Paralyzed Baby Pekin

[Big Gin]

Hi all, over the weekend my approx. 3 week old baby pekin went completely limp within a matter of minutes. I'm talking Dead - Limp. Not just a leg, or a neck, the WHOLE body. As I'm watching this go down, I thought she had just died in my hands it happened so quickly. Immediately I call my husband over and we were just flabbergasted at how quickly she declined. Her heartbeat began to slow, she convulsed frequently, but her beat never stopped and about an hour into her paralysis we had to take turns giving her extra breaths because her breathing was so shallow. She definitely was not getting enough O2. We were determined to keep her alive and try to figure out what happened and what we could do to get her back. She has a buddy that was freaking out during the whole thing. About an hour and half in, I come across her symptoms online and everything was pointing to Botulism. We aren't 100 percent sure if that was the cause but the antidote was activated charcoal. My husband runs of to the pharmacy, grabs pills that are 200mg, breaks one open, dilutes it in a little water and we dropper it into her beak hoping that she wouldn't choke or drown on it. Miraculously, within 30 minutes of the first dose her breathing begins to steady, her heartbeat gets a bit stronger, she begins to warm back up, she opens her eyes. Another dose and another half hour she was trying her hardest to stand but her neck just couldn't support her head yet and she was still battling the involuntary convulsions. I'd say an hour and a half later it was like the event never happened. She was walking around with her buddy, chirping, slurping down charcoal and feed like a champ. It was like watching an episode of "I shouldn't be alive." So Scully and Mulder are back to their usual routine but we are still dumbfounded. In my research couldn't find a definitive description of her symptoms and wanted to post something on this site because I use it constantly, but never posted until now and maybe someone can benefit from this knowledge or confirm my thoughts on the Botulism. Has anyone had similar experiences?
Thanks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi all, over the weekend my approx. 3 week old baby pekin went completely limp within a matter of minutes. I'm talking Dead - Limp. Not just a leg, or a neck, the WHOLE body. As I'm watching this go down, I thought she had just died in my hands it happened so quickly. Immediately I call my husband over and we were just flabbergasted at how quickly she declined. Her heartbeat began to slow, she convulsed frequently, but her beat never stopped and about an hour into her paralysis we had to take turns giving her extra breaths because her breathing was so shallow. She definitely was not getting enough O2. We were determined to keep her alive and try to figure out what happened and what we could do to get her back. She has a buddy that was freaking out during the whole thing. About an hour and half in, I come across her symptoms online and everything was pointing to Botulism. We aren't 100 percent sure if that was the cause but the antidote was activated charcoal. My husband runs of to the pharmacy, grabs pills that are 200mg, breaks one open, dilutes it in a little water and we dropper it into her beak hoping that she wouldn't choke or drown on it. Miraculously, within 30 minutes of the first dose her breathing begins to steady, her heartbeat gets a bit stronger, she begins to warm back up, she opens her eyes. Another dose and another half hour she was trying her hardest to stand but her neck just couldn't support her head yet and she was still battling the involuntary convulsions. I'd say an hour and a half later it was like the event never happened. She was walking around with her buddy, chirping, slurping down charcoal and feed like a champ. It was like watching an episode of "I shouldn't be alive." So Scully and Mulder are back to their usual routine but we are still dumbfounded. In my research couldn't find a definitive description of her symptoms and wanted to post something on this site because I use it constantly, but never posted until now and maybe someone can benefit from this knowledge or confirm my thoughts on the Botulism. Has anyone had similar experiences?
Thanks!

Never had this experience but thank you so much for sharing sounds like with her responding so quickly to the AC it almost would have had to be botulism. With so many of us with ducklings this time of year I'm sure your post will be of a great help. And congrats for quickly getting her through this. Wonderful news she is back to normal. Amazing.

 

[Amiga]

Another name for botulism is limber neck. It is described in Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks.

And you deserve a magnificent reward for your determination not to let her slip away. Ducks love living, as far as I can tell. Thank you for sticking with her and sharing your story.

I wonder if you might copy a link to this thread and add it to the Flushes sticky. Just so people will know how effective it can be. I keep charcoal from our wood stove (we only burn clean hardwood) for this reason. I have a mortar and pestle that work very well.

 

[Big Gin]

Thank you for all of your replies! She was so happy to get back to normal I got so many cuddles it was crazy. I couldn't imagine being paralyzed but most likely aware of everything going on around you. I'm not sure what the Flushes sticky is. I will post once I find it.
Thanks again!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you for all of your replies! She was so happy to get back to normal I got so many cuddles it was crazy. I couldn't imagine being paralyzed but most likely aware of everything going on around you. I'm not sure what the Flushes sticky is. I will post once I find it.
Thanks again!!

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/700526/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal#post_9508213