Coccidiosis

[JRies]

Not the same goose, no, but Norbert doesnt seem to be losing anymore weight; currently at work but i will yake a picture of him later...he seems to have lost all of his waterproof feathers from his neck down. He still has flight feathers on his wings, of course, but he is still looking pretty scraggly as its all exposed down on his chest.

Im glad its not the same boy, Yes my boy walks well and seems to have adjusted it dose look better also but it is still there.
We all know how much you love those 2 boys and all you have gone through to keep them. Will watch for pictures. Not loosing more weight is a good thing. Is he getting new pins for feathers?

 

[Leader Bee]

Is he getting new pins for feathers?

Yes, there's a few poking out, but i just dont remember him looking this messy the last time her molted, or it taking as long.

Sorry, forgot to take a picture, will try remember this weekend.

 

[Leader Bee]

So, here are a few pictures of him from only a few minutes ago

 

[JRies]

Messy is ok especially if something caused them to fall out in the first place that wasn't a molt. He is looking much better. Silly me was imagining big patches of skin. My fault the brain sometimes just works on overload. Heavy class geese seem to come back slower from everything... This time of year all my older geese look pretty sloppy in the feather department. We haven't gone into a full molt so there feathers are all really rough and faded. Do you think its possible that whatever was wrong knocked out a bunch feathers and now he is doing his molt regrowth. Just asking... far from a expert. My geese talk human better than I talk goose,,,, Would be great if you could ask where dose it hurt and they could tell you.

 

[Leader Bee]

Oh I don't know! Maybe he has gotten past the worst of it and he is, albeit, very slowly on the mend? Gosh, i so hope so, but its so stressful when there isn't. Much information available to us like there would be for a dog or a cat owner; its very much a case of "rely on the community and hope for the best"

Even getting a vet will be more difficult to us, simply because of how rare having a pet goose is, while he is like this i am feeling so guilty that i didnt just get a normal animal that was easy to diagnose (all my research said geese were incredibly hardy!) Yet what bothers me most is knowing that birds hide their illness and it's often too late when its obvious; maybe thats causing me to be hyper vigilant and worry more than i should???

 

[JRies]

Its just as hard here not many vets want to get there exotic license there is to much demand and money in dogs and cats. I have state vets come here once a year for the NPIP heath testing program and I tend to bend there ear allot. The best advice they have given me is to look up the symptoms for chickens there is allot better information. The university that they work out of has a testing lab so I am able to get some results on blood but at this point have not learned how to draw blood Im going to ask them to teach me next year. Genetic Blood testing labs can also do some dry blood sample test for problems. To find one of those look up testing labs that work with exotics like parrots and other birds.
I think what is the best is a good offense so I try to do that as much as I can.
As far as the healing processes for heavyweight geese. Mine average out in the 20 pound range yours are a little larger so my bet even slower to heal. After laying season in the spring my girls can take up to 3-4 months just to get there fat back.
You are so right though there is alot off guess work in problems and health.

 

[The Dim Side]

Oh I don't know! Maybe he has gotten past the worst of it and he is, albeit, very slowly on the mend? Gosh, i so hope so, but its so stressful when there isn't. Much information available to us like there would be for a dog or a cat owner; its very much a case of "rely on the community and hope for the best"

Even getting a vet will be more difficult to us, simply because of how rare having a pet goose is, while he is like this i am feeling so guilty that i didnt just get a normal animal that was easy to diagnose (all my research said geese were incredibly hardy!) Yet what bothers me most is knowing that birds hide their illness and it's often too late when its obvious; maybe thats causing me to be hyper vigilant and worry more than i should???

I've been worried about him, so keep us posted of his progress! Your two boys were some of the first ones I learned about when joining BYC, so I have an attachment to them from afar, lol.

I know I'm paranoid about my animals' health, too. I noticed my one goose's behavior last year change, very subtly. He just wasn't as responsive to me when I went out to greet him one morning, just stood there with distant eyes. So I knew he wasn't feeling well. Turned out, he had eaten metal, and it seemed like it was poking him in a spot that also hurt his leg. But the slightest change in any animals, and I'm like, oh no! What's wrong?? Oh, just gas/sleepy/pooping? Okay, cool. XD

 

[Leader Bee]

Yeah i have been worried about hardware disease but i would have expected a lot more blood in poop if that were the case, hes still under weight but he seems happy and isnt acting strangely, it is indeed a puzzlement