Please help my duck

[theduckgirl4110]

hello, I have loved BYC ever since the day I found it! I have found lots of help and I hope I can find some again. My 1-year old Cayuga, belle has recently been acting strange. She is normally happy and forages with the flock. But she has been acting different for about a week. It started with her straying from the flock and laying down in the grass. Then she started losing interest and didn't seem like she wanted to forage. She stays quiet and doesn't mingle with her sisters. She doesn't really swim like the others. To most when you look at her she would seem normal but I know she's just been a little off. Kinda like she's slow? I don't know exactly how to describe it. I have given her some vitamins and electrolytes in case she was stressed. But she didn't improve except that she started foraging again. She continued to lay egg but yesterday when I went out in the morning her egg wasn't there. She Kaye's it later in the day which scared me because she always lays her egg first. I wonder if she's sick or needs to go to the vet. I would appreciate any help anyone might have

 

[Suzie]

I would suggest you post this in the "duck forum"...I can pm for you if you need me to...just say "YES" if you need help right now...

 

[Suzie]

I sent a pm to Amiga on your behalf...she is incredible at helping with duck issues...

 

[Amiga]

She may be a little off or she could have an infection. I would get her to a vet if possible.

Ducks can have egg problems when they are about to slow down after laying for a while. They also can eat metal bits, or pick up parasites or an infection. But they will hide illness or injury till it becomes serious.

I always like to let a puny duck swim in a tub of lukewarm water and give her treats and watch her for at least half an hour. Sometimes she will pass a stuck something, or just loosen up and get more chipper.

 

[theduckgirl4110]

Thank you very much! I will bring her in and see other wise I will bring her to the vet tomorrow morning

 

[Suzie]

Good luck with her...Amiga is very knowledgeable with duck illnesses..let us know how it goes!

 

[theduckgirl4110]

Ok I brought belle in and gave her a bath. She was happy but made no improvement. I did notice that her droppings are clear and has pieces of what she Ate ( corn, mealworms) it wasn't normal looking. ( bad description, sorry) like she doesn't digest it right. Or that it passes right through. She did eat, her appetite hasn't changed. Thank you again for your help, I appreciate it very much.

 

[Amiga]

She may have an obstruction in her digestive tract. Try some soaked oatmeal, see if she'll eat some of that - it has fiber in it. Some food grade activated charcoal in her water - a teaspoon per quart of drinking water - would help if there are toxins in there.

Sometimes ducks eat a piece of metal and that is very serious. A vet would be a good idea.

 

[theduckgirl4110]

Sorry I haven't kept you posted. It's been quite busy around here. I appreciate all the help everyone gave me and I took her to the vet. I found a very nice lady who used to work at a wildlife place so she took care of ducks and geese a lot. Belle got an X-ray which showed a fairly large piece of something in her gizzard. The gizzard also appeared large and round. So she took all the information along with blood work and talked with a doctor with even more knowledge than her. Belle had surgery this morning. When the doctor called she said that the gizzard was large and round because it was infected. The thing that showed up in the X-ray was a piece of metal and the gizzard was filled with "cottage cheese" looking stuff (infection)

so right now she's fine, on medicine and has an iv because she had lost a lot of weight and was dehydrated. We'll be able to pick her up Saturday afternoon. I'm so happy she's better now. And I will post pictures of her and whatever came out of her. I'm very curious to see what it is. She is expected to be completely fine because the piece of metal didn't puncture anything

and nothing had leaked into her third space.

 

[Amiga]

Wow, that was a close one! We work to help each other here, and sometimes problems really need someone with diagnostic equipment and veterinary training.

So glad you were able to get Belle the help she needed!!!!