I have two ganders that have had illnesses with similar symptoms. One has a pancreatic condition “Parsnip,” and the other “Roxby” has had recurring bouts of enteritis. If it’s an organ health problem that’s a complex issue with various ways you can approach it depending on what it is. With an issue like enteritis it is treatable but can remerge fairly easily.He's still looking slow and my kids are worried he's not eating. He's only pecking at romaine again, if he even looks at it. He's not running from me even though it looks like he doesn't want me near him.
He's been out, laying down mostly, in the sun.
I am wondering if he's going to need a feeding boost. Or if we missed something. Or he's ignoring the treats because the girls are eating them.
This is hard
Your gander could have something like enteritis, often there’s a parasitical element that predisposes the gut to a clostridial infection, worms possibly but more likely its coccidia or giardia, sometimes it will seem like the condition is getting better only for the goose to start regressing again after about a two week incubation period.
It’s also a vicious cycle, you’ll treat the problem but because their guts will still be sore and they’ll be craving nutrients because they’re eating less, so to try to resolve both problems they start eating dirt and reinfect themselves with whatever microbes and parasites caused the problem to begin with. All the while they’re becoming more nutrient deficient and their immune system weakens because of that, limiting their ability to fight off whatever it is and predisposing them to reinfection more easily each time.
You could try putting him on metronidazole and Tylosin for 7 to 10 days. corid or Toltrazuril for coccidia. Tube feed him with extra added vitamins every day for few days or until he starts eating on his own. Clean out his area and sterilize the dirt with bleach “which is only somewhat effective” or designate a new area for him and a friend for the next few weeks that has a concrete floor that can be periodically cleaned or that you can line with a durable tarp or stall pads and cover with wood shavings.
