Duck acting lethargic and unable to walk, opening and closing mouth

[cryslynn26]

Im not able to pin point any one specific event to be able to say for sure what happened to my duck. She lives in the backyard with my dog and forges freely all day. I feed her crackers, bread, cat food, and then all the bugs she eats during the day out back. Last week she ate a penny while inside the house, i assumed she passed it, but now im wondering, since shes in the grass all day im not able to see if it passed for sure. online i read niacin might help if the problem is a poor diet? would really appreciate any feedback!

 

[duckluv]

Hope she's okay! Sorry but I can't help you.

 

[nettie]

If your duck ate a penny, she is porbably suffering from Zinc poisoning. Pennies are very hard to pass and get stuck in the digestive tract. The stomach will grind off the top layer of copper off the penny exposing the zinc. If you can, I would highly suggest you get your duck to an avaian vet right away. they may need to surgically remove the coin and treat her for the poisoning. She will need mediciation for the heavy metal poisoning and you'll have to get it from the vet, they don't sell it OTC

 

[Hattiegun]

there was a post awhile back where someones duck swallowed a coin .. I believe it had these same symptoms...it had to be surgically removed !!!! She expplained the whole procedure they went thru. I will try and find it, I am thinking the outcome will not be good without a vet.

 

[nettie]

it was like forty three cents the duck ate, or something like that.

 

[Duck_feeder]

Copper and zinc found in pennies are both toxic to ducks and will cause the symptoms you're seeing.

Your vet will need to remove the penny if there is any still in the body (x-ray will find it quickly) and give your ducks chelating (pronounced KEY-late-ing) agents to remove the metals that have already been absorbed. Basically those chemicals are very good at binding to metal ions and are much easier for the duck to expel than the naked metal ions.

 

[Quackmire]

My duck ate a penny and a dime, and had to go through surgery to remove them. She exhibited the same symptoms you are noticing in your duck. She didn't have long by the time we noticed the symptoms and went downhill quickly.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=356370

Pennies are too large to pass.....

Please get her to a vet!

 

[katharinad]

Any metal object a highly toxic to ducks. She will die without treatment. This will not be cheap. Just the x-ray will cost you 100 dollars, then surgery, and medication. You may have to face the fact that you have to consider putting the duck down. Just don't wait and let her suffer. See a vet and discuss your options with the vet.

 

[Quackmire]

www.carecredit.com

Not all vets accept this, but many do, and it can lessen the sting of a lump sum vet bill.

 

[Hattiegun]

ahhhh yes ,, it was Quackmire... thanks