Duck with Breathing problems

[wschutte]

Hi all,

I have a male Muscovy Duck, approximately 1.5 years old that is having difficulty breathing. This has been going on for about a week now with no improvement. He is gasping and shaking his head. No other visible problems. He wants to eat and runs for food, manages one mouthfull and then can't eat because of his breathing. He is drinking. I have isolated him from the rest and feeding him by hand, sometimes through a feeding tube just to get something into his stomach (hand rearing food which is full of vitamins). He stops the gasping to sleep at night but his chest is then working hard.

I have dewormed him, treated him for Pneumonia and now have him on an antibiotic that is for "general infections of the respiratory, gastrointestinal and urogenial tract caused by Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria". This antibiotic I have started today in his water as nothing else has worked so far.

Has anyone experienced this before? Non of my other Muscovies have this problem so far. A Vet unfortunately is not an option as I live in the middle of Mozambique where there are no Vets and the closest Vet will be a 7 hour drive to Zimbabwe, through a border. We are currently coming out of Winter but our Winters are extremely mild. The Ducks are out all day and caged at night. Cages are cleaned every day.

Many thanks
Wendy

 

[Rhyna49]

Just be there for him and make him as comfortable as you can maybe some soft towels to lay on. You never said if he had any wounds on his body? What did the dog do? If he has wounds they will need to be cleaned and medicated.
He looks really bad there is always a chance he won't make it but since I have been on BYC I have seen some miracles happen too

I hope so I’m praying he make it he is such a sweet little guy and I don’t know i think he bite him on the chest i clean that he stop bleeding but when I first pick him up he was bleeding from his mouth

 

[Rhyna49]

That’s an improvement though right? I’d begin to add a little duck feed to the mealworms. Also there is a product called poultry cell that you can add to his water that should help.

Yes with electrolytes and vit I’m doing that hopefully it helps

 

[Rhyna49]

I will try to get meloxican better and another question and sorry and thank you for all your help he eats a little but he doesn’t eat standing up and he start eating and then he stop is like he forgets he is eating i have to move the plate then he start again and stop do you know why

Another thing that worries me is a bright green diahrrea

 

[Rhyna49]

Bright green diarrhea can mean he isn't eating much which he isn't, it can also mean infection. You never did say how bad his wounds are and where they are?
How do his legs look anything out of ordinary like swelling maybe a muscle injury from the dog?
I can't answer why he forgets he is eating maybe it has to do with he is just injured and not feeling so good. Does he have trouble recognizing you?

He had a wound on the chest but i stop the bleeding and when I found him he was bleeding from the mouth but that stop too i think he does recognize me he is a wild boy so he doesn’t like to be carried but he do love i talk sweet to him he is look though but he is a softie inside

 

[Rhyna49]

Hopefully just giving him time he will recover. It is very special that you're caring for him even though he is feral.

hopefully thank you for everything I really appreciate

 

[Rhyna49]

hopefully thank you for everything I really appreciate

Be sure to update on how he is doing. Thanks

Will do thank you

 

[Rhyna49]

All I can do is give you this I am not expert on meds
https://poultrydvm.com/drugs/carprofen. Is he showing any improvement? where do you think there is inflammation?

I’m really scare I think he is improving because he walks very slowly and with his head down he walks and the again to the floor he won’t eat just water i think his body has inflammation

 

[Rhyna49]

That is great news!! he needs a way to safely get into the pool a ramp or steps made out of scrap wood would work. But it would be better for his legs not to have to jump off the side. The reason saying is my Muscovy drake injured his legs jumping off the side of the pool so best to keep that from happening. I put a dog x pen around all my pools except where they can safely go in and out. that way I don't have to worry about them jumping off and hurting themselves.

Your care is what brought him through bless you for caring

I will get him a ramp thank you

 

[Miss Lydia]

This is one way of keeping them from jumping off the sides too. These Xpens are great for so many things related to our birds.