Need help/advice for goose not eating and wobbly

[Free Spirit]

Hello everyone,

I've just joined the forum after days of trying to research a big problem...

My 6 month old brown Chinese goose, Diamond, is not well. So here's the details so that someone may be able to help as I can't pinpoint the problem and there is nowhere I can take her so I'm on my own. I'm going on day 5 and may lose her, but desperately trying to save her.

Symptoms:
First thing Sunday morning noticed Diamond acting like she's drunk/tipsy/wobbly. She walked fine and was able to isolate her (but she can still see and talk to the rest of the flock so she is not alone). She is still unsteady and today is now Thursday. Also... she has not eaten AT ALL during this time. Has not pooped either (likely because she hasn't been eating). Given this, she still remains bright eyed, talkative, perky, and tries to walk away from me of which gives me hope.

What I'm trying to do:
She has been drinking and occasionally discharges liquid poop and using this to my advantage. Even though Diamond had not eaten for days - she did eat a small handful of mealworms last night that I put into her warm bathing water. But she refuses everything else I've tried (chopped kale, peas, chopped pear, yogurt). Currently trying chopped and mashed boiled eggs. All the nutrients she's getting have been in her water and her mini-pool water:

Liquids
Day 1:Electrolytes and Probiotics.
Day 2: Molasses for 5 hours then back to a new package(s) of electrolytes and probiotics.
Day 3: Apple Cider Vinegar with a bit of oregano and oyster shells sprinkled in (ran out of supplies and ran to TSC).
Day 4: Made a warm bath of which I've mixed a tea of fresh cilantro, thyme, sage, and cinnamon (brewed first); brewers yeast; oil of oregano; ACV; and Nutri-Drench. (she really loved this and is where I put the mealworms she managed to eat).
Day 4 overnight: just water with ACV and oil of oregano.
Day 5: I just woke up and so the only think started so far is her remaining overnight water and a container of the mashed boiled egg.

She has access to layer feed with some oyster shells sprinkled around it. Yet so far hasn't touched it.

My Suspicions:
Egg Binding: Checked and ruled out. I know she is still too young for this problem but her sister (Blackfoot) is also 6 months old and has been laying every other day for almost two months now - surprised me too.

Impacted Crop: I didn't feel anything out of the ordinary in her neck and breast areas but she is so downy it is hard to really tell. If there is an impaction it is likely in the intestinal area. Not yet ruled out.

Hardware toxin: That's the reason I did the molasses. Still have not ruled that out yet either.

Peritonitis: Could be, assuming that she has started laying eggs early like her sister. I can't tell if Diamonds abdomen is swollen or not because she is so downy and has always been larger than Blackfoot. She doesn't mind me palpitating it to try and check. Again, because of her sister laying this has also not been ruled out and is why I'm giving the anti-bacterials (ACV, Oil of Oregano).

Conclusion:
Is there anything I'm missing? I've been scouring the internet for days and all roads keep leading to BYC for the best of advice and this is what I've come up with so far.

I have the needed equipment to tube her if necessary. I've never done it before so am very nervous about it. Also would very much like to AVOID antibiotics if at all humanly possible - but do know that I have Amoxicillin 250mg if absolutely last resort.


Thank you in advance for any advice, suggestions, or ideas that is provided.

Sincerely,
Free Spirit

 

[Allears]

So sorry to hear about Diamond condition. I know you've said you've been on the net for advice so you may have seen these already:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/994910/drunk-wobbly-goose-advice
http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/livestock-forums/poultry/355476-help-my-goose-acts-drunk.html

I'm holding thumbs for you and Diamond and I'm sure that Heritage Goose, Miss Lydia or Carrosaur will be able to give some input...

 

[Free Spirit]

Thank you Allears for your reply.

I have been to the two links you suggested. The only thing I haven't tried yet was the activated charcoal. I couldn't find any anywhere but finally found some at the health food store in the next town. Wondering though if it's too late since I'm on day 6. I did give the molasses on day 2.

The update:

Diamond is still enjoying her daily warm baths where I have added the ACV and brewers yeast. She seems to really like soaking and drinking from it. She still drinks plenty. Overnight I gave her more electrolytes and probiotics to her water. But since she is still not eating I fear that the water is the only source of nutrition and worry that it is not nearly enough.

Yesterday (day 5) morning I gave her mashed hardboiled eggs. Nope, didn't have any interest. In the afternoon I gave her cat food soaked in warm water. Nope, not that either. Today I've set out a small bowl of chicken scratch. If that doesn't have any interest to her I really don't know what will.

She did eat 10 of the 20 freeze dried mealworms that I floated in her bath water yesterday. My next idea I'll try this afternoon is to juice up some veggies and offer a diluted solution to her drinking water (carrots, celery, kale). If anyone would like to suggest any other items I could add (i.e. is garlic or onions safe) I'm open to try anything.

The good news is:
Diamond has not been acting drunk/wobbly/tipsy/unsteady all day yesterday and this morning. She still is perky and lively, cleaning and preening herself. If it weren't for the fact that I know she is not eating I would not even know there was a problem.


Again, thank you in advance for all opinions, suggestions, ideas.

Free Spirit

 

[Allears]

You're doing such a great job and it's obvious that Diamond is very much loved. I think at this stage give her anything that she is willing to eat, you can still treat a runny tum later. Its so good to hear that she is not wobbly and that she is still preening. That is really good to hear. Keep us posted, I will be thinking of you guys and waiting for good news

 

[Free Spirit]

Update:
I hope I'm not speaking too soon but have a bit of hope today. The duck/goose yard is just outside my window where I can watch them and use the computer at the same time. I glanced up and saw Diamond picking at her regular feed

and I saw her squirt out a large poop. I went to investigate and found a large wet area with lots of small pieces of green slimy stuff (looked like chopped overcooked spinach). This is the most she's done so far. She is also much feistier and ran from me honking rather than walk away from me silently.

I'm back to the computer and she is been picking at the chicken scratch while I do more research

. I'm beginning to (and I can still be waayy off) suspect cocci. But I guess (unless someone here suggests otherwise) I'll continue the vitamin, probiotic, ACV treatments. She is not out of the woods yet - but at least today she is giving me HOPE

.

Allears,
I cannot express how much it means to me that you responded to my post. I feel less alone while I work out the problem and treatments. Just knowing someone is listening is very helpful. THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.

 

[Allears]

That's such encouraging news and I'm happy to have helped in any way. If it is cocci, keep a close eye on your other feathered children.
I hope to hear of a full recovery soon, so please keep us posted on Diamond's progress

 

[Free Spirit]

Update day 7:

This is so hard. I feel so helpless. Diamond is walking tipsy again. She is still lively, looks happy and by all outward appearances looks healthy. I just wish I could see more improvement after a week of trying to help her.

She is still not eating much but today she was picking at her feed again. It's not much but it's something and I'll take what I can get. After a week of not eating I really don't expect her to have a ravenous appetite - slow is best for her digestion.

Day 7: She has her regular water with ACV. In her warm bath water is; a few drops of oregano oil, brewers yeast, ACV, 4 ml of Poultry Nutri Drench, finely chopped kale, and 10 mealworms. She will drink from this most of the day rather than bath in it and prefers it over her regular water. Along with her regular feed she also has access to oyster shell if she wants it, a small bowl of scratch, and a bowl of grit. I noticed her digging in the dirt along the side of her pen where some is exposed and wonder if she is digging for minerals or grit.

Miss Lydia recommended I give her Corid. I'm off to town today to try and find some just in case it happens to be cocci. This has been going on so long now that I'm about ready to break down and give her some antibiotics. Not my first choice but desperate times/desperate measures.

Can anyone tell me how long to expect results from Corid before I consider switching to antibiotics?

Also to make note of: A few days back I saw that she was missing a toenail when I was checking her feet. There is still a bit of nail there and there is no swelling or sign of infection. But thought I'd mention it in case I'm missing an important piece of information I need to know.

Thank you for listening,
Free Spirit

 

[Free Spirit]

Still day 7:

I returned from town with the Corid. I have added it to a fresh gallon of water per instructions I found here for the powdered solution (1/2 tsp/gal). I removed her bathing water because I understand that the Corid mix should be the only source of drinking water for 5 days.

As soon as I returned I find her more unsteady than ever. Falling forwards, backwards, and sideways. The poor girl can't hardly walk at all and is currently sitting in a corner watching the others play. She has hardly sat in 7 days preferring to stand most of the time.

She is eating a lot more now. Still not great but a substantial improvement. I saw some fresh poop that looked brown and runny ( a little like chocolate syrup ) that she must of done while I was out. While I was changing her water she pooped pretty much all straight clear liquid.

Balance issues are much worse, but now she's eating. I can't tell if she's improving or deteriorating. I don't know what else to do from here except monitor and hope and hope and hope.

Thanks for listening. Since I won't be changing or trying anything while I have her on Corid, I will update only if there is a significant change good or bad.

 

[Allears]

Any news?

 

[Free Spirit]

I started here on Corid Saturday afternoon. She was extremely off balance and was worse than any other of her uncoordinated days. But she was eating pretty well and that made me feel better.

Sunday morning when I let the ducks out and check on Diamond I noticed an improvement (I hope) in her poop. Instead of clear liquid with bits of green slime it was brown and not so runny (not normal by any stretch - just not pure liquid, yay). May have been a result of her finally getting food into her system.

All day Sunday she would have moments of being off balance but much improved. She did not eat as much as she did Saturday. She would just take a nibble here and there of regular feed. I freshened up her bedding with straw and she would go around nibbling the bits of wheat still attached to the stalks. She is still digging into the dirt at the edge of her pen so I don't know if this is what's causing the poop to be so brown.

Today is Monday (day 9) I had to go to town for personal appointments so I only had time to let the ducks out and make sure everyone had food and water before I left. I immediately checked on her on my return.

So far as the day is still young:
Gait seems better - still a little bit wobbly
She is still drinking plenty (but less in the past 24 hours). Her water intake seems to be more normal and less excessive.
Her morning poop was runnier than yesterday and still brown ( it's still and improvement since it was clear and watery for nearly a week)
I haven't seen her eat yet but I've only been home for less than an hour.
Still perky and bright eyed. She was even honking at me and giving me an earful (that's a major improvement).
I can tell that she really wants out to play as she paces the door and/or stands around watching the rest of the flock run around and trying to catch bugs and swim in the pool. Blackfoot, her sister, will visit her often as they exchange what looks like kisses through the fencing. So sweet.

It's too early to tell if she is on the road to recovery, but she is still alive and alert.