Goose has Cocci but vet does not know what to tell us about giving medicine, method and dosage

[Farm Girl NJ]

Hi All, One of the other members suggested I post this here. I adopted a lonely goose at my farm two weeks ago and it turns out he has coccidiosis. My vet said to give him Corid, but he doesn't know much about geese and he could not tell me if it is OK to put it in the water like I do with the chickens since the goose needs to puts his head under the water and it would get in his eyes. The vet also said we can use SMZ powder on the food but didn't know how to get it to stick to the food. I appreciate any advise from people who have had to medicate a goose. I don't want to let him in with the chickens before we clear up the Cocci. A few other general facts about Bruce. I weighed him and he is 10 pounds, small for a boy. He is drinking and playing in his water but does seem to wheeze when he breaths when he get excited (not hissing just wheezing). His poop is white and runny. I give him about 8 ounces of all flock pellets a day and he picks at them but does not eat allot. He is in a 10 by 10 dog pen for quarantine. Thank you for your advise.

 

[nuthatched]

@Goosebaby

 

[Goosebaby]

Hi All, One of the other members suggested I post this here. I adopted a lonely goose at my farm two weeks ago and it turns out he has coccidiosis. My vet said to give him Corid, but he doesn't know much about geese and he could not tell me if it is OK to put it in the water like I do with the chickens since the goose needs to puts his head under the water and it would get in his eyes. The vet also said we can use SMZ powder on the food but didn't know how to get it to stick to the food. I appreciate any advise from people who have had to medicate a goose. I don't want to let him in with the chickens before we clear up the Cocci. A few other general facts about Bruce. I weighed him and he is 10 pounds, small for a boy. He is drinking and playing in his water but does seem to wheeze when he breaths when he get excited (not hissing just wheezing). His poop is white and runny. I give him about 8 ounces of all flock pellets a day and he picks at them but does not eat allot. He is in a 10 by 10 dog pen for quarantine. Thank you for your advise.

I’d say to find a new vet but your expierience isn’t much different from the last few vets I’ve dealt with. Shame most of the farm vets are either retired or gone.

What breed is your goose? 10 pounds does sound underweight but if he’s a small brown or white chinese it’s not necesarily drastic, if he’s a larger breed he may be severely emaciated.

You can give Corid in the water same as you would with your chickens. Corid suppresses cocci but doesn’t completly kill it.
SMZ TMP does kill it. I would use the SMZ TMP, the wheezing sounds like he may also have a respiratory infection and the antibiotic may also treat that, the Corid won’t.
Corid also can’t be administered with B vitamins, B vitamins render the Corid pointless, and considering he’s underweight you might consider prutting him on some vitamins.

However supplemental potassium should NOT be given during treatment with SMZ TMP, it’s otherwise a fairly safe antibiotic but it renders the kidneys temporarily unable to rid the body of potassium.

What percentage is your SMX TMP powder?

 

[Goosebaby]

Also try mixing his food with enough water to make a soupy mash, it will encourage him to play in it which can encourage him to eat some of it.

If he continues to refuse to eat he will starve to death unless you begin tube feeding him. You’ll need a gastric tube and a 60ml syringe with a catheter tip.

Most likely he’s refusing to eat because his guts hurt.




Also considering that he may be severely underweight you might try getting him Purina 30% game bird start, if you have a tractor supply in your area they might have it in stock.




If you end up having to tube feed:
Mix some feed with boiling water to make a soupy consistency, let it cool until it is still fairly warm but doesn’t burn your skin when you stick your finger in.

Fill the syringe, try to keep as few air bubbles as possible out.

Corner your goose and squat over him using your body to keep him in place but not sitting on him.

Pinch the corners of his mouth intil he opens, then wrap your hand around the top of his bill, this will actually prevent him from biting while keeping his mouth open.

Insert the tube down the RIGHT side of HIS mouth. This is very important so it goes down his throat, not his airway. You might be able to see but can definitly feel the tube along the right side of his neck.

When the tip is at the base of the neck push the plunger until it’s empty.

A goose can take 3 feedings a day to keep them alive. 6 feedings will start putting weight on.

 

[Farm Girl NJ]

I’d say to find a new vet but your expierience isn’t much different from the last few vets I’ve dealt with. Shame most of the farm vets are either retired or gone.

What breed is your goose? 10 pounds does sound underweight but if he’s a small brown or white chinese it’s not necesarily drastic, if he’s a larger breed he may be severely emaciated.

You can give it in the water same as you would with your chickens. Corid suppresses cocci but doesn’t completly kill it.
SMZ TMP does kill it. I would use the SMZ TMP, the wheezing sounds like he may also have a respiratory infection and the antibiotic may also treat that, the Corid won’t.
Corid also can’t be administered with B vitamins, B vitamins render the Corid pointless, and considering he’s underweight you might consider prutting him on some vitamins.

However supplemental potassium should NOT be given during treatment with SMZ TMP, it’s otherwise a fairly safe antibiotic but it renders the kidneys temporarily unable to rid the body of potassium.

Thanks so much for responding. We really don't know the breed, he is kind of a mutt goose. I will attach a picture if that helps. I have SMZ tablets from my horses, they say they are 800MG. (of course the horses get like 20 pills at a time) Based on his weight it seems he would need about 400 milligrams a day or 1/2 a tablet if he would take it as a pill in a treat but he is not much into taking treats from us yet. I saw a post that someone ground it up and put molasses on the feed so it would stick and gave it that way too. Do you suggest I get the powder from tractor supply and mix it in his water? or try to use the pill form?

 

[Goosebaby]

Definitly use the pill form, it’s easiest in my opinion and it’s the only way to ensure they’re actually getting enough.

It’s best to just shove it down his throat. You’ll need to open his mouth by pinching the corners, push the pill back as far as you can down his throat, then close his beak and hold it upright for a few seconds. Then give him a treat if he’ll take it.
Have you tried some romaine lettuce or kale?

 

[Farm Girl NJ]

I am heading to the market now to get him some treats. I will try the pills a few times with a treat, and if he wont take it I will try forcing the pill. I watched a video on it, but I am sure they make it look easier than it is.

Thanks again

 

[Goosebaby]

I am heading to the market now to get him some treats. I will try the pills a few times with a treat, and if he wont take it I will try forcing the pill. I watched a video on it, but I am sure they make it look easier than it is.

Thanks again

The trick is that the faster you do it, the easier and less traumatic it is.

 

[Goosebaby]

I would suggest getting some probiotics also.

Another thing I should mention on the chance it rears it’s ugly head, coccidia can predispose the digestive tract to enteritis/clostridium infection.

Metronidazole can treat that, from my own expierience metro in conjunction with Tylosin is highly effective when you don’t know what strain of clostridium it is and your vet is less than helpful.
Tylosin works best by injection however, in my state I can’t get the liquid without a prescription so I use the powder https://birdpalproducts.com/products/tylosin-powder-for-birds?_pos=1&_sid=c0a575629&_ss=r
given orally 4 or 5 times daily. Putting it in water doesn’t seem to work because the taste is so harsh they won’t drink it.
NOTE: Tylosin should not be given to horses.

Metronidazole can be purchased as fish antibiotics.

 

[Farm Girl NJ]

Great news, I got him to take the pill in a small cube of watermelon, of course that may not work tomorrow but it is a start. I am sure I will eventually have to force feed him the pill but it is nice to start off easy. Thanks for the additional information. I will get some probiotics too.