Dilemma....Help Please, Suspected Botulism

[Haunted55]

LOL!!! Oh you so know it!

 

[Haunted55]

This is the final update on both Bea and a KC drake named Billy who was also being treated for botulism. Beatrice has finally reached the 100% recovery I have been waiting for. For the last 2 weeks she has been rasing the dickens in my house and showing herself more than ready to return to the flock. Today was the big day...Bea and 4 other girls who were being treated for bumbles, have been returned to the flock. The drake, Billy, isn't going to. Billy went into seizures this morning and passed. Billy wasn't getting the antibiotic as Bea had because everything I read about botulism said that the antibiotic didn't help. He got the charcoal and seemed to be getting slowly better. Eating, drinking but not very active. Lessons learned. I know the whys and the hows and will give my learned lessons below.

If you suspect your animal is poisoned with anything, including botulism, immediately give activated charcoal. 2 capsules or tablets mixed with as little water as possible so that a slurry can be made and give orally with a syringe. Once you have that in them, let them rest for 8 hrs., then start them on Baytril or the human equivalent, Cipro 500mg., 2xs daily. DO NOT USE DURAMYCIN-10 or any other tetracycline drug!!! This will make the botulism worse! Give the antibiotic for 5-7 days. After the antibiotic, you are still not out of the woods yet...it takes a long time for your bird to overcome the affects of a poisoning. Weeks and even months, be patient, if they make it through the first week, chances are they will make a full recovery. With the proper medications and help. Another thing I did for Bea was give her regular poultry vitamins and 1 Super B Complex [human] in a gallon of water. She got these extra vitamins for a couple of weeks. The idea being the Bs help the nervous system function properly. Must have worked too, because she has fully recovered, while Billy did not and Billy wasn't as sick as Bea was originally.

The ducks who were being treated for the bumblefoot were being given a 5 day course of Duramycin-10 as I had one girl who was still limping even though all of her bumbles were healed and gone. thinking there may have been some infection in her leg bones I started them on this before I was putting them back with the flock. Never thinking that Billy might get into the medicated water. He did, he's gone and I believe it was because of the tetracycline he injested. If you stumble across this thread and you can take one thing away with you...please take the information about the tetracycline drugs and botulism. It may save yours or someone else's bird from the same fate as my drake.

 

[Amiga]

Oh, Billy....

Thanks for these important notes. So much to learn.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So sorry H, Very sad day for you.

 

[Haunted55]

Thanks guys...I love my chickens and all of my other critters, but the ducks hold a special place in my heart that nothing else can fill. I know you get it.

 

[BarredRockMom]

This is the final update on both Bea and a KC drake named Billy who was also being treated for botulism. Beatrice has finally reached the 100% recovery I have been waiting for. For the last 2 weeks she has been rasing the dickens in my house and showing herself more than ready to return to the flock. Today was the big day...Bea and 4 other girls who were being treated for bumbles, have been returned to the flock. The drake, Billy, isn't going to. Billy went into seizures this morning and passed. Billy wasn't getting the antibiotic as Bea had because everything I read about botulism said that the antibiotic didn't help. He got the charcoal and seemed to be getting slowly better. Eating, drinking but not very active. Lessons learned. I know the whys and the hows and will give my learned lessons below.

If you suspect your animal is poisoned with anything, including botulism, immediately give activated charcoal. 2 capsules or tablets mixed with as little water as possible so that a slurry can be made and give orally with a syringe. Once you have that in them, let them rest for 8 hrs., then start them on Baytril or the human equivalent, Cipro 500mg., 2xs daily. DO NOT USE DURAMYCIN-10 or any other tetracycline drug!!! This will make the botulism worse! Give the antibiotic for 5-7 days. After the antibiotic, you are still not out of the woods yet...it takes a long time for your bird to overcome the affects of a poisoning. Weeks and even months, be patient, if they make it through the first week, chances are they will make a full recovery. With the proper medications and help. Another thing I did for Bea was give her regular poultry vitamins and 1 Super B Complex [human] in a gallon of water. She got these extra vitamins for a couple of weeks. The idea being the Bs help the nervous system function properly. Must have worked too, because she has fully recovered, while Billy did not and Billy wasn't as sick as Bea was originally.

The ducks who were being treated for the bumblefoot were being given a 5 day course of Duramycin-10 as I had one girl who was still limping even though all of her bumbles were healed and gone. thinking there may have been some infection in her leg bones I started them on this before I was putting them back with the flock. Never thinking that Billy might get into the medicated water. He did, he's gone and I believe it was because of the tetracycline he injested. If you stumble across this thread and you can take one thing away with you...please take the information about the tetracycline drugs and botulism. It may save yours or someone else's bird from the same fate as my drake.

Oh Haunted55, I'm so sorry to hear about Billy!! I know how special he was to you & how hard you tried to help & heal him. I know that you're glad that Bea & the other girls have made a full recovery, but you're still sad. Gosh I just feel so bad for ya. It's awful to lose a friend. The only bright spot is that your experience has made you wiser & may just help someone else. It's a terrible price to pay for knowledge, however.

 

[Deleted member 94844]

So sorry to hear about Billy... I've been there and know the anguish. Glad Bea is better.