Duck with labored breathing

[ceedublu]

I've got a two-year-old Swedish blue duck that's having some sort of respiratory problem. Her breathing is very labored: you can see her body contract when she exhales, especially when she's laying down, and she opens and closes her mouth slightly with every breath. It's been going on nearly two weeks.

It could be aspergillosis (possibly from some slightly moldy straw bedding in the duck yard) but I would have expected to see other symptoms, if that were the case. I haven't noticed even a slight change in her behavior: still eating, foraging, laying, grooming, running around -- all normal. The labored breathing is the only noticeable change. The half-dozen other ducks in our flock are unaffected.

Does anyone have any idea what this might be? We don't have any avian vets in our area, so I'm trying to sort this out on my own.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You might want to put her on a round of Baytril, especially since it's respiratory, if Aspergilllosis then that would be a fungal treatment and it is hard to treat without a vet and still doesn't always work. I hope you have replaced the straw. Oxine ah [which can be bought online can be used to treat respiratory illness and used to treat bedding and roosts in the coop to kill viruses].
https://allbirdproducts.com/products/baytril-10
This link is to bumble foot treatment but the dose for Baytril is here.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/another-bumblefoot-post.1492463/#post-24896429

Link for Doxycycline treatment
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/duck-labored-breathing.1542371/page-6#post-26070735 fish antibiotics will work

I wouldn't wait much longer to treat

 

[ceedublu]

You might want to put her on a round of Baytril, especially since it's respiratory, if Aspergilllosis then that would be a fungal treatment and it is hard to treat without a vet and still doesn't always work. I hope you have replaced the straw. Oxine ah [which can be bought online can be used to treat respiratory illness and used to treat bedding and roosts in the coop to kill viruses].
https://allbirdproducts.com/products/baytril-10
This link is to bumble foot treatment but the dose for Baytril is here.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/another-bumblefoot-post.1492463/#post-24896429

Link for Doxycycline treatment
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/duck-labored-breathing.1542371/page-6#post-26070735 fish antibiotics will work

I wouldn't wait much longer to treat

Thank you! Is there one that you would suggest I try over the other, Baytril vs. Doxycycline?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd go for the Baytril 10% that seems to be the choice for most of us. Unless you already have the doxy?

 

[ceedublu]

I'd go for the Baytril 10% that seems to be the choice for most of us. Unless you already have the doxy?

I just ordered the Baytril, thank you. I'm a little baffled by the fact that she seems completely normal, other than the breathing. She's always been my most active duck, and that hasn't changed -- she's still charging around. Hopefully, that's a good sign and the Baytril will knock out whatever's giving her problems.

Thank you very much for your prompt responses -- they're much appreciated.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Let’s us know when you start her on it and please continue with updates. Sure hope since she’s doing so normal every other way what ever this is will be taken care of with the Baytril.

 

[K2goatsandducks]

Hey there, ceedublu!

Any updates on your duck? I have one with similar issues and I'm trying to sort out the best course of action.

Thank you!

 

[Lindy Acres]

Hey there, ceedublu!

Any updates on your duck? I have one with similar issues and I'm trying to sort out the best course of action.

Thank you!

I am in a similar situation and can't find any of the ends of the stories. Were your ducks ok? did they get better?

 

[Ruby Law]

I have a similar situation with a hen. Too expensive to take her to the vet, but vet said to check her mouth and see if something stuck in throat. I don't see anything. Don't know what to do.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I have a similar situation with a hen. Too expensive to take her to the vet, but vet said to check her mouth and see if something stuck in. I don't see anything. Don't know what to do.

Any way you can upload a video of what she is doing? Put it on YouTube or another venue and copy and paste here.