Dilemma....Help Please, Suspected Botulism

[Haunted55]

I'm so happy to hear she is doing better... and I think you are smart to flush with charcoal again, just to be sure there aren't any toxins lingering in her system. I don't know of any potential ill effects, hopefully someone will pipe up if there are.

The only one I know about is possible binding because the charcoal does such a good job of sucking up the toxins that it sometimes take a bit for it to work it's way out. That's what molasses is for if it happens, lol.

The toxins now wouldn't be from the botulism per say as much as from the organs that got 'hit'. Like her liver. If the botulism was still active in her she would be long gone by now. That stuff is brutal and usually kills in 24 hrs.. I did a search on the mushrooms that had popped up and they were not the problem at all. Completely non-toxic. So I'm back to thinking it was something under the waterporch or the compost piles. I've been filling a 40 gallon barrel daily for the past week with bleach and water and dumping that under their house to clear out anything missed when it was shoveled out. No one else has been sick but I know for a fact this little brat was under there many a time and had to be chased out until I could close it off and she got sick. Wrong place, right time. I'll never know for sure probably and just have to be ever vigilant in the future.

 

[BarredRockMom]

Update: Bea weighed in at 2.48 lbs on the 25th. She is still eating and drinking water with vitamins added. If the progress keeps up, I figure she may be well enough to go out with her flock by Monday. She is steadier on her feet and is not happy about being inside away from all her flockmates.

Duh! Forgot to add, she is no longer getting the antibiotic and still is making progress. I will continue with the vitamins though until she is back to her normal self and then probably a week or two beyond then. I do not want a relapse. One other thing I am seeing which at first caused a bit of alarm. Her poop is a bit more green than I'd like to see. Kind of a greenish black, but more green. This tells me her liver did take a hit. At this point I am thinking that I should give her a dosing of the charcoal again and at least once or twice a week until this clears up. Beatrice is not going to like that one bit, lol. The liver will heal, but it takes time. In the meantime since the liver is a toxin sponge, I will do the charcoal to help take some of the load off of it. Will it work? Looks good on paper, but in fact, no clue. About the best I can do right now. I am also going to be alternating plain water with the vitamin water to also give the liver a break. Charcoal on the plain water days.

Oh my gosh, Haunted55!! I just read the pages of posts about Bea's troubles and all you've gone through. You did a really good job keeping it together & helping her through! I actually have a GREAT liver detox recipe. Feel free to use & share it. It came from a Dr I know who's very homeopatically inclined (he's an old school D.O.) I've used it for myself, for friends and on all kinds of dogs & cats with great results. Have even given it to my chickens on occassion and it's made a huge impact for their betterment.

NATURAL LIVER DETOX:
1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar (do not use any other kind of vinegar. Bragg's brand organic 'with the mother in it' is the best, but as long as it's ACV, you're good.)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda--added slowly to above because it's going to foam like there's no tomorrow!

Mix together in a small jar or container, and when the foaming settles down, add about 2-3 teaspoons of water.

Feed entire mixture to animal/person in one sitting, as you can't keep the leftover mixture for later re-use. (It loses it's effectiveness.)
Make sure that you get an even mix of liquid & Baking Soda into the syringe you'll likely use to get this down her throat. Since the Baking Soda will settle on the bottom of the container, you'll probably have to stir it up before you load//re-load your syringe. This is normal.

Repeat a couple of hours later if it's a really bad case (which Bea's surely is), then let her rest & her little body will do the rest. If you can do it a couple of times a day for the first day, you should have a better idea of how it's working, but even once a day is better than nothing.

I gave it to my girls every night before bed for 3-4 nights when they had a problem & they responded quite well. Once they started coming around, they got more and more resistant to taking ANY of the mix AT ALL.
I'm guessing that a couple of doses is all it's going to take before she'll be well enough to see you coming with this mixture & run like her tail's on fire. If you get a couple of days down the road & she's clamping her beak shut (like a little kid saying ''I'm NOT going to eat that & you can't make me..."), she's probably done with the mixture. I've been know to get a little more down the hatch & call it good. That'll be good day for you & a better one for her!

There's something about the mix that changes the body's natural pH, making it more able to flush toxins quickly. That's why it works.

Oh, and she's going to HATE it. Expect her to flail, quack & NOT want any part of it. It'll be even more fun once she actually tastes it, but get as much into her as you can each time to give the mixture. You'll probably wear a great deal, since she'll shake her head and try to spit it out.

Again, sorry to have come to the thread so late. Sure hope this helps you both. Please post an update as I'll have you both in my thoughts and prayers.

 

[Haunted55]

Oh my gosh, Haunted55!! I just read the pages of posts about Bea's troubles and all you've gone through. You did a really good job keeping it together & helping her through! I actually have a GREAT liver detox recipe. Feel free to use & share it. It came from a Dr I know who's very homeopatically inclined (he's an old school D.O.) I've used it for myself, for friends and on all kinds of dogs & cats with great results. Have even given it to my chickens on occassion and it's made a huge impact for their betterment.

NATURAL LIVER DETOX:
1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar (do not use any other kind of vinegar. Bragg's brand organic 'with the mother in it' is the best, but as long as it's ACV, you're good.)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda--added slowly to above because it's going to foam like there's no tomorrow!

Mix together in a small jar or container, and when the foaming settles down, add about 2-3 teaspoons of water.

Feed entire mixture to animal/person in one sitting, as you can't keep the leftover mixture for later re-use. (It loses it's effectiveness.)
Make sure that you get an even mix of liquid & Baking Soda into the syringe you'll likely use to get this down her throat. Since the Baking Soda will settle on the bottom of the container, you'll probably have to stir it up before you load//re-load your syringe. This is normal.

Repeat a couple of hours later if it's a really bad case (which Bea's surely is), then let her rest & her little body will do the rest. If you can do it a couple of times a day for the first day, you should have a better idea of how it's working, but even once a day is better than nothing.

I gave it to my girls every night before bed for 3-4 nights when they had a problem & they responded quite well. Once they started coming around, they got more and more resistant to taking ANY of the mix AT ALL.
I'm guessing that a couple of doses is all it's going to take before she'll be well enough to see you coming with this mixture & run like her tail's on fire. If you get a couple of days down the road & she's clamping her beak shut (like a little kid saying ''I'm NOT going to eat that & you can't make me..."), she's probably done with the mixture. I've been know to get a little more down the hatch & call it good. That'll be good day for you & a better one for her!

There's something about the mix that changes the body's natural pH, making it more able to flush toxins quickly. That's why it works.

Oh, and she's going to HATE it. Expect her to flail, quack & NOT want any part of it. It'll be even more fun once she actually tastes it, but get as much into her as you can each time to give the mixture. You'll probably wear a great deal, since she'll shake her head and try to spit it out.

Again, sorry to have come to the thread so late. Sure hope this helps you both. Please post an update as I'll have you both in my thoughts and prayers.

Thank-you and something I'll add to my medicine book! Bea is doing better, like I said, not 100% but that may be a while yet. With the additional charcoal, the poops have changed back to almost normal color, so I've stopped that and just giving her plain water right now. She is so mad at me for keeping her in the house! LOL!! That's okay, I learned with my kids that sometimes it's just the way it has to be, adjust.

Again, thanks for the kind words and sharing the recipe. To be honest? I hope I never have to use it, lol. Realistically....I know better.

 

[BarredRockMom]

Thank-you and something I'll add to my medicine book! Bea is doing better, like I said, not 100% but that may be a while yet. With the additional charcoal, the poops have changed back to almost normal color, so I've stopped that and just giving her plain water right now. She is so mad at me for keeping her in the house! LOL!! That's okay, I learned with my kids that sometimes it's just the way it has to be, adjust.

Again, thanks for the kind words and sharing the recipe. To be honest? I hope I never have to use it, lol. Realistically....I know better.

Hey no problem at all! I'm glad she's doing better. If you think her liver is still a little sluggish, it wouldn't hurt to give her some of "the potion", even if you only do it once.
I'm glad to hear that she's rebounding. I know it takes a weight off of the feathered part of your heart.

 

[BarredRockMom]

Thank-you and something I'll add to my medicine book! Bea is doing better, like I said, not 100% but that may be a while yet. With the additional charcoal, the poops have changed back to almost normal color, so I've stopped that and just giving her plain water right now. She is so mad at me for keeping her in the house! LOL!! That's okay, I learned with my kids that sometimes it's just the way it has to be, adjust.

Again, thanks for the kind words and sharing the recipe. To be honest? I hope I never have to use it, lol. Realistically....I know better.

Hi Haunted55:

How is Bea?

 

[Haunted55]

Hi Haunted55:

How is Bea?

I'm sorry! Bea is doing wonderfully well!!! She is just about 100% and is no longer getting any meds at all. She still can be a bit wobbly sometimes so she is being kept inside with me until I can be sure she can handle the drakes.

I have allowed her to be out of her crate during the daytime and she spends her time with the other 2 girls, who are being treated for bumbles or sits at the back door waiting for me to come in from chores and such. I wanted to be really sure of how well she could get around and function and the time is coming very soon when she will be back with the others. It's funny...the rest of the flock have figured out that these ducks are in the house with me. When I let them oot of their pen the geese come first and then the ducks will follow and they all talk back and forth. I even had one of my Mallard drakes fly up onto the deck outside my kitchen door to have a bill to bill conference with the girls. I guess he got the information he needed as he soon flew back to the rest of the flock and there was a lot of 'talking' going on, lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm sorry! Bea is doing wonderfully well!!! She is just about 100% and is no longer getting any meds at all. She still can be a bit wobbly sometimes so she is being kept inside with me until I can be sure she can handle the drakes.

I have allowed her to be out of her crate during the daytime and she spends her time with the other 2 girls, who are being treated for bumbles or sits at the back door waiting for me to come in from chores and such. I wanted to be really sure of how well she could get around and function and the time is coming very soon when she will be back with the others. It's funny...the rest of the flock have figured out that these ducks are in the house with me. When I let them oot of their pen the geese come first and then the ducks will follow and they all talk back and forth. I even had one of my Mallard drakes fly up onto the deck outside my kitchen door to have a bill to bill conference with the girls. I guess he got the information he needed as he soon flew back to the rest of the flock and there was a lot of 'talking' going on, lol.

Yay for Bea

 

[BarredRockMom]

I'm sorry! Bea is doing wonderfully well!!! She is just about 100% and is no longer getting any meds at all. She still can be a bit wobbly sometimes so she is being kept inside with me until I can be sure she can handle the drakes.

I have allowed her to be out of her crate during the daytime and she spends her time with the other 2 girls, who are being treated for bumbles or sits at the back door waiting for me to come in from chores and such. I wanted to be really sure of how well she could get around and function and the time is coming very soon when she will be back with the others. It's funny...the rest of the flock have figured out that these ducks are in the house with me. When I let them oot of their pen the geese come first and then the ducks will follow and they all talk back and forth. I even had one of my Mallard drakes fly up onto the deck outside my kitchen door to have a bill to bill conference with the girls. I guess he got the information he needed as he soon flew back to the rest of the flock and there was a lot of 'talking' going on, lol.

Oh that's hilarious!! He probably got the scoop on what was going on, went back & filled in everyone else. Aren't they amazing creatures? So glad to hear good news.
We're blessed to have them, one & all.

HalleluYAH!!

 

[Haunted55]

Oh that's hilarious!! He probably got the scoop on what was going on, went back & filled in everyone else. Aren't they amazing creatures? So glad to hear good news.
We're blessed to have them, one & all.

HalleluYAH!!

Even better...as I'm sitting here before going out to do the chores. I have my Mallard being treated for bumble, running around my livingroom floor pushing one of those belled cat balls. Now you just can't make this stuff up! If her foot is good enough for that, I think tonight will be the bath and recheck. I love animals...they make life so worth living!

 

[BarredRockMom]

Even better...as I'm sitting here before going out to do the chores. I have my Mallard being treated for bumble, running around my livingroom floor pushing one of those belled cat balls. Now you just can't make this stuff up! If her foot is good enough for that, I think tonight will be the bath and recheck. I love animals...they make life so worth living!

Nope, ya just can't make that up! Gotta love the personalities on our animals, eh? I always wonder "what DID I do before I had chickens?" My days were full then, as now, but nothing compares to the number of funny stories we have now! It's comedy all day, every day. What one doesn't think of or get into, someone else does and then it's all hands on deck! Even a crazy day with the chickens is better than a quiet day without 'em.