Duck neuro problem- please help!

[Funky Feathers]

Can anyone help me identify the problem? Anyone dealt with this before? Fine last night, found limp & floppy & filthy this morning, his one pen mate is fine. Only thing I did different: I put a rubber bath mat on the wire cage floor to try & prevent Bumblefoot. Now this! Wha??? He is so weak he can't hold his head up, he is 4 weeks old. Any ideas? Anyone?

 

[alexysmommy]

Those plastic bath mats contain phthalates, which are def a problem for people, not sure about animals. If it was heated at all though (like a light on it for example) it DEF can cause problems. Plastic like that can leach chemicals for a long time, it is why people wrap their mattresses to prevent "off gassing" same thing with the bath mat. It could have been something else, but I do know for sure those bath mats are full of chemicals (they have to add them to make the plastic flexible, you can smell them usually when you first open it, or a new vinyl shower curtain , etc)

 

[Funky Feathers]

OMG!!!!!, did I kill my baby??? Why is the other one okay? Oh God, I hope I didn't kill my poor baby! Is it too late to save him? Is it from breathing the chemicals in?

 

[alexysmommy]

I don't know if it is from the chemicals, but it certainly is possible. Please don't beat yourself up over it though, its a bath mat! You shouldn't have to worry about the safety of something that is made FOR safety reasons! Let me ask my dh, he knows more about the plastic/leaching thing then I do. And it might not even be from that! Just could be a possiblilty. Was this one laying under a light or anything where the other one wasnt? (heat can produce more chemicals)

 

[Funky Feathers]

No, no light. Completely dark at night. I am going out now to remove all 3 bath mats I put in my cages! I am scared now. Please ask your hubby & get back to me. I'll be back on around 11am EST. Thanks!

 

[alexysmommy]

Hmm...there are a few things on here that sound like it could be it.

http://www.duckhealth.com/duckhlth.html

 

[alexysmommy]

he asked if you knew if the mats were pvc/phthalate free or not, he said most are now, except some from walmart and places like the dollar store. He also said that if it is from the bath mats, it shouldn't kill it, it will just make it weak and "high" for awhile...it takes about 48 hours or so for the toxins to pass.

How is the duck doing? Is it eating or drinking at all with help? Poor little thing

 

[Funky Feathers]

Well, he is "high as a kite", still. He eats & drinks with help. He appears to have small (minor) seizures at times. Other times he just lays there in weird positions. I gave him some Toxiban (activated charcoal) last night to try & get it out of his system. I sure hope it does wear off. I gave him vitamins & Vet Rx (orally) too. Poor guy, I hope he makes it. He was going to be one of my top breeders for next year.

 

[country]

I raise the crested ducks myself & have found that neurological problems seem to come with crested breeds of ducks & chickens. The larger the crest, the greater the possibility of problems & it usually strikes when they are first starting to feather in. I have always suspected that some of the crest feathers grow inward & press on the brain, which isn't covered with skull, but I've never seen anything confirming my opinion. I do know that breeding large crest to large crest brings more ducklings with neuro problems. Silkie & Polish chicks can often be brought back to normal with Vit. E, B. & Selenium but I haven't tried it on ducklings since I haven't had any problems in quite a while. Your duck is beautiful & if he were mine, I would definitely try the vitamin treatment. Google "crookneck treatment" for an article by Alan Stanford that tells of the problem, treatment, & dosage. If you try it, please, please post your results. It would be great if it helped crested ducks the way it does with the Silkies. It may take several days or weeks to show improvement, but would be well worth the effort if it saves your boy.

Sheri

 

[Funky Feathers]

Gave him Niacin, Vits. A, E, B today & fish oil. Tonight he is the same. Too weak to eat/drink on his own. I hand-fed him crumbles, vitamin water, and some banana smoothie (which he loved- lapped it right up). I hope I got enough food & water into him. We'll see tomorrow. Must not be the Phthalate poisoning like I first thought.