Help-Berdie my Goose is so Sick

[cwaldensr]

Berdie was a healthy, happy, crazy running goose that followed me everywhere and talked to me. I just let him run in another yard. Nothing was there so I thought that could hurt him. Maybe some dirty water if anything. Now he looks like he’s dying. A complete change of health. I found him in that yard by the fence like he was in a daze.

Here are his symptoms:

Slouched over

Won’t eat

Head droops

Unsteady on his feet

Diarrhea

Listless

Seems to be trying to drink-eat but won’t/can’t open his mouth. I clean out his pool and he splashed and played in the water then got out and started his droop again. Looks like he’s blowing bubbles in the pool instead of drinking the water. He seems like he can't open his mouth. He did grunt at me a few times.

We tried to open his mouth with no luck. We tried to give him Epson salt and water in a syringe. I read about a flush. Bottom line he can’t or won’t open his mouth.

I have read so many posts that I’m confused. So much information and yet I’m still not sure what to do. I know you probably have some idea and I am sure that maybe just maybe I’ll read something that fits.

He is my first to raise from the egg and get this far. 6months old. Talks with me and eats out my hand. He’s my buddy. I would take him to the vet but I can’t afford it. I have him isolated in a pen and he seems to just stand there lost. He does fight me when I try to hold him. That’s different cuz he usually lets me.

Open to ideas-suggestions.

Charles

 

[Abriana]

I know you're duck experts but could you maybe help? @Ravynscroft @chickens really

 

[Ravynscroft]

Sounded like it could be botulism to me at first, charcoal slurry flush would help... but I am unsure if locked jaws is a symptom of botulism or something else?

@Pyxis knows geese better than me, for sure...

Also, @Miss Lydia or @Amiga would know more about botulism, toxin, etc...

 

[Pyxis]

I'm really not sure what it could be. With the jaw issue, it might be botulism. I would recommend trying the charcoal flush, but you do have to be able to open its mouth to do that. If you really can't, you really will need to get it to a vet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Did you check him over real good for any wounds "lock jaw" was one thing I thought of since he can't open his mouth.

Just using a syringe and slowly inserting it inside his bill with the Charcoal solution so it goes down very slow. You don't want it to go into his air sacs.

How is Berdie today? I'd def get to a vet if he is the same today.

 

[cwaldensr]

He's the same.

I'm going to get the charcoal and try it. I'm not sure how to say this cuz I a m not well versed in geese but here goes. What are my options in getting his mouth open. If he breathes only out his nostril will the charcoal restrict that? Know what I'm trying to say. Don't want to suffocate him I guess is what I'm saying.

I was given some info on local bird vets. I'll see what I can do.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You have the flush link? it's in the goose sticky. I'd just try using the syringe to open his bill enough to get the tip inside keep his head level so the slurry just goes into his mouth give him time to swallow before doing it again rubbing underneath his neck may help him swallow. It's going to take time doing this but unless your willing to run a tube down into his crop area you have to go slow so he doesn't aspirate. If you take him into a vet maybe they can give him something to counter the toxin if that is what it is. Sure sounds like he got into something like that.

 

[cwaldensr]

When we tried to do the Epsom salt/water last night with a syringe he appeared to not be swallowing and then looked like he was breathing out his nostrils. Water (maybe) was coming out his nostrils. Like his nose was running. Wouldn't open his mouth.

Thank you so much. I'll be doing this this morning. Going to get charcoal now. I have a word in to a vet to see how much it is and what can I do.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes it will come out of his nostrils if he isn't swallowing. Poor thing I hope you can get him in to see a vet.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Coming out his nares concerns me... if you can't get him to a vet, I recommend instead of syringing it in, if you can, tube it in... Kathy has a great thread on that here...

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/updated-go-team-tube-feeding.805728/

And she may have tips on how to get his bill open enough to get it down him... @casportpony

If you can't get a slurry, water or food into his crop, I am afraid he won't last long...