ducks with respiratory issues- advice please

[orangezenda]

Hello everyone,
After raising ducks for 30 years I have a situation I haven't encountered.
I have 5 ducks, 2 with breathing issues and coughing at times, another is starting to cough but not visibly breathing heavily yet.
The two worst ducks, females two years old, not laying now, are separated from the others. I have already done 3 days of Duramycin 10 1/2 TBS in gallon of water for the whole flock and there was no change in the sickies, no worse, no better. There are no other symptoms other than the breathing and not eating or drinking as much as normal. Their poop is normal just less in quantity. The barn is dry and has constant wood chips and we've had a very dry summer anyway. They have a huge pasture during the day, water and tubs changed daily if not more often. Their food is a high protein non-medicated crumble with wheat blended in by me.They are not exposed to chickens, never owned. On day two of treatment with the Duramycin 10 I tried to give the two sickies Vit C/ACV/honey via dropper directly in their bill but they wouldn't swallow it, that's when I switched to putting the powder on their foods and in the water. Looking at their tongues, the sicker had a paler pink tongue but nothing else unusual. They are both still feisty physically.
To the whole flockI am giving shredded greens/fruits sprinkled with 1000's of mg of Vit C in powder form over the day as well as the poultry vit/min/electrolytes in their water + more Vit C powder . I use the VetRx sprinkled in the sickies water as well.
Today is day 5 of their confinement/illness.
I have read of the injections on the forum but not into that... any other ideas would be most welcome. What of amoxicillin orally? I believe I used that for a goose years ago, got her to swallow. Also, when should I confine the duck that is just beginning to cough once in a while? My judgement says wait but you all have your own experiences to draw from and I'd like any advice.
Your help is most appreciated! Thank you

 

[casportpony]

Hello everyone,
After raising ducks for 30 years I have a situation I haven't encountered.
I have 5 ducks, 2 with breathing issues and coughing at times, another is starting to cough but not visibly breathing heavily yet.
The two worst ducks, females two years old, not laying now, are separated from the others. I have already done 3 days of Duramycin 10 1/2 TBS in gallon of water for the whole flock and there was no change in the sickies, no worse, no better. There are no other symptoms other than the breathing and not eating or drinking as much as normal. Their poop is normal just less in quantity. The barn is dry and has constant wood chips and we've had a very dry summer anyway. They have a huge pasture during the day, water and tubs changed daily if not more often. Their food is a high protein non-medicated crumble with wheat blended in by me.They are not exposed to chickens, never owned. On day two of treatment with the Duramycin 10 I tried to give the two sickies Vit C/ACV/honey via dropper directly in their bill but they wouldn't swallow it, that's when I switched to putting the powder on their foods and in the water. Looking at their tongues, the sicker had a paler pink tongue but nothing else unusual. They are both still feisty physically.
To the whole flockI am giving shredded greens/fruits sprinkled with 1000's of mg of Vit C in powder form over the day as well as the poultry vit/min/electrolytes in their water + more Vit C powder . I use the VetRx sprinkled in the sickies water as well.
Today is day 5 of their confinement/illness.
I have read of the injections on the forum but not into that... any other ideas would be most welcome. What of amoxicillin orally? I believe I used that for a goose years ago, got her to swallow. Also, when should I confine the duck that is just beginning to cough once in a while? My judgement says wait but you all have your own experiences to draw from and I'd like any advice.
Your help is most appreciated! Thank you

Welcome to BYC!

If it is a respiratory infection, 1/2 tablespoon of Duramycin 10 might not be enough.... I weighed it and and one tablespoon weighed about 10-12 grams, which is only 550-660 mg of tetracycline. Maybe try increasing your dose to the max recommended dose of 800 mg?

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Another thing to consider is worms... Have they ever been de-wormed?

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Read about gapeworms:
http://parasitipedia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2653&Itemid=2942

Internal parasites (endoparasites, worms, helminths)

Gastrointestinal roundworms (nematodes)

• Acuaria spp ~ Dispharynx ~ Synhimanthus spp. $. Gizzard worms. Gizzard, esophagus and proventriculus. Can be a problem in endemic regions, mainly in birds kept outdoors.
• Ascaridia spp. $$$. Chicken roundworms. Small intestine. A serious problem worldwide, also in confined operations.
• Capillaria spp. $$. Hairworms. Crop, esophagus, small intestine, large intestine.
• Heterakis spp. $$$$. Cecal worms. Cecum. Probably the most threatening worms in all kind of poultry operations worldwide.
• Oxyspirura spp. $. Fowl eyeworms. Eyes. Usually a secondary problem in individual birds kept outdoors.
• Strongyloides spp. $$. Threadworms, pinworms. Small intestine. Can be a serious problem worldwide.
• Subulura spp. $. Cecum and small intestine. A secondary problem in birds kept outdoors worldwide.
• Syngamus trachea. $$. Gapeworms. Trachea, bronchi. A serious problem in birds kept outdoors in endemic regions.
• Tetrameres spp. $. Proventriculus and esophagus. Can be a problem in endemic regions, mainly in outdoor opertaions.

Tapeworms (cestodes)

• Amoebotaenia cuneata = sphenoides. $. Small intestine. Usually a secondary issue in most poultry operations
• Choanotaenia infundibulum. $. Small intestine. Usually not a major issue in modern poultry operations.
• Davainea proglottina. $. Minute tapeworms. Small intestine. Can be a problem in birds kept outdoors in endemic regions.
• Raillietina spp. $$. Small intestine. The most frequent tapeworm in poultry, however normally not a major problem.

Flukes (trematodes, flatworms)

• Prosthogonimus spp. $. Oviduct flukes. Oviduct, bursa of Fabricius. Can be a serious threat for birds kept outdoors in endemic regions.

http://parasitipedia.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2655&Itemid=2933

 

[orangezenda]

Thank you, Kathy, for your good advice!
I immediately started the two ducks on the Duramycin 10 at 1 TBS per almost a full gallon of water when I say your post. It has now been 4 days completed that they are on this dosage and there is some improvement I believe. They still visibly show heavy breathing throughout their bodies but it is less noticeable and the sickest duck has stopped making a little sigh at each breath.No new symptoms have developed nor did the third duck become worse; she seems normal now. I'm still doing the vit/min/electrolyte solution with Vit C sprinkled on all the duck flock's foods and greens/fruits, etc. The sickies are eating more now but this brutal heatwave has slowed them down today. Since they do seem to be responding may I ask how long you think I should extend the Duramycin treatment? I don't want to stop too soon but I don't want to harm them either.
I did not see your other posts about worming them until today, sorry. I do not routinely worm my birds. I should probably finish the Duramycin and get them healthier before doing so, right?
Thank you again for helping me and so many others on the site!