Gape worm or choking? 🦆

[BeepBeepspaghetti]

I have a 2 year old male Muscovy who recently started gasping for air and panting. Every time he seems to breathe he opens his mouth as if he can’t.He no longer hisses like other male Muscovys because he can’t, he tends to cough and wiggle his head side to side as if choking, and he lays down while the others go out foraging. We assume something could be stuck in his throat, but we also think he might have gape worms, even if it’s not common here where we live. If it’s gape worm we might be able to give him what he needs, but I want the view of others in case it could be something just stuck in his throat. it pains me seeing him like this. Hopefully the video works.

 

[BeepBeepspaghetti]

Here’s another video of him doing the head shake, more panting, and him laying down.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can he eat and swallow his food and water?
Won't hurt to treat for gape worms.

Here is info on how to treat
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/gapeworms

 

[swampfox440]

Hi, welcome to BYC! pleased to meet you and thanks for joining us. It's hard to say without looking in his beak.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Def need to look in his bill feel along his neck etc. But if he is eating and drinking without difficulity then he may not have anything stuck.

 

[BeepBeepspaghetti]

Can he eat and swallow his food and water?
Won't hurt to treat for gape worms.

Here is info on how to treat
http://www.poultrydvm.com/condition/gapeworms

He seemed to not be able to eat, every time he tried he choked, and he can only drink a little water since he has to breathe. I’ll try the treatment out just in case

 

[BeepBeepspaghetti]

Hi, welcome to BYC! pleased to meet you and thanks for joining us. It's hard to say without looking in his beak.

Here’s another video of him doing the head shake, more panting, and him laying down.

A quick update since last night ! When I went to check on him he all of a sudden could hiss like all the other males. And he no longer opens his mouth as if to breathe. He still has his cough and shakes his head though. The other problem is that another one of my Muscovy hens has the same problem now and I wonder why, she was perfectly fine before. .

 

[BeepBeepspaghetti]

Def need to look in his bill feel along his neck etc. But if he is eating and drinking without difficulity then he may not have anything stuck.

Since one of my hens has the same problem now, I tried feeling her neck, and I couldn’t feel anything inside that could be stuck… whenever I try to look inside I loose my grip on her.. hopefully by afternoon I can have a second pair of hands to assist me.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd treat for gape worms won't hurt. If they are showing respiratory illness you'll hear raspy breathing, possibly rattling when listening to their chest. Drainage from eyes and nares.

 

[BeepBeepspaghetti]

I'd treat for gape worms won't hurt. If they are showing respiratory illness you'll hear raspy breathing, possibly rattling when listening to their chest. Drainage from eyes and nares.

Will do, thanks for the advise. As for any drainage.. I haven’t seen any sort in their eyes or nares. Hopefully they get better with the gape worm treatment.