Duck coughing/shaking head for a week now. Video included.

[Westmarch]

https://imgur.com/a/j6lbLff

Hey folks. Our 5-month-old muscovy female, Stump Duck, hasn't been quite right for the last several days. On Tuesday she basically sat in a bush alone all day and did not want to eat. Every day since, she has resumed eating, drinking, and hanging out with the flock. She seems to want to drink a lot of water. And most importantly, she is periodically doing this motion where she stretches her neck out, appears to cough/wheeze, and shakes her head. She doesn't do it consistently - this morning she wasn't doing it at all, but tonight he's doing it a lot.

I dd separate her for 2 days. She didn't improve nor worsen. None of the other ducks have symptoms of anything and this issue seems like a physical malady more so than something infectious (although we are not sure). It almost appears to me that she may have gotten something caught in her throat. However there doesn't seem to be any abnormality of her bill or neck upon examination. Her crop also feels basically normal, although I admit I am not very experienced giving exams to muscovies compared to chickens.

She's not getting worse, and she's eating, but she doesn't seem happy. Can anyone help Stump Duck?

 

[cheezenkwackers]

Are Gape worms found where you live???

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

Poor sweet thing! Are there any Veterinarians nearby that could see her?

 

[Westmarch]

We live in a very rural area and don't really have an avian vet - most folks around here just cull sick birds. But yes, we do have gapeworms here I believe.

 

[Isaac 0]

Sorry to hear about your duck.

If she were mine I would consider and treat for the following, a possible blockage, and Gapeworm. IMO, based off on how she's acting, those would probably be the most likely scenarios.

Treating her for worms won't hurt her, but will let us know if it's worm-related or not. If you have a feed store near you like TSC go pick up some SafeGaurd Liquid Goat Dewormer, or Valbazen. That will treat for most worms. Just give us her weight, and we can give you a dose.

As far as the possibility of a current blockage. I would consider buying a red rubber catheter, lubing it up good with mineral or olive oil, and gently lowering it down her esophagus to try to clear any blockages.

Is she laying currently?

 

[Daphne_loves_mealworms]

https://imgur.com/a/j6lbLff

Hey folks. Our 5-month-old muscovy female, Stump Duck, hasn't been quite right for the last several days. On Tuesday she basically sat in a bush alone all day and did not want to eat. Every day since, she has resumed eating, drinking, and hanging out with the flock. She seems to want to drink a lot of water. And most importantly, she is periodically doing this motion where she stretches her neck out, appears to cough/wheeze, and shakes her head. She doesn't do it consistently - this morning she wasn't doing it at all, but tonight he's doing it a lot.

I dd separate her for 2 days. She didn't improve nor worsen. None of the other ducks have symptoms of anything and this issue seems like a physical malady more so than something infectious (although we are not sure). It almost appears to me that she may have gotten something caught in her throat. However there doesn't seem to be any abnormality of her bill or neck upon examination. Her crop also feels basically normal, although I admit I am not very experienced giving exams to muscovies compared to chickens.

She's not getting worse, and she's eating, but she doesn't seem happy. Can anyone help Stump Duck?

How‘s your duck doing?

 

[Westmarch]

Sorry to hear about your duck.

If she were mine I would consider and treat for the following, a possible blockage, and Gapeworm. IMO, based off on how she's acting, those would probably be the most likely scenarios.

Treating her for worms won't hurt her, but will let us know if it's worm-related or not. If you have a feed store near you like TSC go pick up some SafeGaurd Liquid Goat Dewormer, or Valbazen. That will treat for most worms. Just give us her weight, and we can give you a dose.

As far as the possibility of a current blockage. I would consider buying a red rubber catheter, lubing it up good with mineral or olive oil, and gently lowering it down her esophagus to try to clear any blockages.

Is she laying currently?

She hasn't started laying yet, she hatched in April. I was just able to obtain the goat Safeguard - at 5.7 pounds, can you confirm what dose of this she should be receiving? And thank you so much!

 

[Isaac 0]

She hasn't started laying yet, she hatched in April. I was just able to obtain the goat Safeguard - at 5.7 pounds, can you confirm what dose of this she should be receiving? And thank you so much!

Draw up 1.3ml of the liquid into a syringe, and give it to her orally (PO) once a day, for five days.

Here is an article that shows you how to correctly give poultry medications orally.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[CoriM]

What was the outcome for your duck? Did it end up being worms? I have a welsh harlequin who has been shaking her head like this for a few months. Still eats and drinks pretty normally, but she definitely looks a little out of it at times. I would love to get to the bottom of it.

 

[CoriM]

@Isaac 0 Could you give me dosing for Safeguard for a 4 pound duck? I have looked all over on BYC and have seen anywhere from .14 to .23 per pound. My welsh harlequin has been doing this strange head-shaking for at least a couple of months. She doesn't display any respiratory symptoms, but it seems to me like her throat is swollen or her tongue is suddenly too big. I haven't taken her to the vet because I just don't have a lot of faith in them. Everything is just a guessing-game with my vet - like spending $800 on every treatment and test imaginable to figure out what was going on with my duck Penny, come to find out at home later she was having her feathers pulled. Shouldn't a vet recognize the signs?! Anyway, I was examining her this morning and saw a microscopic little white worm on the edge of her beak. Then I came in and saw the video of this duck doing the head shaking, and it seemed fortuitous. I just got the Safeguard and would like to administer it as soon as possible. I hope I'm not too late to help her! Thanks in advance!