My duck ate sour smelling cat food.

[Duckmomof6]

Hello,
The other night I gave my cats some chicken broth from a can of soup I had. I mixed it with some dry cat food. They drank it all, but the cat food was still wet. Today, my duck found the cat bowl, and was eating from it. I noticed the food and the bowl smelled sour. Is there any need for concern? I believe I gave the cats broth Saturday night. I worked all day yesterday and today, so I didn't have time to properly wash out the bowl. My duck seems fine, but any advice is appreciated. Thank you.

 

[azygous]

Probably the worst that can happen is the duck will have the runs for a brief period. With a few rare exceptions, a little bacteria can be handled by most healthy living beings. It's when the bacteria is overwhelming that it causes sickness.

 

[Duckmomof6]

Probably the worst that can happen is the duck will have the runs for a brief period. With a few rare exceptions, a little bacteria can be handled by most healthy living beings. It's when the bacteria is overwhelming that it causes sickness.

Thank you. My biggest concern was Botulism. I don't know much about it, but it does scare me when it comes to my ducks.

 

[azygous]

Botulism is an anaerobic bacteria, not one that would choose to grow in an oxygenated environment such as a bowl of cat food. E. coli is more apt to be the bacteria that might be lurking in the bowl the duck ate from, but even those odds are pretty low.

 

[Duckmomof6]

Botulism is an anaerobic bacteria, not one that would choose to grow in an oxygenated environment such as a bowl of cat food. E. coli is more apt to be the bacteria that might be lurking in the bowl the duck ate from, but even those odds are pretty low.

Thank you! I did have 2 jars on my windowsill filled with water that had plants in them. It grew algae, and recently the plants started to die. I was concerned that Botulism would grow there since it's warm in the house and it has a protein source. Does anyone know if there is a concern here?

 

[azygous]

Again, botulism can't survive in sunlight and oxygen. If algae, a primitive plant form, was growing, that means there was both sunlight and oxygen. No botulism. Basic biology.

 

[Duckmomof6]

Again, botulism can't survive in sunlight and oxygen. If algae, a primitive plant form, was growing, that means there was both sunlight and oxygen. No botulism. Basic biology.

Honestly, I had never heard of Botulism until very recently. What I did hear of it, terrified me. It's good to know that it wouldn't grow there. I did have both jars in front of a window, so it does make sense. Thank you for replying.