Dead goose, help me protect the others!

[Sunny Side Up]

I have a 2-year-old pair of Embden geese and 7 of their almost-grown children from this spring's eggs. Yesterday when I let them all out of their pen I noticed that one of the youngsters was acting puny. He kept his neck tucked in, had a very slight clear discharge from his nostrils (his chest feathers were a little dirty from the drips), and a slight wheezy sound to his breathing.

The vet advised me over the phone to administer antibiotics for what was probably a respiratory infection. I gave the goose an injection of 1cc of Tylan 50 yesterday. He was just standing still, looking sorry for himself. I kept him in the laundry room last night, he drank a little but wasn't interested in food.

This morning he was looking a tiny bit better, I took him outside to benefit from some fresh air and sunshine, and maybe eat some grass. He was hanging out near his family and walking around the yard with them. At 1pm I told my son to go get him so we could give him his next shot of Tylan 50.

My son found him standing near a tree and brought him in. As he was holding the goose in his lap, the goose bent his head and about a cup of clear somewhat mucus-y stuff came out his beak. He didn't seem to be pushing it out, it just flowed. I gave him the shot and set him back in the box in the laundry room. He didn't stand but fell to his chest. He lay there with his beak touching the bottom of the box, some discharge still coming out, but not as much. I sat next to him patting him and telling him what a good goose he was. Within minutes his eyes glazed over and he died.

Okay, what did I do wrong? And more importantly, what should I do to keep the other geese from following him Across The Road? Should I start giving them the antibiotic just in case? What signs/symptoms should I be on the lookout for? Please advise, we're heartbroken over losing this young goose, he was of course our favorite of the youngsters. We'd be devastated if we lost any others, especially the parents which we love like family.

 

[chickenzoo]

So sorry to hear you lost him. I would not give an antibiotic to those not showing symptoms, as it just will make the antibiotics less effective the next time you have one that truly is sick. Keep an eye on the rest, pick one up and listen to the lungs for wheezing etc. It sounds as if BB had either last stages of a respiratory illness, pneumonia or the like. It is hard to tell with geese as they are often in water and so many things can happen to get water or fluid in the lungs and our crazy weather doesn't help. If you can get a necropsy done, it can be helpful to know what you are dealing with. The State Dept of Agriculture in Live Oak are very nice and it is $30 there, about $65 if done at a regular vets. I hope you have no more troubles and I am sorry for your loss, a loss I am all to familiar with. If love could heal everything I'd never lose a soul........

 

[HorseFeatherz NV]

I have no advice, just

A necropys sounds great if you can have it done.

 

[desertdarlene]

Sorry to hear about your goose, as I said in the other thread. To me, it just sounds like it was worse than it seemed. I would keep an eye on your other geese and if you see anything abnormal or unusual, you can separate them and/or take them to the vet.

 

[Cottage Rose]

So sorry for your loss!

I would clean everything and then spray coops (floors, walls & ceilings, getting all dust
on sills etc) feeders, buckets, pools and ground, especially wet or muddy areas with Oxine.
Oxine kills more viruses and bacteria than bleach and can even be used in drinking water and as a fogger.
Article on Oxine: http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/oxine.htm
Remove any bedding and spray floor before putting down new bedding.
Put some avian vitamins in your birds drinking water for a few weeks.
I use and recommend Avia Charge 2000 which has natural immunostimulants
and body & blood building available through Stromberg's.
Electrolytes are very important and should be given at first signs off illness.
Free choice kelp meal would also be helpful way to build your other birds immune systems.
Make sure your birds have lots of fresh water DAILY.
Some people consider it snake oil but I have successfully knocked out U.R.I. with Vet Rx & Avia Charge 2000
Good luck!

 

[sourland]

Hopefully the rest of your geese are doing well today?

 

[Sunny Side Up]

Thank you all, yes, the rest of the geese made it through the day all right. We sure were watching them all very closely, I didn't want to stress them by grabbing them to listen to their chests. But I watched closely, listened well, and they went to bed tonight looking all right.

I had some folks from the Dept of Ag here to test the chickens in preparation for showing them at our county fair. I had asked them about getting a necropsy done on Big Bird, but was told to go ahead & just bury him. But they said the tests they did on the chickens would show any diseases present that might affect the geese. And they said if it seems to be epidemic, if more geese go (please Lord, NO!) then they'd come back & look more closely.

Cottage Rose, that's good advice about cleaning out the goose pen. They spend their days roaming the yard, and go into a covered pen each night. I should rake out their old bedding and let the floor air out, and disinfect their food bowl & water tub.

I am now paranoid about losing any more geese as fast as Big Bird went, and will continue to watch & pray, and try to give them the most ideal conditions for optimal health.

 

[Cottage Rose]

I would do a thorough cleaning of your chicken facilities as well.
You can't be too careful if your bird died that suddenly.
If you experience another loss make sure to have a necropsy done.
Best Wishes!
I hope you don't have anymore losses.