Sick duck need advice liver toxicity

[kkrs]

Hello!
So, to make a long story short... I have a very sick 12 week old Rouen drake. It seems as though he got into something toxic. His liver enzymes were off the charts. He spent the better part at the vet last week - is know, it's just a duck... But I love this duck. He was improving all week... Friday he took a turn for the worst, and his second set of lab results came back. His liver enzymes had increased. They explained that there was nothing that they could do for him. We brought him home for the weekend, we were going to assess him for a period of time before we made any decisions. I'm holding off on making any decisions regarding his life at rgis point: and he is still incredibly weak, but he's doing slightly better. He's eating and drinking. I have him on pedialyte, aloe juice, milk thistle capsules --- I have some dandelion root capsules, and thought about adding them I mean, at this point I don't have anything to lose ~ would anyone recommend dandelion root? He is eating pretty much anything that he will eat ~ it is less, but he's sick. He's eating oatmeal, mealworms, a little flock raiser, a few noodles, a little watermelon and a little kale. Has anyone ever dealt with liver toxicity?

 

[joosters24]

Hello I'm not an expert but does your duckling have any other symptoms ?
And if not did he?
What duck feed have you been feeding him if not What pellets and what make?

 

[kkrs]

Hello! Thank you for responding. He is eating purina flock raiser. He's less interested in that than the treats right now - at this point, he needs calories, so what he will eat is what I'm giving him. It's trial and error, but he is eating.

 

[Amiga]

Has he been given food grade activated charcoal?

That is said to help remove toxins from the system.

The only thing I have come across is the story of Laddy at Majestic, and that was a case of doxycycline being rough on his liver, and they adjusted the dosage then later switched to Baytril.

I know fresh water can help, just because that can help carry away toxins. Is he drinking normally?

I think cucumber is good for the liver - try making a cucumber smoothy - or just give small chunks of cucumber. My ducks will eat it, they aren't as crazy about it as they are about peas...

Thinking out loud, here - some say that during liver disease, to back off a bit on protein. So maybe see how he feels with fewer mealworms? He's getting some extra fiber with the oatmeal, I wonder if some B complex vitamins would help.

 

[joosters24]

Sorry I couldn't be very helpful I hope your little man feels better soon

 

[Amiga]

@kkrs

how goes it?

 

[kkrs]

Thank you for asking. He is improving - I think that I may have stumbled upon a treatment for liver toxicity --- this bird was given up for dead. They told me that not putting him down would be cruel. He was listless, but his eyes were very awake. I saw some improvement with the milk thistle capsules and aloe Vera juice. However, I needed more aloe juice, and stumbled on an "aloe Vera detox solution" by lily of the desert while at the store ~ googled it to make sure it was safe... and found that a woman had incredible success with a parrot using the stuff! It's too early to proclaim that he is going to have a full recovery, but I am cautiously optimistic. I also serve a mighty God - I'm certain he has a hand in this. But, I do want to put out there that thus far, I have seen pretty remarkable recovery with prayer and products from the vitamin shoppe.

 

[Amiga]

Thank you for asking. He is improving - I think that I may have stumbled upon a treatment for liver toxicity --- this bird was given up for dead. They told me that not putting him down would be cruel. He was listless, but his eyes were very awake. I saw some improvement with the milk thistle capsules and aloe Vera juice. However, I needed more aloe juice, and stumbled on an "aloe Vera detox solution" by lily of the desert while at the store ~ googled it to make sure it was safe... and found that a woman had incredible success with a parrot using the stuff! It's too early to proclaim that he is going to have a full recovery, but I am cautiously optimistic. I also serve a mighty God - I'm certain he has a hand in this. But, I do want to put out there that thus far, I have seen pretty remarkable recovery with prayer and products from the vitamin shoppe.

Good to know. Glad there is some improvement!

I feel we are on the cutting edge of duck veterinary care. 40 years ago, there wasn't much in the way of cat veterinary care, and look how far the discipline has come.

That's one of the things we can accomplish here on the Duck Forum - especially in desperate situations, we see the duck is not ready to give up, so we try what we can.

 

[cayugaducklady]

Beets are known liver cleansers. Canned low sodium or home cooked soft.

Dandelion greens and chicory the salad greens or the wild blue corn flower also have detox. properties.

 

[kkrs]

Good to know! Thank you. He is doing remarkably well... He's back with his buddies today. There is a shift in the pecking order, as he was top duck before he fell ill. I cannot wait for them to work this out, because they are loud today!