Inflated Goose URGENT!!!!

[Katelyn]

Hello everyone, this isnt Katelyn, I am posting this for her as she cant get on the computer.

She came home from the hospital the other day to find her male goose "inflated" if you will. She says they is air in his neck and everywhere around his body, and there is now some on the top of his head. She is a nervous wreck, she loves this goose and it is making herself even more sick.

He is eating fine and can walk a little, but any ideas or advice would be wonderful! She doesnt know what she should do, and is saving moeny for the vet, if need be.

Please help

 

[DoctorGoose]

That's really....strange. Honestly, I have no idea what to do, other than poke a hole in him and let him deflate.

From a medical perspective, if he has air bubbles IN his flesh, then it would be a bacterial infection--but this is basically gangrene--can you take a picture of him? Unfortunately, there's not much you can do for gangrene; you can try to put him on some antibiotics. If so, you'll want to choose an broad-spectrum antibiotic, because gangrene is usually caused by multiple bacteria species.

 

[Katelyn]

I went over, I will get some pics up soon.

But he actaully is inflated. Its like someone blew him up. He is just like a big bubble of air. I am quite worried becuase his neck is red and hard, which I am thinking from being streched to its capacity, and I am worried about him, well..exploding.

We are going to try to "pop" him.

I dont know if it has anything to do with it, but being the trouble maker he is, he did get in a tussle with a hen. This happened I believe the same day or next day, so I dont know if it was a defense thing and he cant stop it or what.

Also he is acting normally, not as talkative, but eating everything and drinking wonderfully. He is about twice his normal size now, and its getting hard for him to walk, he pants when he does, I am guessing from all the extra weight.

 

[arlee453]

If he got in a fight, he may have punctured a lung or other part of his airway and so when he is breathing, the air is escaping his lungs and is collecting under the skin.

The human remedy is to insert a shunt to allow the air to escape before it fills up so much the person can't breathe anymore due to lack of space for the diaphram to expand.

I'm not a medical professional, but have a hubby who is... I'd take the goose to a vet and see if they can determine where the air is coming from. He probably will need to be 'punctured', but I'd not be comfortable to do that myself...

Susan

 

[DoctorGoose]

Quote:
Ooh! Another good idea! But I'd be really careful about poping him. I just learned something new! Geese have inflexible lungs, and use their air sacs to move air around--they have no diaphragm! It may be that one of his air sacs have ruptured.

All the website I've looked up about ruptured air sacs say to definitely "decompress" him--within 36 hours of the initial "inflation".

Here's a picture of a baby cockatiel with a ruptured air
sac:

http://www.cockatielcottage.net/march04.html

Quote:
from : http://www.exoticpetvet.net/avian/anatomy.html

 

[DoctorGoose]

Another website,

AIR SAC RUPTURE
www.centerforavianrehab.org

Birds have a series of air sacs located internally. These are in the neck area (cervical air sacs), the chest (thoracic air sacs) and in the belly (abdominal air sacs). These areas are part of a bird’s breathing system and help the bird receive oxygen from the air in a highly efficient manner. They also help provide the lightness and buoyancy needed for flight.

Occasionally, one of these air sacs may rupture (usually due to injury) and air will leak from the sac and accumulate under the bird’s skin. This condition is known as subcutaneous emphysema. This accumulation must be removed, or the air sac may tear even further.

WHAT TO DO

Clean the skin over the swelling with a disinfectant on a cotton ball. Take a small scissors or a needle and make a tiny hole in the skin. This allows the air to escape. This may need to be done several times before the air is released. It has been shown that air sacs normally repair themselves within two weeks. However, if you see no improvement within a day or two, your avian veterinarian should see the bird. It is probably a good idea to have the bird seen anyway.

 

[Katelyn]

That is exactly what it is DoctorGoose. Perfect description.

Okay we are going to do that right away. I hope more than one hasnt ruptured, since there is air all over.

Thanks for all the help guys, Katelyn has been so worried, but she can hardly move and she missed her little Dudly.

I hope its not to late, its been this way since saturday.

Thanks for all the help you guys are wonderful!!!

 

[DoctorGoose]

Let us know how he's doing!

 

[Tamara69]

OMG! please take a picture or better yet a video of the deflation.. I wanna see a goose fly around like a balloon ......

 

[arlee453]

Well the air leaking out from somewhere and accumulating under the skin was on track, even if the diaphram is not part of a goose...

Let us know what happens! You learn something new every day...

Susan