Help - duck has a hard time breathing.

[Duck Hill]

At this point, Cinnamon is NOT responding to the antibiotics. Back to the vet later today. Sniff.

 

[Duckworth]

At this point, Cinnamon is NOT responding to the antibiotics. Back to the vet later today. Sniff.

I'm sorry. Please keep us posted.

 

[Duck Hill]

The vet suggested all sorts of tests I couldn't afford. So instead she agreed to treat about everything. Cinnamon is on two antibiotics by mouth and one more by nebulizer. Then she is on an antifungal. Today (36 hours) she is still breathing hard but no longer gasping. She is eating better. And last night when I gave a bath to her companion, who suddenly walked around the corner with a quack saying she wanted to get into the bath too? So while I don't know yet if she will get better, I did sleep more soundly last night.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I sure hope she keeps on getting well. Eating better and wanting to get a bath with her friend sounds like progress.

Glad you were able to sleep better too.

 

[casportpony]

How's your duck doing?

 

[Duck Hill]

UPDATE (with a happy ending)

Two days later Cinnamon was worse - the treatment was not helping in any way. I returned to the same practice but a different vet. She guessed possible aspergillosis and prescribed two antifungals (amphotericin and itraconazole) as well as two different antibiotics. The increase in the swelling slowed considerably but did not get better. Very slowly it got worse.

Cinnamon had - probably - a large aspergilloma in her sinuses and aspergillosis in her lungs. She went slowly downhill, having more and more trouble breathing. She was brave and hung in there, working so hard just to pull air in and to push air out. It was so hard for me to see her having such a hard time breathing. But the vet said I needed to give the medicine a chance to work. Finally, she could no longer eat (because to eat you have to stop breathing for a moment and she couldn't do that - she needed every molecule of air she could get). I could tell she was frightened and suffering. I reluctantly made a euthanasia appointment.

At the last minute, however, following suggestions from online duck friends, I asked again about an operation. The vet agreed to try! When she saw Cinnamon, she said that although the swelling was larger, it was not quite as hard as before, so the operation was possible. A lot of whitish, hard material was removed from her sinuses. It was touch and go - because the operation to free her nasal passages (she breathed great right after the operation) caused swelling that, of course, interfered with breathing. After about a week, though, her breathing began to improve.

Now, she is still on meds, but her breathing is free and easy. Her nose still has bumps on it (permanent, the vet says), but her inner passages are open. She keeps escaping from her pen and she runs around the house. She is feeling a whole lot better! Each time I open the freezer she comes running and asks for peas. And she eats and eats and eats.

I don't know if she is or will be disease-free. But at least for now I have my Cinnamon back, and she is enjoying her life!

 

[chickens really]

All you can do is try and I hope the best for you and Cinnamon...

 

[casportpony]

UPDATE (with a happy ending)

Two days later Cinnamon was worse - the treatment was not helping in any way. I returned to the same practice but a different vet. She guessed possible aspergillosis and prescribed two antifungals (amphotericin and itraconazole) as well as two different antibiotics. The increase in the swelling slowed considerably but did not get better. Very slowly it got worse.

Cinnamon had - probably - a large aspergilloma in her sinuses and aspergillosis in her lungs. She went slowly downhill, having more and more trouble breathing. She was brave and hung in there, working so hard just to pull air in and to push air out. It was so hard for me to see her having such a hard time breathing. But the vet said I needed to give the medicine a chance to work. Finally, she could no longer eat (because to eat you have to stop breathing for a moment and she couldn't do that - she needed every molecule of air she could get). I could tell she was frightened and suffering. I reluctantly made a euthanasia appointment.

At the last minute, however, following suggestions from online duck friends, I asked again about an operation. The vet agreed to try! When she saw Cinnamon, she said that although the swelling was larger, it was not quite as hard as before, so the operation was possible. A lot of whitish, hard material was removed from her sinuses. It was touch and go - because the operation to free her nasal passages (she breathed great right after the operation) caused swelling that, of course, interfered with breathing. After about a week, though, her breathing began to improve.

Now, she is still on meds, but her breathing is free and easy. Her nose still has bumps on it (permanent, the vet says), but her inner passages are open. She keeps escaping from her pen and she runs around the house. She is feeling a whole lot better! Each time I open the freezer she comes running and asks for peas. And she eats and eats and eats.

I don't know if she is or will be disease-free. But at least for now I have my Cinnamon back, and she is enjoying her life!

So happy you were able to get her feeling better!

 

[Miss Lydia]

She is such a doll. Great to hear she is doing so good.

 

[gilbert2]

I'd like to congratulate you and wish the best for your and Cinnamon's futures. Thank you for sharing the story with this forum!