Help! Gosling can't stand up

[PigeonRoost]

Hi, I'm new to this forum but it seems like a very helpful group. We have a 3 week old gosling who has become weak overnight and can't stand and isn't eating very much. Generally he eats Dumor chick/gosling starter and fresh grass everyday. I read that it may be a vitamin deficiency, and that brewer's yeast could help. How much should I add to the food and/or water? Any other suggestions?

 

[Eroc1_1]

Quote:
I add about 1 Tablespoon of brewers yeast per 6-7 cups of feed once every 7-10 days(for our adult ducks). TSC also has 'Save-a-chick' which you would add to a gallon of water and it is about$1.99 for a 3 pack.

 

[PigeonRoost]

Thanks for your reply! Should I try both or would that be too much? he's already not eating very much, I hate to see the little guy get weaker.

 

[Eroc1_1]

Quote:
Only do one or the other. Don't want to give him too much of a good thing - that would be a bad thing. I personally would do the save-a-chick....easier and they are more likely to drink the water if they are weak.

 

[Goosehaven]

It might be a niacin deficiency but most likely not. In two different sets of my hatched goslings I have had two seperate incidences with two of them who became weak and wouldn't eat and visibly lost weight rapidly at around 3 weeks old or so. The first one had a blood infection. I took her to the vet and she gave vitamin and antibiotic shots and I had to give antibiotic shots daily for a week. She did survive and is over a year old now. My second one was this spring and he had bumble foot which is also an infection. The thing about this was he appeared just to be lame at first so I thought he had hurt his leg but he too was weak and not eating. I waited too long to seek treatment on him since I thought he had just hurt himself and we ended up losing him. Normaly geese are very hardy and those are the only two I have ever had problems with but both times it was infection and not vitamin deficiencies. Hope you little guy gets better.

 

[PigeonRoost]

Thank you for this additional information. I'm afraid you may be right -- I've been trying the vitamins and he doesn't seem to be responding (although it's only been a day...not sure how long it takes to show marked improvements?) I'm going to try to get him to the vet today, but since it's the weekend not sure how quickly I'll get in. Going to check TSC too, do you have any idea on best type of antibiotic/dosage for young waterfowl?

 

[Goosehaven]

I don't remember now what antibiotic they gave me. The vet drew up the syringes with the antibiotics so I was ready to go with all 7 days and to tell the truth I'm not sure they even told me what it was. Sorry no help with that

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Baytril is used in birds. You would need to check pick it up from a vet. did you have any luck finding a vet to see your baby today?

 

[PigeonRoost]

So the little guy is still hanging in there but not looking good. I was able to find a vet but not much luck with diagnosis yet. They checked him over and could see no outward signs other than lethargy. Checked his stools and no parasites. Took an xray and also no obvious signs of issues, other than a slightly enlarged liver. They didn't want to give antibiotics because he didn't have any specific symptoms, so they basically sent me home with a feeding tube and high protein waterfowl pellets. So pretty frustrating after a long drive and afternooon at the vets. I did feed him last night and that perked him up a little.
This morning he's in the same state but I notice a new symptom -- his right eye has some white foamy discharge. After doing some research I've read this could be a sign of Dervy's disease/goose parvovirus which does not sound good at all. Any thoughts out there?