HELP!!!!! SICK DUCK! PLEASE

[Kmoreau]

The closest vet school is an hour and a half away, and unfortunately today is moving day so that isn't going to work. We have relocated the other ducks, to another part of the yard, and just got back from Walmart with two new pools. I hope all of those efforts will help. For everything I have read it sounds like botulism. It seems to have the
Fastest time from symptoms to mortality. It am thinking it could have come from the pool. It has been so hot here that it could have harvested bacteria really quickly.

 

[Speceider]

botulism isn't caused by algae....it grows in anaerobic conditions and usually is in maggots that accumulate the toxin and tghe duck gets itg from eating the maggots. on a lead-dosing project i was involved in, we had mallards die within 36 hours of beinvg dosed. the project was developingv the ALAD test for lead exposure.

Clint.

 

[Deleted member 94844]

I'm so sorry, K... really sad to hear it. Maybe it was the water, but really check the area. She must have ingested something. Check the dirt, in the grass, etc. for any old hardware or objects. You were smart to have the soil tested. Are there any landscape plants in your yard or neighbors? What kind of trees? Tons of common plants are toxic to ducks that seem totally benign. Any metal bins? Any ant bait, roach, or rat traps? Trying to think of everything.

Hugs to her mate.

 

[Amiga]

Even a coin could give a duck hardware disease.

 

[Speceider]

Hardware doesn't normally kill quickly....they are stopped up and starve...usually takes another 48 hours or so....I don't think it's hardware without toxins....

Clint

 

[Deleted member 94844]

My girl had gotten into some Bearded Iris corms that were stored for replanting and was foraging under a Peregrina (Jatropha integerrima) tree... either one could have killed her. Took us years to ID the tree as it is typically a small bush. It came with the house and was really beautiful, gorgeous red flowers year round. I looked it up several times and found no info on toxicity, so we left it. After she died I searched again and found poison warnings and stories of people's dogs dying from it. I could have screamed. My fault, tho, because deep down I knew it wasn't safe which is why I kept checking... gotta listen to that voice in your head, always.

 

[Kmoreau]

Thanks for all of your suggestions. The only reason I said pool was because off how full of algae and ducks poo it was. We change it regularly but the heat just makes it so much worse. We have no plants or trees in their area just marble chips, concrete, sand and st aug grass. We also don't use anything at all in their area except occasional seven dust, but that's been months. We also don't store anything other then the cargo trailer. No trash no chemicals no traps.

I am just hoping it wasn't contagious, the ducks have already been moved, so that's my real concern.

 

[etreasures]

I am new here and I have had experience with botulism, we have quarter acre pond than got real low one year we had a lot of ducks and the wild ducks came in 30 to 40 at a time. My ducks started getting sick, they became listless and limp necked and died within 24 to 48 hours. I had them tested and it was botulism. There is a treatment but I can't remember what it is.
We have recently gotten down to just one duck due to predators, I purchased some Peking hatchlings (16) and received them last Wednesday, they are healthy cute, demanding and messy. Just your typical 1 week old baby ducks.
Our pond is safe now, but they will not be allowed in it for a couple of months. So lots of cleanup in my near future.
Connie from Indiantown, Florida

 

[Kmoreau]

Connie, I am so sorry to hear about all of your ducks. That had to be terrible. Thank you for your support. Good luck with the new babies.

 

[Deleted member 94844]

Algae blooms do, however, deplete oxygen and accelerate decay of organic matter... on a hot day that could definitely set the stage for botulism. Thanks to everyone for the great information, this is helpful to all who have ducks. I will keep a closer watch on my pond, for sure.

Are there any treatments for botulism aside from fresh water?