HELP! My duck may have impacted crop!

[casportpony]

Capillary worms can cause swelling in the crop and esophagus, and they're way too small to see, so you could try worming her and see if that helps. Capillary worms can be had to treat... If she were mine I would give her Safeguard liquid for goats or Safeguard paste for horses at 0.5ml per kg (0.23ml per pound) orally for five days.

-Kathy

 

[Amykins]

Ooooh, poor thing...that crop is huge! The problem is, this could be anything from sour crop to an inherited muscle disease that affects the tissues surrounding the crop. It could even be a bit of something she swallowed that is now causing an abscess. Without an xray and proper veterinary checkup, it's just too difficult to diagnose.

To the OP, I want you to catch her and smell her breath. Yes, I know this sounds weird, but just trust me. Try to gently push down on the crop and tell me if it smells normal, or has a slightly rancid smell to it. If it does, then it's sour crop; a candida infection and she needs antibiotics AND antifungals. If you don't, then it's something else that could be potentially more serious.

Also, start feeding her smaller meals consistently throughout the day rather than one or two large ones. Until the mass goes down, regardless of the cause, this will help her a lot.

 

[DuckNoobie]

Capillary worms can cause swelling in the crop and esophagus, and they're way too small to see, so you could try worming her and see if that helps. Capillary worms can be had to treat... If she were mine I would give her Safeguard liquid for goats or Safeguard paste for horses at 0.5ml per kg (0.23ml per pound) orally for five days.

-Kathy

Thank you Kathy,
I will go buy some tomorrow and see if it helps. I honestly think it's just straw that she's eaten in large quantities...is there some sort of acid that can dissolve the straw??
If she has no worms then the paste won't harm her right? When I give her the paste she will be a bit drowsy for those days, right?

 

[DuckNoobie]

Ooooh, poor thing...that crop is huge! The problem is, this could be anything from sour crop to an inherited muscle disease that affects the tissues surrounding the crop. It could even be a bit of something she swallowed that is now causing an abscess. Without an xray and proper veterinary checkup, it's just too difficult to diagnose. 

To the OP, I want you to catch her and smell her breath. Yes, I know this sounds weird, but just trust me. Try to gently push down on the crop and tell me if it smells normal, or has a slightly rancid smell to it. If it does, then it's sour crop; a candida infection and she needs antibiotics AND antifungals. If you don't, then it's something else that could be potentially more serious.

Also, start feeding her smaller meals consistently throughout the day rather than one or two large ones. Until the mass goes down, regardless of the cause, this will help her a lot.

Tell me about it! My heart breaks when I look at her
Her breath doesn't smell, I made sure to check that a few days ago.
Trying smaller meals is a good idea. I hope she doesn't have inherited muscle disease, that sounds serious!!!

 

[Amiga]

Is she getting grit? That's what would break down straw.

 

[DuckNoobie]

Is she getting grit? That's what would break down straw.

Yes, she's getting grit since 2 days ago. I should've had it since the very beginning!! Hope it clears up in a few days then...not sure how fast grit works so I wanted to maybe help to break it down with some acid. I heard pineapple works and I tried feeding her that but she wants NOTHING to do with it and Im not going to shove it down her throat so I just left it at that. Maybe something liquid is better! Maybe Apple cider vinegar is the solution.

 

[Amykins]

A few days ago? How long has this been happening? You might need to take her to the vet. If it's a blockage she may need surgery. Kinda like rabbits and hairballs....

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you Kathy,
I will go buy some tomorrow and see if it helps. I honestly think it's just straw that she's eaten in large quantities...is there some sort of acid that can dissolve the straw??
If she has no worms then the paste won't harm her right? When I give her the paste she will be a bit drowsy for those days, right?

The safe guard is safe. if your only worming her the paste is easy to give. and it won't make her drowsy. I use it with my flock. -

 

[casportpony]

Quote: The paste won't harm her, and she won't be drowsy after getting it.

-Kathy

 

[Miss Lydia]

If your like most of us that don't have a vet that will look at poultry then we have to start by elimination worming won't hurt. Add the ACV to her drinking water and along with the grit hopefully if straw is compacted in there this will get it moving out, How does her poop look is it mainly water? You can take poop up to a vet for a fecal they can tell you if she has internal parasites. I can tell you when my hen[chicken] had impaction from eating hay she ate alot [feed]but was skin and bones how does your duck feel can you feel her breast bone does it stick out?
It's great when you have a vet that will see our poultry but it must be pretty rare to find one.