Sick Duckie...what medicine does she need?

[firehog]

One of my Ducks appears to have a respirtory ailment. She is breathing with open mouth, with a quack at nearly every exhale and keeps shaking her head as if to dislodge something from her mouth. She also is scratching the side of her head.

It is like she has clogged sinuses and her breathing is raspy, like fluid in her lungs? She makes a high pitched squeaky sound like sneezing also. This has been going on for a couple of weeks, I gave her Duramycin-10 mixed with some tomatoes but doesn't help but maybe I should do it 2 times a day for several days in a row? I just did it once a day separated by a few days.

I looked down her throat with a flashlight to see if there was something stuck in there but it is clear but the back of her throat was a white color so not sure if that is normal or not.

I am guessing a bad cold ? Is there any medicine I can buy from the local Farm supply shop that does sell over the counter medications for farm animals. I hate to spend $100 for a vet check up for a $10 duck but I hate to see her suffer and love her too much to put her down. Any advice would be much appreciated. Her constant quacking is breaking my heart, she is about 10 months old. Thanks, Ray

 

[Ravynscroft]

Did you check to see if her nares are clear? Does she bath regularly and does she blow her nares out in the water at least once in a while?

Really, if you can afford to, a vet is probably your best option... many things can cause respiratory distress in ducks and they all have different treatments...

@Amiga

@Miss Lydia

 

[Miss Lydia]

Did you check to see if her nares are clear? Does she bath regularly and does she blow her nares out in the water at least once in a while?

Really, if you can afford to, a vet is probably your best option... many things can cause respiratory distress in ducks and they all have different treatments...

@Amiga

@Miss Lydia

I agree I think if affordable a vet is the best idea.

 

[Amiga]

Whether you can afford the vet or not, she needs some time in a lukewarm tub of clean water (I know they poop in it, but start with clean water) - no soap - she needs to clear her nares for sure.

Does she have a way to wash (no soap) her head frequently?

Check to make sure the bedding and feed are not at all moldy.

The way to give antibiotics is to weigh the duck, and give the appropriate amount based on body weight once or twice a day, or in the drinking water, and to continue that for 7 to 10 days in most cases.

Sounds like it has become respiratory, but you can provide a little relief just letting her clear her nares.

I do recommend a vet visit - they can prescribe different antibiotics than are available at the feed store, and that may make a difference.

Please keep us updated. And please reduce her stress levels as much as possible - making sure she is warm enough, not too warm, has plenty of fresh water and feed, I would also add poultry vitamins to her water twice a week.

 

[firehog]

Duckie is one of 8 ducks/drakes altogether and I provide clean drinking water every night in their pen and they free range during the day and go down to a clear spring fed pond and next to it is the river so she has plenty of clean water to blow out nares ???What are nares, nostril holes on the top of their bills?

She has plenty of good food and veggies so well taken care of.

 

[Ravynscroft]

Duckie is one of 8 ducks/drakes altogether and I provide clean drinking water every night in their pen and they free range during the day and go down to a clear spring fed pond and next to it is the river so she has plenty of clean water to blow out nares ???What are nares, nostril holes on the top of their bills?


She has plenty of good food and veggies so well taken care of. 

Please don't take advice offered the wrong way... nobody is implying that you aren't taking very good care of her... things happen, unfortunately, and we're just trying to help you figure it out and/or help give her some relief...

Yes, the nares are the nostril holes on top of the bill... 99% of ducks will clean and blow them out as needed without issue... but every once in a while, there are ones who don't... or if she is not feeling well, she just might not want to... but Amiga is right, they need to be checked and you might need to help her clear them out... ducks don't breathe well through their mouths...

 

[Amiga]

Yes, ducklings don't always keep up with the important things in spite of all we do for them.

Take a look through the nares - you should be able to see through to the other side. She may be having a problem from mold - that can sneak up on us, too. And then there are just things in the environment that we cannot control.... Vitamins in the water may help boost her immune system till you can get her on a good medicine.

 

[firehog]

Not offended by the advice, just giving more details to eliminate where the problems may rise from. Possible she may have an allergic reaction to some pollen? A friend stopped by and started sneezing right away, said it always happens when he comes to Idaho and when he gets 30 miles over the border into Oregon, his sinuses clear up right away.

I will continue the Duramycin for a week and see if that helps. She seems to be broody now, stays on the nesting box most of the day so I feed her tomatoes and lettuce when she is in there and she wolfs these down so she has good appetite. Raises loud quacking fuss though when I approach the box but is a tame friendly duck and tolerates petting. I love my duckies...they are my grandchildren

I still need to come up with a safe but bitter tasting grease to coat on the back of the necks of the ducks to keep the drakes from pulling the feathers out