Goose with poor appetite, shaking head

[Lduvet]

Hello everyone, I have two adult Sebastopol geese (one male one female) and my female is currently not eating much. She previously had a really good appetite so it is noticeable. Both free range and on Fancy Feeds Fenland Waterfowl pellets with some mixed corn in the afternoons. She is drinking quite a lot and her faeces are very watery. I checked her over and she does not have any issues with her mouth, no signs of respiratory illness, just foul smelling watery faeces and a bit of weight loss. I looked at her faeces under my microscope and couldn't see any worm eggs or coccidia from the small sample I got. She is otherwise acting quite bright and preening/wandering about with her mate. When she goes to eat she looks at the food and turns her nose up at it or she shakes her head, which makes me think she is nauseous or has a sore abdomen (although she didn't react when I palpated her and I couldn't feel any foreign bodies etc). Do geese suffer from dysbiosis/bacterial enteritis? I am starting her on apple cider vinegar and probiotics whilst I wait for a vet appointment (having difficulty arranging anything sooner as no exotics vets nearby). Any insight much appreciated

 

[Goosebaby]

They can get enteritis from clostridium perfringens, they can also get giardia as well as a number of other stomach bugs. It’s possible she may also have coccidia and it just didn’t show in the sample, which happens fairly often. Sometimes there’s multiple things going on at once.

There could be more complex issues at cause but those would require some more specific veterinary testing, intestinal infections/ parasites though serious are something you can treat at home if need be.

worms can be treated with Fenbendazole

Clostridium and Giardia are treated best with a combination of Tylosin and metronidazole

coccidia can be treated with corid or more effectively with Toltrazuril

 

[Lduvet]

Thank you very much for the info, I do have tylosin which I was considering starting but thankfully now I will be getting a call from the vet tomorrow to go through options before administering anything else. She is such a lovely goose so it is a worrying time.

 

[Goosebaby]

That’s awesome news!

 

[Lduvet]

Unfortunately the vet didn't call today after all but hopefully will hear tomorrow. Are there any v high energy feeds you would recommend? I may have to crop tube her as she is still eating barely anything. Poor wee soul

 

[Goosebaby]

Harrison’s recovery formula or 30% purina game bird start.

I’ve used both when tube feeding one of my ganders, I ended up using mainly the game bird start with some liquid vitamins mixed with it as the Harrison’s formula doesn’t last long “tiny bags.”

 

[Lduvet]

Unfortunately she died today, she was drinking loads and then laid down and passed away so I don't know if she inhaled water. She still had good amounts of fat in her abdomen so I don't think it was because of her reduced appetite? Her gizzard seemed impacted with sand and what looked like melon rind (she hasn't had any melon recently, just looked like honeydew rind adhered to the stomach lining). I am devastated she was such a sweet girl and her illness came on so quick. I am kicking myself that I didn't do more for her.

 

[Iain Utah]

I'm sorry for your loss. Usually when illnesses come on quickly, there is very little that can be done, especially with females. You gave her a great life with a mate and she passed naturally. That is the most any goose can hope for.

 

[Goosebaby]

Unfortunately she died today, she was drinking loads and then laid down and passed away so I don't know if she inhaled water. She still had good amounts of fat in her abdomen so I don't think it was because of her reduced appetite? Her gizzard seemed impacted with sand and what looked like melon rind (she hasn't had any melon recently, just looked like honeydew rind adhered to the stomach lining). I am devastated she was such a sweet girl and her illness came on so quick. I am kicking myself that I didn't do more for her.

I’m so sorry! Treatable illnesses tend to be lengthy, I can’t say why she passed but is she had an impact ion like that it can be caused by a mass “tumor,” or something she swallowed that couldn’t pass, or that her digestive system had halted movement from a severe organ problem. Whatever it was probably would have required surgery if it was treatable.

The important thing is you made her comfortable and you tried. She passed away in the best care.

 

[Lduvet]

Do you know if trichomonas affects geese? She didn't have any lesions in her mouth or oesophagus, just the thick yellow material at the bottom of her proventriculus and most of her gizzard as I mentioned. It was really solid though. I saw Trichomonas anseris is different from the trich normally seen in chickens or pigeons in that it effects the lower GI tract. However I can't find any other information on how easy it would have been to treat. As it came on suddenly I am not sure how effective treatment would have been anyway but I keep going over everything in my head. Just devastated. Thank you for your comments