Need Help ASAP

[Miss Lydia]

I hope so too! Bless you all! Please let us know what the vet says.

 

[ibarbidahl]

Hoping that you were able to get something to help them. In the future 4 weeks is too young to have access to (bathing) water all the time.

I'm sorry for your loss. Hope the rest do well.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

I'm not sure if Amoxicillin will even help with respiratory.

@casportpony
@Isaac 0

I haven't seen Isaac O for awhile....
I must have just missed him, he was on Wednesday.

 

[Salixx]

So the vet said they have a viral respiratory infection. He gave them each an injection of enrofloxacin and meloxicam plus sent me home with tetracycline to be given twice a day for a week.
I’m assuming the antibiotics are to prevent/treat secondary pneumonia. Meloxicam is an NSAID so will hopefully help with any pain or inflammation they are having.
He was concerned that they weren’t eating and that they needed protein. I have them their favorite treat when we got home - soldier fly larvae - and scrambled some eggs. They ate 2-3 larvae each. They weren’t terribly interested in the eggs but seem constantly thirsty so I mash up some eggs in water to make egg soup. All of them drank at least a little bit. It’s not much but I’m sure they are stressed and tired from the whole trip and being sick. Three of the four are currently sleeping.

He was hesitant to give me any kind of prognosis which I take as “not good.” So I am fortifying myself for more losses.

Their breathing is better though. No contested ticking and cracking. I hope it’s a good sign.

I’ll be sure to keep you all posted. Thank you for all your guidance and help.

 

[Salixx]

Hoping that you were able to get something to help them. In the future 4 weeks is too young to have access to (bathing) water all the time.

I'm sorry for your loss. Hope the rest do well.

Yes, unfortunately they had to suffer for my learning experience. I though I had read that it was okay starting at three weeks but clearly it wasn’t. I won’t be doing it again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Did he show you how to give meds? We have info if you need it. And hopefully the meds will knock it out quickly. We can also help with tube feeding if it comes to that. I sure hope you see improvement everyday till they are all feeling good again. Please keep us updated on them. I have never had a problem with young ducklings even at a week old swimming in warm water you just have to make sure they are not chilled that you immediately place them back under their heat source so they can dry off while warm.

 

[Salixx]

Did he show you how to give meds? We have info if you need it. And hopefully the meds will knock it out quickly. We can also help with tube feeding if it comes to that. I sure hope you see improvement everyday till they are all feeling good again. Please keep us updated on them. I have never had a problem with young ducklings even at a week old swimming in warm water you just have to make sure they are not chilled that you immediately place them back under their heat source so they can dry off while warm.

He didn’t but I think someone posted instructions in this thread that I am going to read through.

I’d live instructions on tube feeding as well. I think I am going to have to start doing it soon if they don’t start eating.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Let us know if we can help.
You might want to go ahead and get your supplies just in case.

 

[Salixx]

I went out to try to find French straight necked catheters and a 60ml irrigation syringe to no avail. Unfortunately another one passed while I was gone.

only one is eating willingly. I have to tube the other two. I have a 100ml syringe with a tube I used to pump fish stomachs for my masters thesis. One is unused, it has essentially airline tubing attached. Can this work? I am attaching a photo next to one of the ducklings heads. If not, can I use the 1ml syringe the vet gave me for their meds?

 

[Miss Lydia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/tube-feeding-ducks-updated-5-7-2020.1211994/ have you read this? I do remember @casportpony saying you can use aquarium tubing but you have to melt the end so it doesn’t scrape the inside of their throat.