Help! My call duck is breathing funny.

[Chevalia's feathered farm]

That is what I am thinking, but need more info...

She was an adult Call duck and all my chickens and ducks were wormed recently. What else could this be? It was just 8 hours and then she was gone. No signs, no warnings just gone.

 

[Ravynscroft]

She was an adult Call duck and all my chickens and ducks were wormed recently. What else could this be? It was just 8 hours and then she was gone. No signs, no warnings just gone.

So sorry for your loss...

What type of dewormer did you use?

 

[Chevalia's feathered farm]

I feed them Diatamacious earth in their food as well as letting them free range all day. They also get lots of vegetables and fruit, I have never had this happen to me before it is very strange. She drank water and seemed like she was ok it was just that her heart was racing really fast.

 

[Ravynscroft]

I feed them Diatamacious earth in their food as well as letting them free range all day. They also get lots of vegetables and fruit, I have never had this happen to me before it is very strange. She drank water and seemed like she was ok it was just that her heart was racing really fast.

Unfortunately, DE is not effective as a dewormer... once it is wet it loses its abrasive properties...

Earthworms, snails and slugs are the primary intermediate host for gapeworms, so free ranging actually gives them more exposure to picking up gapes... once overloaded, they show symptoms like panting/gaping/yawning and become sedentary due to obstructing the esophagus so much that it also inhibits their breathing... unless treated within 24-48 hrs max once those symptoms show, they usually don't recover... once some have gotten gapes, the rest will follow... gapes are very, very difficult to eradicate, if not nigh impossible... I highly suggest getting a fecal sample and having a fecal float done from your drake to confirm if possible... if it was gapes, I also suggest a routine deworming regimen with either Safeguard or Valbazen...

 

[Pyxis]

Unfortunately, DE is not effective as a dewormer... once it is wet it loses its abrasive properties...

Earthworms, snails and slugs are the primary intermediate host for gapeworms, so free ranging actually gives them more exposure to picking up gapes... once overloaded, they show symptoms like panting/gaping/yawning and become sedentary due to obstructing the esophagus so much that it also inhibits their breathing... unless treated within 24-48 hrs max once those symptoms show, they usually don't recover... once some have gotten gapes, the rest will follow... gapes are very, very difficult to eradicate, if not nigh impossible... I highly suggest getting a fecal sample and having a fecal float done from your drake to confirm if possible... if it was gapes, I also suggest a routine deworming regimen with either Safeguard or Valbazen...

x2 on all of the above. DE is touted as an effective wormer but it really doesn't do much. As soon as it gets wet, which it does the second it's eaten, it's no longer effective. Plus, it's very irritating to lungs, so I would never mix it into bedding or anything like that, which is where it might be effective against pests. In feed it does nothing.

I agree with a routine worming with an effective wormer is in order.

 

[Chevalia's feathered farm]

Unfortunately, DE is not effective as a dewormer... once it is wet it loses its abrasive properties...

Earthworms, snails and slugs are the primary intermediate host for gapeworms, so free ranging actually gives them more exposure to picking up gapes... once overloaded, they show symptoms like panting/gaping/yawning and become sedentary due to obstructing the esophagus so much that it also inhibits their breathing... unless treated within 24-48 hrs max once those symptoms show, they usually don't recover... once some have gotten gapes, the rest will follow... gapes are very, very difficult to eradicate, if not nigh impossible... I highly suggest getting a fecal sample and having a fecal float done from your drake to confirm if possible... if it was gapes, I also suggest a routine deworming regimen with either Safeguard or Valbazen...

x2 on all of the above. DE is touted as an effective wormer but it really doesn't do much. As soon as it gets wet, which it does the second it's eaten, it's no longer effective. Plus, it's very irritating to lungs, so I would never mix it into bedding or anything like that, which is where it might be effective against pests. In feed it does nothing.

I agree with a routine worming with an effective wormer is in order.

OK thanks guys! I am keeping an eye on my chickens and ducks and everybody seems good.