Pekin duck with "wheezy" breath and quack.....

[Tubbys Lil Farm]

Oh dear......now that my chicken with wry neck seems to be recovering, let's talk about my Pekin whose breath I can "hear". He's not struggling to breathe or panting. I've noticed it for about 3-4 week now but wasn't concerned. He doesn't have runny eyes or nose. He's eating and drinking just fine. He just sounds a little wheezy. Sort of like my asthmatic nephew when he gets too wound up.

He has 3 friends that don't sound that way. He's about 9 weeks old I think. Should I be concerned? Should I dose him with an antibiotic? I can't afford to be dragging my birds to the vet, but I don't want to miss something important. I added some ACV to his water this morning thinking it might help. He has a pond and washes his nose regularly. It started when he was still living in his little tote in the house so I don't think it's anything related to his move to the outdoors.

We're first time duck owners so I'm hoping you experts can point me in the right direction.

Thanks!

 

[Amiga]

Hi! I responded to your other post.

Is it pretty much a nose whistle? Elfie gets those frequently. There could be something stuck in the nares. Could you try giving him a lukewarm bath so he can really snoot some water through his nares?.

 

[Tubbys Lil Farm]

Thanks for the responses! I appreciate the input. I could try a warm bath for him and see if it helps. I'm just concerned it's an infection of some kind, but I tend to get paranoid easily. I've read that you can treat them with terramycin but I don't want to treat them with antibiotics if there's no reason to. If it were bacterial, do you think it would have spread to the other 3 already? Like I said, it's been 3-4 weeks since I noticed he sounded a little wheezy. They share the pool, water, feed, bed.......
Thanks again!

 

[Amiga]

With ducks, your tendency to get paranoid may be a great help. Ducks hide illness until it has progressed to an emergency, and sometimes beyond. They are little troopers, and we must learn to pick up on the slightest indication of illness or injury in order to treat it before it is too far gone.

So.

Try the lukewarm bath, also see if you can see straight through the nares. You should be able to. If not, there may be something in there that needs to be softened (warm water) and removed. Most of the time ducks can handle it themselves, given the time in the water.

I know honey is antibacterial, just don't know if duck systems have any other issues. I have heard of vent infections being treated with honey, just don't know if orally the sugar would upset the digestive system.

Hmmmm.

If the others are symptom free, I would wait about treating them. Bacteria, as I think you know, are all over the place, and healthy ducks rarely succumb to them. It's usually after times of stress or injury that infection kicks in.

Do you give poultry vitamins?

I gave mine vitamins every other week or so when they were ducklings.

 

[Tubbys Lil Farm]

I have been giving them an electrolyte and vitamin mix in their water. They've been getting it for probably a month. At this point I'm just trying to say a little prayer for him, keep an eye on him and not panic yet. I think I WILL pick up some terramycin tomorrow just to tuck into the cabinet "just in case" at some point in the future we decide it's an infection. We live in a pretty rural area and don't have access to supplies locally. I would feel better if I just knew it was handy......

 

[Tubbys Lil Farm]

..........and I can see straight through his nares so I think he's in good shape there.

 

[Oregon Blues]

If he is a Pekin, it is possible that he has so much fat inside of him that it is restricting his lungs.

Many ducks will wheeze when you pick them up. Again, your hands around their bodies will restrict the lungs.

 

[Tubbys Lil Farm]

That sounds dreadful! He sounds like this whether you're hold him or not. Should I put him on a diet? I've been concerned about how quickly Pekins grow. I was afraid that he would have issues with this legs because they are such a heavy breed. I'm just worried about it. I hate to think there's something wrong and I don't know how to help him.

 

[Tubbys Lil Farm]

Ummmm....... In the end.....I don't think my big duckie is sick. I think he's a boy!!! I think he's raspy sounding because he's a male. I've always referred to him as a male, but wasn't really sure. I'm pretty sure now!

 

[LilyAshley11]

He has his vaccines? Might have flu