((GORE WARNING)) Necropsy findings, Swollen gizzard.

[The duck father_]

Any hypothesis on what could've caused this? Swollen gizzard, shrunken and purple heart, pale organs, and extremely underweight. There was no fat anywhere on him including his heart. He ate plenty, but started collapsing every month until he suffered a seizure and died. He was a rescue and previously a park duck. Don't know his age but do know he wasn't fed properly in the 6-7 months he was in that park. Sorry for the photo quality, my camera is broken. None of his poops were solid in him either, but when I had him quarantined from the others and watched him his poops seemed normal. He was dewormed. His friend a Muscovy duck has diarrhea and was acting slow so I quarantined him but I don't know if it's related.

 

[The duck father_]

His crop was also collapsed

 

[Goosebaby]

I’m so sorry for your duck!


I’m not a veterinarian so all I can do is make some guesses, which I have few of.

The organs were pale from anemia, probably directly because of his emaciated state, which would also have seriously weakened his heart.
So the question is why was he emaciated?
A swollen gizzard makes me wonder if he had an infection, maybe bacterial or a Candida infection, either would have caused him to be unable to eat, made him regurgitate his food.
Either of those could have been a direct cause or be an indirect cause, being a secondary issue to a larger issue, like a gastrointestinal issue or infection or organ problem.
If it was a problem with his liver, pancreas, or kidneys that probably would have been noticed during the necropsy, it could be a heart issue, sometimes issues with the heart itself are hard to see in in a necropsy, but usually with heart failure other symptoms like ascites and a penguin like posture would be present before death, though not always.

If he was eating normally but never gaining weight that could point to a liver or pancreatic problem, like I said that probably would have been noticed in the necropsy, though I’m not sure as much with the pancreas, pancreatic issues are pretty much unstudied in birds so would the examiner be able to recognize an inflamed or damaged pancreas? I would even begin to know what to look for if it was me.

It could also be a parasite problem, though larger worms would have probably been noticed. Smaller parasitic diseases like giardia or coccidia would need fecal testing to determin, runny droppings can point to the bowls being inflamed possibly from an infection from parasites or bacteria.

There is also the possibility of some kind of virus being to blame.

Starvation or vitamin deficiency ultimately could be the original problem leading to a poor immune system and a cascade of other issues.
When the body isn’t getting the right nutrition and fat stores are depleated the body will begin cannibalizing it’s own muscle tissue and liver tissue. When the heart gets weaker and begins failing the rest of the body isn’t getting enough oxygen and starts failing, including the digestive tract which loses its ability to function as well as becoming inflamed, which will then cause anorexia, if it wasn’t already present.

 

[Goosebaby]

Ultimately I have no idea unfortunatly, I’m hoping someone more knowledgeable chimes in.

 

[Goosebaby]

I was just thinking about the seizure.

Seizures can be caused by poisoning or encephalitis caused by viruses or bacteria. Seizures can also be caused by a fungal infection called aspergillosis.
Asper also causes unexplained weight loss despite a good appetite in some cases. If asper is the problem a mold growth would have been seen somewhere within the lungs, air sacks, and/or esophagus.

Seizures can also be caused by, or confused with heart attacks.

He may have been suffering early symptoms of heart failure and hadn’t developed ascites yet, usually intestinal issues are associated with late stage heart failure when ascites are present, not always but that’s more unusual but still possible.
My guess was a heart issue so far.

 

[The duck father_]

I’m so sorry for your duck!


I’m not a veterinarian so all I can do is make some guesses, which I have few of.

The organs were pale from anemia, probably directly because of his emaciated state, which would also have seriously weakened his heart.
So the question is why was he emaciated?
A swollen gizzard makes me wonder if he had an infection, maybe bacterial or a Candida infection, either would have caused him to be unable to eat, made him regurgitate his food.
Either of those could have been a direct cause or be an indirect cause, being a secondary issue to a larger issue, like a gastrointestinal issue or infection or organ problem.
If it was a problem with his liver, pancreas, or kidneys that probably would have been noticed during the necropsy, it could be a heart issue, sometimes issues with the heart itself are hard to see in in a necropsy, but usually with heart failure other symptoms like ascites and a penguin like posture would be present before death, though not always.

If he was eating normally but never gaining weight that could point to a liver or pancreatic problem, like I said that probably would have been noticed in the necropsy, though I’m not sure as much with the pancreas, pancreatic issues are pretty much unstudied in birds so would the examiner be able to recognize an inflamed or damaged pancreas? I would even begin to know what to look for if it was me.

It could also be a parasite problem, though larger worms would have probably been noticed. Smaller parasitic diseases like giardia or coccidia would need fecal testing to determin, runny droppings can point to the bowls being inflamed possibly from an infection from parasites or bacteria.

There is also the possibility of some kind of virus being to blame.

Starvation or vitamin deficiency ultimately could be the original problem leading to a poor immune system and a cascade of other issues.
When the body isn’t getting the right nutrition and fat stores are depleated the body will begin cannibalizing it’s own muscle tissue and liver tissue. When the heart gets weaker and begins failing the rest of the body isn’t getting enough oxygen and starts failing, including the digestive tract which loses its ability to function as well as becoming inflamed, which will then cause anorexia, if it wasn’t already present.

Thank you! I think it's worth to note he was emaciated when I got him as well. He did gain weight and was a healthy weight until he suddenly lost a bunch. This was his liver, I am not educated really enough to tell if anything was wrong. It had a green sack on it which I assume is normal. (It's kinda cut up as I was looking inside of it)

 

[The duck father_]

I was just thinking about the seizure.

Seizures can be caused by poisoning or encephalitis caused by viruses or bacteria. Seizures can also be caused by a fungal infection called aspergillosis.
Asper also causes unexplained weight loss despite a good appetite in some cases. If asper is the problem a mold growth would have been seen somewhere within the lungs, air sacks, and/or esophagus.

Seizures can also be caused by, or confused with heart attacks.

He may have been suffering early symptoms of heart failure and hadn’t developed ascites yet, usually intestinal issues are associated with late stage heart failure when ascites are present, not always but that’s more unusual but still possible.
My guess was a heart issue so far.

Yeah I didn't notice any sign of mold or anything in his airways. Now that I think of it it could've definitely been heart attacks instead of seizures. He tended to have them when it got a bit colder as well, not sure if that's important but if there was a cold front or something he would collapse. He had plenty of access to windblocks and a warm coop

 

[Goosebaby]

I really can’t say, I wish I could be of more help!

 

[The goose girl]

I had to cull one of my large goslings a couple of years ago. Over months he failed to thrive. Some days he would eat; some days not, and he was getting skinnier and skinnier.

I suspected hardware disease, so I did a necropsy and found an extremely enlarged gizzard - the size and shape of a large baking potato. I sliced it and found lumps of encased cartilage all over the muscle. Finally, I also found the culprit: a little pin from a pop rivet, deeply encased in the muscle.

He must have swallowed the pin, and it then travelled to his gizzard and got stuck there. Every time he'd eat, the pin would have punctured the gizzard again and again, causing him excruciating pain and leaving scar tissue and cartilage all over. No wonder he had no appetite!

 

[Goosebaby]

I had to cull one of my large goslings a couple of years ago. Over months he failed to thrive. Some days he would eat; some days not, and he was getting skinnier and skinnier.

I suspected hardware disease, so I did a necropsy and found an extremely enlarged gizzard - the size and shape of a large baking potato. I sliced it and found lumps of encased cartilage all over the muscle. Finally, I also found the culprit: a little pin from a pop rivet, deeply encased in the muscle.

He must have swallowed the pin, and it then travelled to his gizzard and got stuck there. Every time he'd eat, the pin would have punctured the gizzard again and again, causing him excruciating pain and leaving scar tissue and cartilage all over. No wonder he had no appetite!

I’m so sorry!