Sick Duck with soft suishy belly.

[CluckyDuckyGooseyGals]

One of our Khaki Campbells did not show up for roll call tonight. Hubby finally found her in our neighbor's pasture in some underbrush. She has White goop in the corner of one eye - in the eye not just on the outside. So maybe an eye infection? But what I find most worrying is that she has larger than normal soft squishy belly. What is going on with my duck?

 

[Miss Lydia]

How is your duck today @CluckyDuckyGooseyGals

 

[casportpony]

If it is larger than normal it could be ascites, EYP (egg yolk peritonitis), or possibly hemorrhagic fatty liver. How is she today?

 

[CluckyDuckyGooseyGals]

Thanks for asking, she is still not herself. I have a duck with bumble foot so I stuck them in a pen together today. That seemed to cheer her up a bit. My daughter is the one who handled her today - she thought she might be a bit smaller today. She still hasn't laid an egg. I honestly don't know how often she lays. I have 20 females and get 8 to 12 eggs a day on average. I'll see what I think this evening when she gets brought in - if she is any smaller. My daughter has pretty good judgment on those things though. The ducks are hers and she is the one who noticed her abdomen wasn't right. She was/is swollen from right between her legs to her tail feathers on abdomen and a bit on the sides. Sorry that I can't run out and check on her right now. I've got a busted foot and moving quickly isn't happening at this point. @casportpony I looked up water belly. That was the only thing I could find when searching on squishy duck belly. But would that go down on its own? The info I found on that and EYP didn't look very promising - or is there great secrets to be learned? Because of your advice to others last winter - I saved all eight of my Yokohamas and a Crevecoeur. I don't like to give up - so any advice would be great. I hobbled out to my computer finally, so I can answer questions a bit better now.

 

[casportpony]

I don't think there's much you can do except put them on a diet if you think it could be fatty liver disease. Cancer can also cause a buildup of fluid, and EYP would have to be treated aggressively with antibiotics and even then I think the prognosis is poor.
Is there any chance you can have a vet look at her?

 

[CluckyDuckyGooseyGals]

Our vet is not really a farm bird one - that is why I have found so much of the information here valuable. They will however, prescribe antibiotics and such for me if I give them a reasonable discussion and reason why I think it is what it is. I might be able to have them run tests. Any clue what I'd need them to run to find out what it could be? They do bigger farm critters - but kind of laughed when I brought them a rooster one night. He'd been in a fight - stopped eating and ended up with wry neck. He is still the BIG roo around here too. I told them what I wanted and they thought it was reasonable and it took a while but he got better. He is a bantam cochin - my hubby watched him tag our Australorp roo this weekend. They will work with me, I just need a pretty good idea of what is going on because they don't deal with it.

 

[casportpony]

If you are 100% sure the belly s full of fluid you could try draining it.

 

[CluckyDuckyGooseyGals]

I was trying to see if she was going to continue to gain fluid. I know that can make it easier. Still no egg. She is not eating much. Her tummy feels harder but not smaller to me.

 

[casportpony]

Can you start weighing her daily?

 

[CluckyDuckyGooseyGals]

Sure can - great idea!