Need Help!-Goslings are breathing heavily/panting

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I would consider this urgent. The babies are panting and I doubt it is due to heat. I agree with a previous poster saying not to wait. Pls. Take them to the vet tomorrow...communicate very clearly that they must be seen. The little one is already being affected - not eating and drinking is a clear sign something is wrong with their health and well- being.

Good luck and please keep us posted.

Joni

 

[willowvale]

We will try to get to the vet. Fortunately, I did see the little girl vigorously attacking some lettuce I tossed in for them. So far, she doesn't seem to be weakening. Let's hope it stays that way until I can get some help for them...

 

[willowvale]

So all of the avian vets in my area are on vacation this week and I am super worried that I'm not going to be able to get the goslings to a vet anytime soon. Does anyone have any advice on things I can do (assuming they have aspergillosis) in the meantime? Their condition seems to be the same as last night...

 

[rainplace]

I read this a couple of years ago, not sure if it's applicable:

http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/page11.htm

 

[Denninmi]

It could be a lot of things. I would throw Tylan at it if you can get some -- feed and farm supply stores like Tractor Supply should carry it. If its aspergillosis, its treated with certain specific antifungal drugs, but I know those aren't going to be over the counter. One thing you can do is make sure that the pen area is free of any possibly contaminated bedding or other organic matter.

And, of course, supportive care -- water, electrolytes, food if they'll take it, proper temperature.

 

[rainplace]

You can also read through more of the articles:
http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/contents.htm

 

[willowvale]

The oxine treatment seems like a really good idea...I'm going to keep calling vets and try to get my hands on some oxine. Thanks...

 

[willowvale]

Ok, so we finally found an emergency vet clinic with an avian doctor willing to see us...Without doing much testing, he told us that it is most likely aspergillosis, which is what I had come to suspect. He said there is a very poor prognosis for the female, but he prescribed an anti-fungal solution which we will have to pick up tomorrow (drug stores closed right now). In the meantime, we have the female in a pet carrier with a clear plastic bag wrapped around it and an oxygen machine pumping oxygen in to hopefully make breathing a little easier. I also used a syringe to pipe some food and water into her...She is not eating or drinking. It doesn't look good, but at least we have a few things to try...

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

I'm glad you were able to find a vet. I'm so very sorry to hear your news - I hope the meds help.

Joni

 

[willowvale]

We just gave the female gosling a dose of the fungicide prescribed by the vet (Ketoconazole). I think most of it went down. She gets another dose tonight. She seems to be drinking a tiny bit on her own, but we're continuing to force-feed her through a syringe. We're not concerned about the male gosling at this point. He may have been exposed to the same mold, but doesn't seem to be affected by it. The vet recommended that we give him the same meds anyway, because apparently, an aspergillosis infection doesn't always show visible symptoms at the start.