Sick duckling- seizure and red, irritated eyes

[Tegan26]

Hi, any help please would be so appreciated- sorry this is long.

My little 3 week old duckling had what looked like a seizure today- legs outstretched, neck twisted back and lying still. I scooped her up in my hand and held her close to me for a while and she just sat quietly and then after a minute or so started to chirp again and want to move about.

I thought she was looking a bit poorly- wobbly on her legs, shaking a lot and not seeming to grow much in the past week or so. I have been using brewers yeast and nutritional yeast in her chick starter food. Havent been able to find a cattle b complex injectable solution anywhere- everyone just looks at me like I’m a bit weird. I just picked up some avi-vital for birds - it’s a multi that has all the b’s in it (though the quantities are less than the recommended 100mg niacin)
I don’t know what else I can possibly do? I don’t know if the seizure is nutrient deficiency related, neurological or infection as also yesterday I noticed she was closing her eyes while standing so I checked closer and the inner eyelid the one that moves across from inner eye to outer looks red and sore and more visible than it usually is.

I’ve started the Acv water as read here and I’ve been trying to get her to swim in it too to dunk and clean herself but she just sits in the water shivering even though the water is warmed and she has the light on her. She didn’t even want to clean herself up after I put some of the acv water over her head.

We went out today and went to a few places looking for something like Vetericyn but no where had it - online it’s available but through American sites. I need it now! Is there any Australian brands anyone can recommend or any home remedies that could help?

It seems everywhere I go no one knows about duck care, and no one stocks what I’m reading I need. I can’t lose her, we love her so much.

 

[Tegan26]

Here’s what her eyes look like. It is both her eyes that are affected. I should mention that I have isolated her from our other duckling who seems to be doing well but is 2 weeks older than this one

 

[Beccazon]

Awe! Her eyes do look strange but I am not any kind of expert. Maybe @Miss Lydia can address this? In the meantime, idk what your area has available but temporarily I used oral vitamin B liquid for humans that I got at walmart until I found the injectible cattle type. I was instructed to use twice what I would use of the cattle kind. Perhaps you can find an oral human liquid or crush and dissolve one oral human pill in ducky's water?

 

[Beccazon]

Looks as though she has a lump or swollen area behind her right eye? Is that the camera or is there a bump there? Could she have had an injury to her little head by chance? I have a duck with a neurological issue but hers was from a near drowning as a youngster. B is helping finally!

 

[Tegan26]

Yes I do believe there is a little white lump in the inner corner of her right eye, it’s hard to see all the time though so I can’t be sure.
My daughter was trying to carry two at a time the day we got her home (when the duckling was 1 wk old) and she fumbled with them and this one climbed up to her shoulder and fell into the ground. I was so upset but we haven’t seen any problems since that event until now two weeks later. Could that be causing the seizures you think?
I have a human b vitamin complex here but it has a few other ingredients I’m scared could make her sick. does the liquid one you use only have the b vitamins? Or does it contain other things?

 

[Beccazon]

I didn't notice the corner of her eye. I was looking at the larger "swelled" area on her head behind her eye. But may be just the camera shot? The one I have is pictured. I was told to use more than I would of the cattle one but not sure the dose for a tiny duckling. However, the body passes whatever B vitamins it cannot use. ODing on B vitamins is virtually impossible. If you can find this one for now, try one dropper in her water until someone more knowledgeable can reply. Or offer several drops directly. What else does yours have in it? Again...NOT an expert here by far! Just sharing from my own experience and from info I have gotten when asking my own questions here.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Tegan26 can you tell us what all is In the human b complex you have? Also liquid b complex for humans is safe to use just make sure it has Thiamine also 2 mls over a tasty treat. Hopefully you can find it. And if nothing else can you order fro
Amazon I get my Liquid b complex for cattle from them since no one sells it around here. She could be having neurological issues from her fall or a deficiency but the b can help with both, sure worth trying. Once one is having these problems the liquid works better and faster. Also have you noticed any one picking on this one since she is younger she maybe getting pecked around the eyes. A good saline rinse like used if you wear contacts might help and Terramycin eye ointment which I have to order off Amazon also. I’d keep her close to the others just so they can see her and her them. Or put your most laid back in with her they just seem to do better if they aren’t alone.

 

[Beccazon]

Also I assume what you may see from time to time in the corner of her eye is likely a duct and perhaps visible due to swelling around her eye. The bulging of her eye again makes me think injury to her head. Goodness make up a story for your daughter so she does not feel guilty! Poor girl. These lil buggers can wriggle away from the hands of the best of us!!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Also I assume what you may see from time to time in the corner of her eye is likely a duct and perhaps visible due to swelling around her eye. The bulging of her eye again makes me think injury to her head. Goodness make up a story for your daughter so she does not feel guilty! Poor girl. These lil buggers can wriggle away from the hands of the best of us!!

Boy that’s the truth happened here yesterday thankfully I had my one duckling almost at ground level when she wiggles out of my hands and hit the Rock walkway, scared the poo out of me thankfully it scared her and didn’t hurt her. They will walk from now on. Even in a vise grip they can get away from ya.

 

[Beccazon]

Truth! I think I have better luck carrying my big fat Pekins than a duckling