Last call for Penny the Pekin with mystery skin ailment

[CoriM]

My duck Penny has been dealing with this strange skin disease for over a month now. I've posted a few times, and I appreciate everyone's responses and suggestions. So far nothing (including vetricyn, 2 types of antibiotics, anti-fungal) has made a difference and it seems to be getting worse. She's lost feathers on a large patch of her skin. The photo doesn't reveal the extent of the raw skin - it's about 4 times this large, under the feathers, and on both sides. She continues to have a robust appetite and behave pretty much normally, although I see her twitching her wings sometimes as though she's uncomfortable. Today after they swam I looked again at my other pekin Puddles, who is our family favorite, and she definitely has the same thing going under her feathers, though not near as bad. I feel like she's about to start down the path Penny's on. We're pretty sad about this. I think I may try to take her to the vet for a skin scraping, depending on the cost. I also think I'm going to put Penny down tomorrow, on the chance that she's spreading it to the other ducks, and especially since she now has such large patches of exposed skin. I feel terrible about this, and I also feel terrible that my other duck might be getting sick. These two ducks MAY be jumbo pekins, and I'm wondering if anyone with a jumbo may have experienced this? My third pekin is quite a bit smaller and I see no signs of this on her skin. I'm including a photo, if anyone has seen or experienced this before, I would love to hear from you.

 

[BarredRockMom]

If you decide to give her the last call, well, that'll be too bad & a sad day for all. It's not an easy decision to come to & I know that you don't take it lightly.

I'd maybe try to get a skin scrape & culture done if that's a feasible option. You're not going to be sure about treatment (& more importantly for future birds, prevention) if you don't.

Did the Colloidal Silver ointment/cream not do anything? That's a pretty broad spectrum anti-viral. Have you tried Colloidal Silver liquid & giving it mixed in smaller amount of food (to guarantee it's ingested)? You can put the liquid right on the skin, too.

"Nature's Path" brand, 'Silver Wings Colloidal Silver 500ppm" (parts per million) is my recommendation. Available on-line directly from company (because no, all "colloidal silver" products are not the same. This is what the cheaper 'advertised as' Colloidal Silver junk WISHES it was...but isn't.)

 

[chickens really]

Looks like her pin feather in her wings are coming in and she constantly is at them? Possibly infection in the folicals..

 

[CoriM]

Looks like her pin feather in her wings are coming in and she constantly is at them? Possibly infection in the folicals..

No, yesterday in fact was the first time I saw her really putting her beak down there. In fact I had thought maybe it was itchy and healing up, but it just seems to be worse than ever today. It started on her shoulders and neck area and that healed up and then moved to a couple different spots on her side. Is this typical for when ducks are getting new feathers? I don't know anything about pin feathers. The vet thought possibly gangerous dermatitis, but that has swift mortality, and she lives on.

 

[CoriM]

I should add that the sores occasionally bleed, which is how I first noticed them, and then they can get black scabs and then turn pink again. The vet said she had little scabs all over her body, and that she was possibly immunosuppressed.

 

[chickens really]

No, yesterday in fact was the first time I saw her really putting her beak down there. In fact I had thought maybe it was itchy and healing up, but it just seems to be worse than ever today. It started on her shoulders and neck area and that healed up and then moved to a couple different spots on her side. Is this typical for when ducks are getting new feathers? I don't know anything about pin feathers. The vet thought possibly gangerous dermatitis, but that has swift mortality, and she lives on.

Well being a meatbird the breeder possibly had this happen in his Birds too but they are butchered early on so not an issue as in people keeping them as pets.

 

[CoriM]

Well being a meatbird the breeder possibly had this happen in his Birds too but they are butchered early on so not an issue as in people keeping them as pets.

Right, I actually put in a question to the hatchery but did not get a response. I know these birds are raised to be harvested at 8 weeks. I was supposed to get only regular pekins, but I think two of my three might have been jumbos, which the hatchery also sells. They're sweet ducks, but problems due to their size. Puddles got too big too quickly and we had to put her in waddles. We were so excited when she recovered. We have a lot of emotion invested in her, so I'm just hoping she makes it.

 

[chickens really]

Right, I actually put in a question to the hatchery but did not get a response. I know these birds are raised to be harvested at 8 weeks. I was supposed to get only regular pekins, but I think two of my three might have been jumbos, which the hatchery also sells. They're sweet ducks, but problems due to their size. Puddles got too big too quickly and we had to put her in waddles. We were so excited when she recovered. We have a lot of emotion invested in her, so I'm just hoping she makes it.

Well hopefully it's an easy fix. Sorry I'm such a realist about things. ..

 

[Miss Lydia]

If at all possibly before you make the decision about her can you get a skin scraping and have the vet check under microscope. Since she is acting fine other wise not depressed and not eating or drinking it would be nice to know exactly what this is. Also look up the Pekin duck club thread and post this on there so hopefully someone with Pekins might have had this with their Pekins. You did treat for parasites I remember someone mentioning that?

 

[CoriM]

No, I didn't treat for parasites because the signs just didn't seem to fit, and I was unsure what to try. I may try the vet again, and get a skin scraping and ask about worms or parasites. I just spent half an hour observing her and she's breathing kind of heavy - not out of her mouth, but with her whole body contracting and expanding, if that makes sense. I saw her body from a distance yesterday going up and down while she was sleeping. Now I'm not sure if this is normal or not. Arghh, thanks for trying to help everyone. I will call the vet tomorrow and hopefully be able to have a conversation.