Geese and ducks can get MG but it’s important to note that severity of symptoms depends on numerous factors including age and sex of the bird and what particular strain of it they got.
For some reason it seems that larger birds and males seem to be affected worse than others.
Overall geese don’t tend to get symptoms as severe as chickens but the facial swelling is usually one of the worse symptoms, if he’s behaving normally and eating that’s a good sign.
So for the bad news but also good news “depending on how you want to look at it,” once he has it he’ll have it for life and spread it, also your other geese are more than likely already infected. Mycoplasma spreads very slowly but it’s asymptomatic until a stressor weakens the immune system and then mycoplasma symptoms appear. So by the time you notice it in one bird, it’s almost a guarantee that everyone has it. Some birds may not show it for ages and when they do their symptoms may not be very noticeable, other times it rears its ugly head and causes what’s going on with your gander.
MG and MS are present in a lot of backyard flocks, it’s so prevalent that it’s hard to prevent infection unless you keep your birds under strict bio security protocols and keep a closed flock. There are vaccines for it but most of those I’ve seen are live vaccines, so essentially you’re giving your birds the kiddie pool version so that their immune system has a fighting chance at the nasty ones, but that presents its own issues.
Mycoplasma is hard to test for, there are tests for it but it’s a tiny sneaky sh* that likes to evade testing. Even still it’s good to test for it in the hopes of figuring out which strain to determine the best treatment.
Treatment for MG is usually Tylosin “which is also great for clostridium perfringens.” However it is not a cure. Tylosin beats it back until it hides and goes dormant again until the next stress event gives it the potential to emerge.
Stressors can be another illness, flock drama, fear, intense heat or cold, it doesn’t mean it will emerge every time he’s been stressed, but it could. His symptoms may not always have the same severity either, it could be worse, or it could be milder.
As for if it will affect his lifespan? That’s a hard one to determine. Mycoplasma is a constant wear on the immune system and whichever organs or part of the body it’s affecting worse so that can predispose him to illnesses and chronic issues, but he may still live a long life. Think of it like a chronic cold that shows up on occasion.
Treatment includes Tylosin and supporting his immune system, build his gut health with probiotics and prebiotics to bolster the immune system, a healthy varied diet will help him quite a lot so offering cabbage, peas, app,es, cucumbers, melons, lettuce, tomato, all sorts of things. Apple cider vinegar and vetRX can help alleviate some of his symptoms. Crushed garlic and a little cinnamon in their water can also help boost the immune system and the mycoplasma doesn’t seem to like it.
Tylosin comes in powder form and liquid. It’s typically more effective if given via injection but if you’re not comfortable with that it can be given orally. Tylosin is one of the most awful tasting things out there, I haven’t had much luck giving it in drinking water, because none of them will want to drink it. Oral administration via syringe is the only way to ensure they get it.
If your vet doesn’t have Tylosin you can get it from pigeon suppliers such as
https://birdpalproducts.com/products/tylosin-powder-for-birds?_pos=1&_sid=f6350fc4d&_ss=r
