Anyone do a skin biopsy on their duck?

[CatWhisperer]

That’s fine, probiotic won’t affect biopsy. Read ingredients to see how many different strains of bacteria.

 

[CoriM]

@CatWhisperer It says Lactic Acid Bacteria 8.5 million CFU: Enterococcus faecium, Lactobacilius acidophilus, L plantarum, L casei

Does that tell you anything? I'm not familiar enough with probiotics to understand the label.

 

[CatWhisperer]

This is the probiotic I take. You can see it has 32 strains of bacteria (rather than 4) and a lot more actual numbers of bacteria. More likely to ensure enough live to get to the colon and grow there and replace bad bacteria. Use of antibiotics often wipes out good gut bacteria; probiotics help replace bad with good-in sickness and in health.

 

[CoriM]

Thanks, I will look for a better one. You're saying that it's fine to use a human grade one?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'll jump in and say yes on using human probiotics.

 

[CatWhisperer]

Most of the drugs we use on animal are from humans first.

 

[CoriM]

Sorry guys, this is a long and boring post without a dramatic conclusion, but if you're curious about Penny's biopsy results, or have any thoughts for me about what I could look at as far as possible environmental causes, read on.

Yesterday we received the results of Penny's biopsy. No cancer or anything like that. Histiopathologic Diagnosis was 1) Severe, ulcerative, mixed cell, perivascular dermatitis and dermal vasculitis 2)Mild granulocytic perivascular dermatitis. The comment was "Histologic findings are most consistent with a combination of inflammatory skin disease and trauma, and it is likely the bird is pruritic (itchy).No infectious agents are seen in the sections, but these lesions could possibly also have an opportunistic bacterial or yeast component. The lesions are not characteristic of primary folliculitis. The blood feathers are histologically within normal limits."

And then a bit more about possibly trying a fungal stain or doing a bacterial culture to see what antibiotic to treat with - which we've already done. Long and short is that there really wasn't a clear answer. It's not parasites and we've treated for fungal and done the 5 different antibiotics. Last chance is it might be something environmental that she's susceptible to that doesn't bother the other ducks. Like the straw (or something sprayed on it when it was growing) or maybe something in my water, which is well water. I did just get straw from a different source last weekend, not sure if I should try hay? Vet advised against just going straight pine shavings as he said that would more likely be an irritant. My husband asked whether we should add some chlorine to her bathing water to see if that would kill anything in there that might be causing the issue. If anyone has thoughts on that, please weigh in. The other substrate she's in contact with is sand, which is in her run around their little pond. I can't really think of anything else environmental that I should look at - we don't use chemicals in the yard.

The funny things was the areas where he took the skin for the biopsy and stitched up actually looked a little better to him, and overall she was definitely looking better than when I brought her in last week. So he wondered if the surgical scrub he used on those areas could have had a positive impact. We are going to try spraying her skin with a veterinary disinfectant called F10 - twice a day for a few days, then once a day for a week if she improves. And if that doesn't improve things, I guess we'll just have to wait and see what happens to her. She still behaves the same as ever and if you didn't know what was lurking beneath her feathers you probably couldn't tell that she was sick. I hate the thought of her being super itchy and uncomfortable, so hoping again that this new idea helps.

Thanks for reading!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for update. Sorry about the inconclusive results but at this stage trying the scrub sure couldn't hurt. I am not sure on the bedding. I don't like using straw or hay since unless you change it out daily it really doesn't absorb the poop and they will be laying in it. Others like it so varying differences in opinion.

 

[CoriM]

@Miss Lydia - what do you prefer for bedding? I do fluff my straw everyday and add a little fresh on top, plus the Sweet PDZ, as I don't want them lying in poop either! But I'm hauling out copious amounts each week and replacing it with fresh, but the straw is mounding up in my dump spot, and if there was a better solution, I'm curious.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I prefer shavings but don't use it if the vet says not too. Have you thought maybe the sweet PDZ might be the culprit? I use it too but she could have a problem with it. I use deep shavings and scoop all the wet poop out daily then turn the bedding and add new about every 2 weeks. I keep it deep.