Sick Duck

[NathanZee]

For a couple days now my mallard hen hasn't been feeling well. She isn't standing much, and when she does walk her legs are shaky. She didn't have much appetite yesterday, but she is eating more today. We've given her apple cider vinegar and she has been drinking plenty of that. I felt her underside and vent area and I can't feel a egg, so I doubt she is eggbound. Occasionally she stands up for some food and water, flaps her wings and preens a tiny bit, but otherwise she is very lethargic. What could be wrong with her, and what does she need?

 

[Amiga]

I need to turn in now. I plan to check messages in the morning. Hugs.

 

[casportpony]

Look for a vet here:

• http://www.aav.org/search/custom.asp?id=1803
• http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/vetfinder.htm

-Kathy

 

[Amiga]

That's how my duck acted when she had egg yolk peritonitis. If you can get a vet's help, that's best - it is a systemic infection caused by yolk getting loose in the body cavity.

It is also possible she may have a virus, a bacterial infection, or parasites. Might also be some kind of toxin.

Having a stool sample checked costs us less than a vet visit and answers several questions. Generally, parasite eggs will show up in that test.

How does her stool look?

We could not feel the egg stuck inside Sechs last week, but an x-ray showed it. Took her almost a week to pass it, but she did. She's on antibiotics right now.

Have you posted on the duck forum?

 

[NathanZee]

That's how my duck acted when she had egg yolk peritonitis. If you can get a vet's help, that's best - it is a systemic infection caused by yolk getting loose in the body cavity.

It is also possible she may have a virus, a bacterial infection, or parasites. Might also be some kind of toxin.

Having a stool sample checked costs us less than a vet visit and answers several questions. Generally, parasite eggs will show up in that test.

How does her stool look?

We could not feel the egg stuck inside Sechs last week, but an x-ray showed it. Took her almost a week to pass it, but she did. She's on antibiotics right now.

Have you posted on the duck forum?

Hmm... there aren't any avian vets around here, much less one that would see a duck I'm afraid.

How do you do the sample, do you send it somewhere?

It has been rather whitish.

Did she act like that with a egg inside her?

No, I haven't yet.

This wouldn't be contagious would it?

 

[Amiga]

EYP is not contagious. A dog and cat vet can have the sample tested for parasites.

You might also convince them to check for weird bacteria - they may be able to look under a microscope. Or have the lab check. There are certain groups of bacteria that are considered unhelpful - they may be able to do that. I think it's $20 to have a fecal tested here. That's some money, but it's less than a vet visit.

If you are on your own, you might want to do some soul searching and some leaning on your own intuition and decide if you want to get some antibiotics and treat as if she has an infection. I could be EYP, it could be an oviduct infection, digestive infection. . .

Just had this thought - heat exhaustion? Can you get her where it's a little cooler, make sure she's swimming in cool-tepid water? I might try alternating just fresh water with the ACV water. How much ACV are you putting into how much water?

 

[NathanZee]

EYP is not contagious. A dog and cat vet can have the sample tested for parasites.

You might also convince them to check for weird bacteria - they may be able to look under a microscope. Or have the lab check. There are certain groups of bacteria that are considered unhelpful - they may be able to do that. I think it's $20 to have a fecal tested here. That's some money, but it's less than a vet visit.

If you are on your own, you might want to do some soul searching and some leaning on your own intuition and decide if you want to get some antibiotics and treat as if she has an infection. I could be EYP, it could be an oviduct infection, digestive infection. . .

Just had this thought - heat exhaustion? Can you get her where it's a little cooler, make sure she's swimming in cool-tepid water? I might try alternating just fresh water with the ACV water. How much ACV are you putting into how much water?

Okay, I'm glad of that.

Heat exhaustion could make sense. The humidity has been the highest the past few days here than ever before in quite a few years, and the temperature is in the nineties. Also she seems to love sitting in a tub of cool water, and drinks it. But why would she be walking funny? Are her legs exhausted? Probably about 2 tablespoons of acv in about a 2 cups of water, is that too strong? Now the temperature is cooler she should be okay overnight if the heat is bad, but in the morning we will try putting her in some cool water.

What I'm curious is why would she get heat exhaustion, and not the other ducks? She is a Mallard, and I would think she could handle the heat a little better than the other ducks.

This might help you to know that 2 nights ago she spent the night and most of the following day by little temporary pond, and we couldn't find her in that time. She just grew in her wings and for some reason flew there. When I found her and brought her home, she didn't want to eat much, and she hasn't laid since then. Oh, I forgot to say her last two eggs have been slightly more faded in color, she usually has a nice green and the last two were pale greenish, and then a tannish one.

 

[Amiga]

She could have picked up botulism from the temporary pond. Is the water kind of icky?

I would offer her water with food grade activated charcoal in it. It absorbs toxins. Probably a tablespoon charcoal in a quart of water - let her have that for a while to drink, then switch back to fresh water.

The ACV sound a little strong for longer term - I would back off, go with maybe a tablespoon per gallon, and none in the charcoal water.

It may have helped, though - I don't know if higher acidity helps with botulism. I know trying to help her get rid of the toxin as soon as possible helps. If it's been a day or so, I think the charcoal would do the most good.

Botulism affects the legs. Makes ducks appear to be somewhat drunk (depends on how much toxin).

Or, she could have picked up a bacterium. Things happen, we do our best and sometimes the ducks get into trouble in ways we did not anticipate.

 

[NathanZee]

She could have picked up botulism from the temporary pond. Is the water kind of icky?

I would offer her water with food grade activated charcoal in it. It absorbs toxins. Probably a tablespoon charcoal in a quart of water - let her have that for a while to drink, then switch back to fresh water.

The ACV sound a little strong for longer term - I would back off, go with maybe a tablespoon per gallon, and none in the charcoal water.

It may have helped, though - I don't know if higher acidity helps with botulism. I know trying to help her get rid of the toxin as soon as possible helps. If it's been a day or so, I think the charcoal would do the most good.

Botulism affects the legs. Makes ducks appear to be somewhat drunk (depends on how much toxin).

Or, she could have picked up a bacterium. Things happen, we do our best and sometimes the ducks get into trouble in ways we did not anticipate.

No, not really, it was pretty clear. But it did have a thin film of something over it, I don't know what it was.

Can you get charcoal like that at a grocery store?

Oh, okay.

So the toxin should start to wear off soon right?

I just wish I knew what it was, its hard to help her without knowing.

Would giving the rest of the flock a little ACV be a good preventative?

 

[Amiga]

Some grocery stores will carry it - in the pharmacy section, sometimes in the tummy treatment aisle...call ahead. If you burn only clean hardwood, then the charcoal from your woodstove is probably (I cannot guarantee anything) fine - just grind it up into a fine powder.

Sometimes with enough fresh water, ducks can pass toxins pretty well. The charcoal soaks up what's still in there, I am told.

Hospitals use it on drug overdose patients after they pump the patients' stomachs.

I don't know that ACV can protect them from toxins. Just don't know.