Call Duck Issue

[dmgaqua]

I recently bought a very expensive call duck drake. The first few days I got him it was getting the brown tear spots around one eye and found out it had a low grade infection. I treated it with antibiotic ointment and would wash it with baby shampoo occasionally. It then got it in the other eye a week later. I again treated it with ointment and washed it occasionally. It seemed like every time I washed the eye area with shampoo and allowed the duck to dry off and preen it seemed to have a hard time standing. Like it was dizzy or something. Now this duck doesn't preen well in the pool, it falls over all the time, it has been known to fall over on its back, etc. It raises one leg up occasionally and I checked under its foot and found that there is a crack in the middle toe that looks like it is cut. So I figure that maybe a reason for this duck to not stand right. I treat it with ointment too but of course it is difficult as it does walk around. This duck has gotten worse on falling over, sometimes shivering and when I put it in the pool to clean itself it swims around strangely almost too fast and doesn't seem to be able to control its swimming. It still have the low grade infections in its eyes but it doesn't appear to be getting worse. It is almost as if this duck got some sort of brain damage. Perhaps it was from the infection, I don't know. This is a very high quality duck but not impressed with the isses so far. We have 3 other calls on our place and none of the others experience this. We bought a female along with him and do not have any issues. Would appreciate any feedback. thanks

 

[easttxchick]

It does sound like it came to you with either an eye/sinus infection.
Sometimes, with ducks, they require LONG term treatment in order to get past any kind of respiratory thing.
It's also possible that you are dealing with Salmonella-pretty common among ducks.
I would start him on some Tetracycline(water soluble kind).
Do you have a picture/video of any of his behaviors?

 

[DuckLover2399]

hmmm read this list does it sound like any of them?
Aspergillosis
Symptoms: Labored breathing (which can also be a symptom of pneumonia).
Cause: Airborne spores from moldy feed or hay, which should be avoided unless replaced at least twice weekly without fail.
Treatment: Aspergillosis can be treated with fungicides - but these are expensive and unlikely to be successful. Avoid this disease by good management. Aflatoxin poisoning may show similar symptoms. In this case, the molds that grow on cereal grains and oilseeds produce toxins which are very damaging for ducks. Store food in dry, cool conditions. Never use moldy food, never.

Botulism
Symptoms: Loss of muscular control of legs, wings and neck, sometimes called limberneck. Birds are unable to swallow.
Cause: Toxins produced by Clostridia bacteria in decaying animal and vegetable waste. Avoid problems by keeping ducks out of muddy/dirty areas, and stagnant water, especially in hot weather. Bacteria multiply rapidly in warmer temperatures with anaerobic conditions (no oxygen).
Treatment: Give affected birds fresh drinking water. If necessary, introduce water into the mouth and throat. A crop tube could be used with the advice of a vet. Add Epsom salts (magnesium sulphate) to the water. Recommended amounts vary from 1 tablespoon in one cup of water to 1 ounce per 50 fluid oz (2½ pints) of water.

Coccidiosis
Symptoms: Red blood in the droppings; birds thin because coccidia attack the lining of the gut and nutrients from food are not absorbed. Birds may be ill for weeks.
Cause: Ground dirty with droppings of birds which carry coccidia. Coccidia are protozoa and cannot be eliminated with antibiotics. More likely in summer in hot, wet conditions.
Treatment: Anticoccidial in the drinking water. The coccidiostat added to poultry (hen) grower pellets is not a treatment. Coccidiosis is not a common disease in ducks.

Enteritis
Symptoms: If birds are listless and suffering from pinkish droppings in hot spells in summer, this is more likely to be a bacterial form of enteritis.
Cause: Inflammation and bleeding in the gut can be produced by bacteria or duck viral enteritis. DVE is rare, but will kill most affected birds. Prompt treatment with a vaccine (obtainable from Holland, through your vet), is the only known solution (at press time). The bacterial disease is probably transmitted by the wild bird population.

Treatment: Bacterial enteritis is easily treated by using soluble antibiotic powders such as aureomycin and terramycin in the drinking water. No other water should be available. Move the birds onto clean ground a couple of days after treatment has commenced and treat for eight days.

Lameness
Symptoms: Hot leg. Swollen ankle or swollen hock.
Cause: Bacterial infection.
Treatment: Antibiotic injections such as Tylan 200 or Baytril. Other treatments may be reccommended, seek a veterinarian's advice.

Maggots
Symptoms: Dirty vent. Infestation may not be readily noticed.
Cause: Birds do not have enough water for keeping themselves clean, particularly at the vent during hot weather in summer. Injured birds may also have fly eggs deposited at the injury.
Treatment: Pick maggots off affected area. Use ointment, then fly spray. Check the birds each day for several days. Fly eggs already on the bird will still hatch.

Mites
Symptoms: Birds scratch a lot. Northern mite lives on the bird and sucks its blood.
Cause: Mites may be caught from other birds at shows, and from new birds you have introduced. Infestation is far more likely if the waterfowl are kept on the same premises with chickens. Lice are insects and also live on birds. They live on the feathers and are grey in color instead of red.
Treatment: Use pesticides such as pyrethrum or Ivermectin, a systemic treatment for pests. Flea spray or powder convenient and an effective way to treat for lice or mites. Part feathers and apply powder to birds, avoiding the eyes. Repeat every 3-4 days if infestation is not cleared. While treating birds, to help prevent reinfestation, a little powder may be dusted on immediate surroundings where mites breed: under nesting material, cracks and crevices.

Lead poisoning
Symptoms: Lack of coordination, loss of weight.
Cause: Lead shot from cartridges of air gun pellet. Lead-based paint ingestion.
Treatment: Make sure the source of lead cannot be accessed. Provide grit for the birds so that they do not pick up bits of lead for the gizzard.

Pasteurella
Symptoms: Loss of appetite, increased thirst, watery then green droppings. Loss of coordination.
Cause: Bacteria in the environment.
Treatment: Prompt treatment with antibiotic may save larger birds. Eliminate carriers, such as rats.

Prolapse
Symptoms: Males - the penis is dropped externally from the body. Females - the lower part of the oviduct protrudes.
Cause: This condition is most common in overweight older hens and in early laying birds with low bodyweight. Poor muscle tone is another cause.
Treatment: Seek advise from a qualified avian veterinarian.

Respiratory problems
Symptoms: The birds sits hunched up, and bobs its tail up and down to assist in breathing.
Cause: Bacterial infection, especially in spells of intensely wet weather. Symptoms of Aspergillosis are similar, but will not respond to antibiotic treatment.
Treatment: A long course of antibiotic such as Tylan 200, in the case of a bacterial infection. Consult your vet, infection is difficult to resolve.

Sinus Problems
Symptoms: Weeping nostrils and puffed up cheeks.
Cause: Bacteria in the environment infect the sinuses.
Treatment: Appropriate antibiotic injection such as Baytril or Tylan 200. Treatment should be immediate to be effective. Daily antibiotic flushing of the sinuses by a veterinary surgeon is required until the swelling resolves. If treatment is delayed and the cheeks harden, there is no known cure.

Slipped Wing / Angel Wing
Symptoms: The primary feathers of the wings in young birds turn outwards. They may also just drop.
Cause: The ducklings are fed a diet too high in protein and grow too fast. The blood in the quills is too heavy for the wings to support.
Treatment: Feed growing birds a lower protein diet while they develop the primary feathers. Hope this helps!

good luck

 

[dmgaqua]

None of those listed seem to be related to what is going on with this duck. I put him in a cage by himself today and started giving him Oxytetracycline (water soluable) as well as retreated the eyes and foot. He can not swim as the only water available to him full time is the waterer with the Oxytetracycline in it. I will let him swim in the pool 1 or 2 times a day as time allows. It is strange for sure. He ate and drank well too so it isn't throwing off his feed intake. But as he was walking in the pen he all of a sudden falls over and rolled on his back but immediately got back up. It is as if he has no balance. But of course it could be from the small crack in the bottom of his leg. But I have raised chickens for years and had animals all of my life and the crack on the bottom of his foot is not infected nor does it appear at all severe.
Common sense tells me that it might be a sinus type infection that is affecting his balance and nothing more. I need more suggestions. thanks

 

[Oregon Blues]

You are washing his eye with shampoo? For a start, quit that. Bathe around the eye with clear cool water. You can gently dab the area with a washcloth.

Then you can place neosporin around the eye to keep gunk from sticking and to make it easier to clean off seepage from the eye.

Have you contacted the person you bought the duck from? Maybe they have an idea about how to treat it.

 

[dmgaqua]

I did the shampoo initially but have discontinued it. I use an ointment that is made for eye infections similar to neosporin. I did contact the person I bought them from initially about the eye infection and he didn't know what it was ( sent a picture of it). I thought that was odd so I have been holding off further contacting him until I find out any answers. I will not post his name as I don't beleive that is fair but I can tell you that he is one of the top breeders in the country.