time getting her mouth open — yesterday, she was biting at everything, and today, she's keeping it clamped shut. I haven't really been able to get to the back of her throat, but it's such a tiny amount of liquid (I did 0.175). I got the syringe in and she bit down on it, so I squirted it out and she acted like she was drinking it (didn't cough or anything) and I never saw her spit anything out. I have a feeling we will end up at the vet next week, but I am hoping and praying it's not necessary. I just think it may need to be drained. The pocket of fluid seems a tiny bit smaller today, but it's still warm and pretty prominent. She doesn't seem as active as she was, and she hasn't laid an egg in about a week, but I think the daily chasing/soaking is probably stressing her out a bit. Plus, it's 90-something degrees here. Her appetite is good, she's not losing weight, and she can fight me with the best of them when I catch her.

I just hope I'm not drying her feet out with all of these daily Epsom salt soaks!