Inflated Foot & Respiratory issues

[DucksandGoats]

We did the shackles for just about 24 hours as soon as we got him home. I saw significant improvement. He was holding the good foot directly under him, and the bubbled foot was just slightly out to the side. - but since removing, he reverted back to a complete splay as of today. I saw @cheezenkwackers reply about making sure it’s done ASAP, so they’ve been back to being shackled now since 7 p.m. I used medical tape, with pink cast wrap to keep the tape from coming undone. I think the legs probably need to be set a little closer, but this is what I could do by myself. When I get a second pair or hands later tonight, I will adjust.

What are the thoughts on adding the brewer’s yeast? I’m so afraid to bring him any more harm. He just seems like he needs SOMETHING. Hopefully round two of antibiotics will help. He has 15 mins or so of good energy, and then crashes. Can’t keep himself awake. I no longer hear the clicking noise when he breathes, though. Maybe this is improvement.

 

[cheezenkwackers]

We did the shackles for just about 24 hours as soon as we got him home. I saw significant improvement. He was holding the good foot directly under him, and the bubbled foot was just slightly out to the side. - but since removing, he reverted back to a complete splay as of today. I saw @cheezenkwackers reply about making sure it’s done ASAP, so they’ve been back to being shackled now since 7 p.m. I used medical tape, with pink cast wrap to keep the tape from coming undone. I think the legs probably need to be set a little closer, but this is what I could do by myself. When I get a second pair or hands later tonight, I will adjust.

What are the thoughts on adding the brewer’s yeast? I’m so afraid to bring him any more harm. He just seems like he needs SOMETHING. Hopefully round two of antibiotics will help. He has 15 mins or so of good energy, and then crashes. Can’t keep himself awake. I no longer hear the clicking noise when he breathes, though. Maybe this is improvement.

Sounds like improvement to me. It won’t hurt to add brewers or nutritional yeast to his food. Good job with the shackles.

 

[DucksandGoats]

Is there something else I can feed him to tempt him to eat more? I saw scrambled egg on another blog. I feel like even though he has these spurts of vigorous eating, it’s not what he should be consuming daily.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Scrambled eggs are really good for them so yes give the little one egg and if your not already it should have a niacin supplement Since it already has a splayed leg I'd get liquid B complex and add it to the eggs it is so good for them and will help support the legs while growing. TSC carries one called Durvet liquid B complex it will say injectable but we use it orally over a small amount of treat or feed [eggs] so we know it is getting a full dose.
This info will give you doses for the age of the ducklings
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/

Hope the little one is doing well today.

 

[DucksandGoats]

When I first went to see him this morning, he seemed ok, but then had a seizure like episode. Throwing his head way back and flopping I got him to drink a little water and he seemed to come out of it. When he ate the day before he seemed to like his food in the water, so I filled his food dish with water and he tried to eat that, but legarthic still. I hard boiled an egg (didn’t know about oil and how to scramble properly), and sprinkled nutritional yeast onto it (until I can get to tractor supply for liquid b) and he really awoke for the egg. He tried so hard, and got better and stronger as he ate… and then… he collapsed and had another seizure where he stiffened, and put his head ALL the way back and then striaghtened really straight and he hasn’t been right since. His tub area is around 93 degrees.

He came to me with organic chick starter that she said was good for both ducks and chicks and that she had raised ducks successfully on it with no issues. She said she gets that because tractor supply doesn’t carry the duck only starter. I found one though, so I would want to go get that for him when I pick up the B complex.

I’m so sad for him. I can’t stop crying, but I remain positive in his presence. He tries so hard, so I don’t want to give up on him - but I also don’t want him to just exist in torture without an end in sight. Thoughts?

 

[DucksandGoats]

He just finished his tiny plate of eggs. He ate just under half of a hard boiled egg. So, I am off to Tractor Supply to get Duck specific starter feed and liquid b complex. He HATES the shackles.

Is this the B Complex I’m supposed to get?
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/durvet-hi-level-vitamin-b-complex

& is there anything else I should get while I’m at Tractor Supply? Electrolytes? Probiotics because he’s on antibiotics?

Thank you all so much for your help and support! I feel better just having somewhere to put these concerns and questions, and it’s a gift when there are replies.

 

[DucksandGoats]

Ok, I am back from the store with these products. So my questions are:

1. Am I safe to dose him with the B complex if I am now offering what I think is the appropriate food?

2. If I am giving him the injectable orally, do I follow the dose amounts in the niacin deficiency thread for the oral, or the injectable? Also, so I need to keep this jar air right and use a needle to extract? Or can I remove the cap and syringe the right dose out?

3. When should I give him probiotics? During or wait until after antibiotics are done? I know there are mixed feelings on this.

 

[Miss Lydia]

He just finished his tiny plate of eggs. He ate just under half of a hard boiled egg. So, I am off to Tractor Supply to get Duck specific starter feed and liquid b complex. He HATES the shackles.

Is this the B Complex I’m supposed to get?
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/durvet-hi-level-vitamin-b-complex

& is there anything else I should get while I’m at Tractor Supply? Electrolytes? Probiotics because he’s on antibiotics?

Thank you all so much for your help and support! I feel better just having somewhere to put these concerns and questions, and it’s a gift when there are replies.

Ok, I am back from the store with these products. So my questions are:

1. Am I safe to dose him with the B complex if I am now offering what I think is the appropriate food?

2. If I am giving him the injectable orally, do I follow the dose amounts in the niacin deficiency thread for the oral, or the injectable? Also, so I need to keep this jar air right and use a needle to extract? Or can I remove the cap and syringe the right dose out?

3. When should I give him probiotics? During or wait until after antibiotics are done? I know there are mixed feelings on this.

Give him probiotics after he’s done with the antibiotics.that way the antibiotic won’t be killing off the good bacteria. Use the liquid b complex according to direction in the niacin info they pee out any their body doesn’t need. Peel off the top remove the stopper and I use a 1 ml syringe without a needle to pull out the dose keep in the frig.

 

[DucksandGoats]

I can’t thank you all enough!!! This is a different duck! A complete 180! Once he started eating the nutritional yeast eggs, I saw a huge shift. He scarfed down the B-complex eggs & from there he just kept getting brighter, more alert, stronger, by 5 pm he was not only walking completely upright again, but RUNNING! & his voice is back! He is chatting up a storm, not just calling out but talking about things when we interact. I can’t get over it!

He had one seizure like episode around 5 when I attempted to put eye drops (recommened by vet because he wasn’t dunking his head & cleaning his sinuses. I haven’t seen him do that at all yet, actually. Too young?). After that episode, I cut a vitamin E gel and put that on the eggs because of a different post on here about vit e deficiency causing a change in blood pressure that mimicks seizures. He had maybe a few bites of the vit E eggs. We just did the eye drops and this time, no seizure!

He is so strong, so vocal! So curious! I’m so thankful!

His foot also “deflated”, or popped, or… I don’t really know. He kept picking at the brace on that foot, and I would keep checking it and it was lose. Nothing that should have been bothering him. It might have just been the blister bothering him and maybe he pecked it. I’ll have the vet examine it tomorrow. It looks like the top part is gone, not just stretched. I didn’t find anything when removing towels to swap for clean ones.

I was thinking I would remove the foot brace tomorrow morning to see how is his legs are doing. I undid it early this morning just to see, and it was better for sure, still not great - but that was before all this progress! Tonight at 7:30 was 24 hours so let’s see what another 12 does.

Again, thank you all so much! I will continue to update. Hopefully he only continues to improve.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What wonderful news!! So happy to hear how much progress this little one has made!! Great to hear and see the foot is doing so much better too.