bloated duck

[decomposed]

My year old female Muscovy duck looks really fat. Her belly touches the ground when she walks. She looked normal yesterday but it looked like she was finding it hard to walk she was stumbling a little bit and she is worse today her caruncle isn't a red as it was yesterday either, She hasn't been laying for a while and she is molting at the moment.

 

[Miss Lydia]

My year old female Muscovy duck looks really fat. Her belly touches the ground when she walks. She looked normal yesterday but it looked like she was finding it hard to walk she was stumbling a little bit and she is worse today her caruncle isn't a red as it was yesterday either, She hasn't been laying for a while and she is molting at the moment.

Well molting is probably playing a part in the dull looking carnucle, do you think she may have eaten something toxic[plant or plastic metal }etc? you could put some activated charcoal into her water and if it's a toxin the charcoal will help remove it.I don't think if she's molting she'd be egg bound they usually don't lay while molting. Can you pick her up and gently palpate her tummy does it feel like it full of liquid or empty take a look at her vent to make sure all is normal there. How does she feel weight wise when you pick her up?

 

[Finny]

I have read somewhere that if it looks like a female's rear is swollen/very low to the ground, that might mean she is about to lay an egg/eggs. I am not sure if this is true though or if it applys to your scenerio. Although it may be that big because she may be full of eggs and that also might explain why she hasn't laid in a while.

 

[decomposed]

I really hope she didn't find any metal my neighbors built a new fence a few months ago i walked along and picked up nails and metal for hours until i couldn't find anymore then i covered the whole area with a thick layer of hay. She feels heavier than usual and it kind of feels like she is full of liquid around her vent but she just feels very fat

 

[Miss Lydia]

I really hope she didn't find any metal my neighbors built a new fence a few months ago i walked along and picked up nails and metal for hours until i couldn't find anymore then i covered the whole area with a thick layer of hay. She feels heavier than usual and it kind of feels like she is full of liquid around her vent but she just feels very fat

How long has she been in molt? reason asking my ducks look full in the lower tummy area when they are laying, if she is through with molt maybe she is getting ready to lay again, here is the link to flushes, You can find activated charcoal at most pharmacies. I found them at walmart where they keep the antacids. Wouldn't hurt to do a flush but I'd use the activated charcoal if you can find it. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700526/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal#post_9508213

 

[decomposed]

She has been molting for quite a while now. Her flight feathers have just started growing back so i'm hoping its just eggs. I will try the charcoal just in case though.

 

[Miss Lydia]

She has been molting for quite a while now. Her flight feathers have just started growing back so i'm hoping its just eggs. I will try the charcoal just in case though.

Please let us know how she is doing.

 

[Amiga]

Abdominal swelling can be one of several things, from what I read. There is water belly, and sadly it can be associated with liver problems (http://animal-health.library4farmin...ES-AFFECTING-poultry/Diseases-of-Ducks-1.html), and I think I read somewhere heart problems.

It can also be associated with peritonitis, and may need antibiotics.

As Miss Lydia said, looking full down low like that could be eggs. If it feels like fluid, though, you may want to take a different course.

And some charcoal would not hurt her as long as you don't overdo it (in high dosages, it can cause constipation).

 

[ilovebirds2010]

Sometimes a bloated belly could be due to being egg bound or a hernia. You need to feel around the stomach. Is it hard or mushy?

If it's hard chances are they may be egg bound. Many times you can feel the shape of an egg. My duck was egg bound and had to have surgery. Many times egg bound ducks will pass bound eggs with a high calcium treatment on their own. It would be best to get an x-ray at the vet to determine it's position.

If there area is mushy, your duck could have a hernia which most of the time is caused by being egg bound. If this is the case, you will have to schedule surgery to push the guts back in and close it up. In my case, no one would operate on my duck. I kept trying for a long time and finally found a vet that said they could operate. It was to my disappointment that they ran tests and told me she had a heart murmur and wouldn't survive past the surgery. As of now, my baby is on daily pain medication, liver function pills, and heart support supplements. I also give her daily baths and gently squeeze the belly to help move waste and to keep the belly it's current size. I also made her a suit that holds in her hernia and holds a diaper pad so she can move around comfortably and freely.

Good luck and hope your baby recovers soon.

 

[charlindabob]

I really hope she didn't find any metal my neighbors built a new fence a few months ago i walked along and picked up nails and metal for hours until i couldn't find anymore then i covered the whole area with a thick layer of hay. She feels heavier than usual and it kind of feels like she is full of liquid around her vent but she just feels very fat

If you think she may have "hardware disease" from eating the nails, you might try running a very strong magnet over the bloated area and you'll know if she ate any metal such as nails. Doesn't work with plastic or aluminum though......just a thought.