Respiratory Infections in Geese - please help

[rainplace]

LIST OF REHABILITATORS AND SANCTUARIES IN CANADA:

ALBERTA

1. Medicine River Wildlife Centre


MANITOBA:

1. Prairie Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre
2. Wildlife Haven
3. Wildlife Rescue Network


ONTARIO:

1. Aspen Valley Wildlife Sanctuary - Rosseau, ON.
2. Jack Miner Bird Sanctuary - Kingsville, ON. Year-round sanctuary.
3. Storybook Gardens - London, ON. Sanctuary for injured goslings and ducklings.
4. Wild Bird Care Center - Ottawa, ON. Excellent rehabilitation center.
5. Wings Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre - Amherstburg, ON.


SASKATCHEWAN:

1. Wascana Centre Waterfowl Park - Regina, SK. Year-round sanctuary.

 

[froggie71]

I haven't dealt with geese, but only with ducks and I have only had 1 that had respiratory problems. She was young then and I could hear her wheezing and see her retract when breathing. I brought her into the bathroom and ran a steamy shower and left her in the bathroom for a while. This helped easy her breathing for a bit. I did end up giving her antibiotics (terramycin) which cleared her up. Sound like you have more of a problem then I did, just wondered if a steam shower could help at all. Good luck. I hope she gets better soon.

 

[adrian]

Quote:
Steam showers seem to help her quite a lot, actually. I often take her into the bathroom with me when I have a shower - it's a very small bathroom and I like hot showers so it gets STEAMY in there.

I try to do this daily.

But really, it seems like she has the same symptoms as your duck did - I just sort of go into a lot of unnecessary detail. We're going to probably have some x-rays done unless our vet determines a bacterial infection is likely and puts her on antibiotics. I hate the thought of x-rays because sedation is necessary, but I trust the vets will be able to figure something out if they can see inside her lungs and air sacs. Just think - if she has air sac mites or gape worm, it would be almost impossible to diagnose that without an x-ray. If she has a simple infection it would also show up. I'm finding it hard to believe that an x-ray would show nothing wrong with her respiratory system because of the very obvious breathing issues we have run into.

Personally, I would rather take her to my avian vet than to a waterfowl rehabber - they would most likely not have the equipment or sensitivity for her well-being that my vet has... Lots of people think waterfowl are "just waterfowl" but she's my baby girl. I'd be lost without her. I am going to bring her into my vet and I'm sure an x-ray will tell us what's going on. We have had blood tests done and everything was normal.

I will update this thread when I do see the vet and figure something out... Thank you for everyone's help.

 

[rainplace]

My thought about the waterfowl rehabber is that whey would be able to put you into contact with a vet who deals a lot with waterfowl.

 

[pips&peeps]

If you can get proof of an infection in the lungs (x-ray), I would try to get an antibiotic for bacteria and one for fungal infections to cover everything.

 

[call ducks]

look for an avian vet in your area. what province. here in ns there is 1 avian vet. and if you can't find any avian vets then go with livestock vet.

 

[Golden Valley Farm]

If you have access to Baytril , it is a wonderful antibiotic.

 

[adrian]

Yes, my vet is an avian vet which is why I trust her! Waterfowl vets would be very far away, and if I've got an avian vet right here, why look elsewhere? I'm nervous about the x-rays as she will have to be sedated. Should I try her on an antibiotic first?

I've heard Baytril is good but, I've heard Tetracyclin is better for respiratory infections.
Should the vet and I dose before x-rays and only turn to x-rays if we believe we have a bigger problem on our hands, or should I do the x-rays first? Discuss.

 

[rainplace]

I hate the idea of having to dope up your goose, but that's me and not based on any experience. If it were me (remember, I don't know anything) I would worm her and put her on antibiotics while giving her probiotics. I am a cautious user of antibiotics in general, but in the situation you describe, I would go ahead and do it.

Where I live, avian vets deal almost exclusively with parrots, house finches and the like. The vet I ended up with is a waterfowl specialist because his love is wildfowl. The down side is that he's often in Alaska, it just happens that his home is near me.

 

[adrian]

Hm, I think I recall being told that all vets have to have experience with livestock... Most go through a course focusing solely on them. (Doesn't mean they specialize in them, though, of course). I also don't like the idea of x-rays and having her sedated... I'd prefer to get her on an antibiotic first before I do anything drastic. I know antibiotics can be dangerous (I have suffered the consequences of them firsthand), but having good probiotics on hand helps so much.

Should I feed probiotics alongside the antibiotics when we do get her on them? I've heard conflicted opinions on that - apparently antibiotics will kill all probiotics so some say you should wait until the course of antibiotics is done before dosing any probiotics.