Peking duck rapidly declining in health advice needed

[Kittylindsey]

Hello! I live in a residential neighborhood with a decent sized lake in the backyard. Well someone decided it was a good idea to dump 3 Peking ducks with clipped wings in the lake to fend for themselves. I enjoy sitting on the dock and feeding the fish, so naturally they took to me. I have absolutely no knowledge on how to care for ducks, but i’m doing my best. About a week ago, I found that one had been attacked and killed by an unknown predator, so I’m assuming depression has aided in his rapid decline. It all started with a foamy eye, which I researched and begin cleaning with saline solution and administering vetRx. His eye seemed to be clearing up but he quickly began to have many other strange symptoms. He is stumbling around and can’t seem to keep his balance, standing in strange positions, losing feathers, picking at his skin, panting, sneezing, and just generally unwell. A few days ago I read fish amoxicillin twice a day could be helpful, so I have been administering that. Please do not judge me if I am doing something wrong, I am doing my best to help him. I’m a single mother with limited knowledge and funds so any advice would be so very appreciated. Also, he is eating, but not as much as he used to. And the other duck seems depressed, but overall very healthy. I’m afraid he doesn’t have much time left.
I cannot stand to see him suffering. Thank you in advance.

 

[Callender Girl]

First of all, kudos to you for doing your best to care for these ducks. If you are able to administer medicine, can you capture these birds, maybe in a dog crate, and see if there is a rescue group that could help you? Or a call to a university veterinary department? Even a county extension office might have a poultry specialist who could help

In any case, no one should judge you for trying anything you can to help suffering animals. You can't always help them all, but you can always try. Even if you lose the ailing one, maybe you can give a second chance to the other one, who is likely scared and depressed.

I don't have any veterinary advice here, but I would like to know how all this turns out. You have my support and best wishes.

 

[Kittylindsey]

First of all, kudos to you for doing your best to care for these ducks. If you are able to administer medicine, can you capture these birds, maybe in a dog crate, and see if there is a rescue group that could help you? Or a call to a university veterinary department? Even a county extension office might have a poultry specialist who could help

In any case, no one should judge you for trying anything you can to help suffering animals. You can't always help them all, but you can always try. Even if you lose the ailing one, maybe you can give a second chance to the other one, who is likely scared and depressed.

I don't have any veterinary advice here, but I would like to know how all this turns out. You have my support and best wishes.

Thank you so much. You don’t know how much the support and well wishes mean. I have been out back with him all evening doing my best to make him comfortable. I made quite a few phone calls, but no luck. I didn’t think of university veterinary department or calling the parish. So I appreciate that input! I will definitely give you an update on this sweet little angel.

 

[Isaac 0]

If you give me your general location I can search around, and call a few places for you, if you'd like.

Out of curiosity, how much amoxicillin are you giving him?

 

[Kittylindsey]

If you give me your general location I can search around, and call a few places for you, if you'd like.

Out of curiosity, how much amoxicillin are you giving him?

Thank you Isaac! I feel like I don’t even know where to start. We are in the west Monroe area of Louisiana. I feel absolutely helpless. I have been administering 250mg twice a day. (This is the 3rd day) I’m praying I haven’t made the wrong call on this one, but I felt like I had to act fast and I wasn’t getting much help from the veterinary offices I called around to.

 

[Kittylindsey]

If you give me your general location I can search around, and call a few places for you, if you'd like.

Out of curiosity, how much amoxicillin are you giving him?

And you cannot even begin to know much I truly appreciate your help, Isaac.

 

[Isaac 0]

Thank you Isaac! I feel like I don’t even know where to start. We are in the west Monroe area of Louisiana. I feel absolutely helpless. I have been administering 250mg twice a day. (This is the 3rd day) I’m praying I haven’t made the wrong call on this one, but I felt like I had to act fast and I wasn’t getting much help from the veterinary offices I called around to.

Not a problem at all, let me search around a bit for you tomorrow and I'll let you know if I see anything.

I don't think administering an antibiotic is a bad idea at all, these birds are in very poor condition, you can see one of them has a wet feather and looks to have an eye infection going on as well. That's just what I can see from the picture, based on the symptoms you've mentioned, it sounds like he may have a respiratory infection.

I realize you aren't familiar with raising ducks, but would it be possible to bring them to your house, and keep them in your garage during the night, and make a pen that they can be in during the day until we can find them a home?

You are pretty close to the Amoxicillin dose, but I'm thinking the duck weighs around the seven-pound mark, so aim for around 400mg twice a day.

 

[Isaac 0]

Have you tried contacting these places?

https://gregrichdvm.com/
https://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/veterinary_hospital/

LOUISIANA
Lake Charles:

Dr. Jay Carter

113 W Clarence, Lake Charles, LA 70601 - Tel. (337) 439-2321

Metairie:

Dr. Gregory Rich- West Esplanade Veterinary Clinic and Bird Hospital

3640 West Esplanade, Metairie, LA 70002 - Tel. (504) 455-6386

New Orleans:

Dr. Gregory Rich, D.V.M. - Avian Vet

W. Espanade, New Orleans, LA - Tel. (504) 455-6386

Oakdale:

Sara Myers DVM - Avian and Exotic Veterinary - Oakdale Animal Clinic.

2628 Hwy 165 south Oakdale La 71463. Phone # 318-335-3814
Website: oakdaleanimalclinic.com

Shreveport:

Virginia Brookings, D.V.M., Avian Certified - Brookings Animal Hospital

4919 N Market Street, Shreveport, LA 71107 - Tel. (318) 425-4860

Here is a list of wildlife rehabilitators that do birds, and can probably help with your duck.

https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/permitted-wildlife-rehabilitators

Name	City	State	Phone	Species	Parish(es) Served
Graham, Laci	Leesville	LA	337.423.3073	Bats, beavers, birds, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, minks, nutrias, opossums, otters, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, turtles	Beauregard, Natchitoches, Vernon
LSU Wildlife Hospital of LA	Baton Rouge	LA	225.578.9600	Amphibians, birds, minks, nutrias, opossums, otters, rabbits, reptiles, squirrels	East Baton Rouge
MacLean, Robert, DVM (Audubon Zoo)	New Orleans	LA	504.212.5489	Amphibians, birds, minks, otters, reptiles, squirrels	Orleans
Morgan, Gia, DVM (WERLA)	Shreveport	LA	318.405.2282	Bats, beavers, birds, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, minks, nutrias, opossums, otters, rabbits, raccoons, reptiles, skunks, squirrels	Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia,Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiiborne, DeSoto, East Carroll, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, Winn
Rabalais, Julie	Lafayette	LA	337.501.4523	Birds	Lafayette
Reed, Lisa	Sulphur	LA	337.583.4757; 337.842.5830	Birds	Calcasieu, Cameron

 

[Kittylindsey]

Okay awesome!!! I’m finally feeling hopeful about this situation. My neighbor said “ducks just don’t make it long around here” and shrugged it off. I absolutely couldn’t accept this and needed someone with a more positive outlook.

They are quite skittish ever since their (i’m assuming) sibling was killed, but I will go do my best to get them up to my garage. Wish me luck.
I did notice his feathers seemed drenched, so I brought him a kiddy pool full of fresh water, let him clean up, then dried him off really well with a towel. I also made him a little shelter by the lake that he seemed to enjoy, so I will bring that up to my house as well.
And I will up his antibiotics as well!

I will do everything I can to ensure he makes it through the night and look forward to hearing what you come up with!!!

Thank you so much again for the help and advice, this experience has been very overwhelming for me. You’re the best.

 

[Kittylindsey]

Have you tried contacting these places?

https://gregrichdvm.com/
https://www.lsu.edu/vetmed/veterinary_hospital/

LOUISIANA
Lake Charles:

Metairie:

New Orleans:

Oakdale:

Shreveport:


Here is a list of wildlife rehabilitators that do birds, and can probably help with your duck.

https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/page/permitted-wildlife-rehabilitators

Name	City	State	Phone	Species	Parish(es) Served
Graham, Laci	Leesville	LA	337.423.3073	Bats, beavers, birds, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, minks, nutrias, opossums, otters, rabbits, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, turtles	Beauregard, Natchitoches, Vernon
LSU Wildlife Hospital of LA	Baton Rouge	LA	225.578.9600	Amphibians, birds, minks, nutrias, opossums, otters, rabbits, reptiles, squirrels	East Baton Rouge
MacLean, Robert, DVM (Audubon Zoo)	New Orleans	LA	504.212.5489	Amphibians, birds, minks, otters, reptiles, squirrels	Orleans
Morgan, Gia, DVM (WERLA)	Shreveport	LA	318.405.2282	Bats, beavers, birds, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, minks, nutrias, opossums, otters, rabbits, raccoons, reptiles, skunks, squirrels	Allen, Avoyelles, Catahoula, Concordia,Beauregard, Bienville, Bossier, Caddo, Caldwell, Claiiborne, DeSoto, East Carroll, Evangeline, Franklin, Grant, Jackson, LaSalle, Lincoln, Madison, Morehouse, Natchitoches, Ouachita, Pointe Coupee, Rapides, Red River, Richland, Sabine, St. Landry, Tensas, Union, Vernon, Webster, West Carroll, Winn
Rabalais, Julie	Lafayette	LA	337.501.4523	Birds	Lafayette
Reed, Lisa	Sulphur	LA	337.583.4757; 337.842.5830	Birds	Calcasieu, Cameron

I honestly have just been calling veterinary offices. I feel silly, but I honestly had no idea there were places like this that I could call. I will get in touch with them first thing in the morning. Thank you thank you thank you. I also responded to your other message, but I’m not sure I replied correctly. Not used to the forum formats.