MY PEKIN DRAKE IS SICK! PLEASE HELP!

[BluElky]

So I just had this whole long thing written up and my computer froze. Let's see if I can remember all of the details.

A few days ago my husband and I noticed both our pekins (one drake one hen) kind of using their wings to walk and they were just sitting in the yard. The female looks slightly better than Spock (our drake). We kept him inside through the weekend and took him to an avian vet yesterday. The vet said he had a bad infection and won't know the cause until the blood work comes back in a few days. He prescribed baytril and metacam. Before we took him to the vet he had been eating and drinking normally. Now about 24 hours later, he's drinking plenty just not eating much. Though he is eating. Could it be nausea from the meds? He's also preening and enjoyed a warm bath last night. He wasn't as active in the tub as normal but the vet did give him a pain med yesterday so I thought that might be it. His poop went from looking normal (before the vet) to clearish with little pieces of what look like the crumble he eats. However they did a stool float and said it looked normal. Anyway advice would be great! Thank you!

Spock is my precious baby duck, I've had him since he hatched and can't bear the thought of losing him <3

 

[Sonny42408]

If you have already sought the advice of a Professional Avian Vet, I would just say that you need to do what they vet advises. While we speculate as you why your duck has suddenly taken a turn for the worse, the vet has the Knowledge and equipment to find out exactly what is ailing your pet duck & will prescribe the appropriate treatments needed. Good Luck!

 

[BluElky]

Thank you for the well wishes. A couple people think he might have an impacted crop and that's what caused the infection?

 

[Amiga]

Something to consider is that the antibiotics may be causing stomach upset. I recall reading that can happen in Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks.

Can you get some poultry vitamins with probiotics? I use Vitamins and Electrolytes Plus (the plus is probiotics).

 

[Chickenkate17]

The antibiotics could cause upset stomach, but the pain meds could decrease the appetite. I'm used to using those types of antibiotics with cats, but I'm assuming similar side effects...usually when the cat is on those antibiotics we offer them really "yummy" foods to stimulate appetite. Greens and carbs (w/o sugars) can help. But I would also echo Sonny and say that you should follow the doctor's orders.