Sick Indian Runner Duck, possibly botulism?

[Niche Flock]

Hello! Two days ago I noticed my blue Indian Runner duck, Penelope, was acting rather off. She wasn't like her normal energetic self and stood apart from the flock. I noticed that the feathers were a bit ruffled on a small part of her neck and check for an injury but didn't see anything.
My first thought was that things got a little too rough in their coop overnight, maybe a new pecking order or some roughness.
I've separated her from the flock and keep her in a small dog kennel at night. I gave her probiotics and vitamins in her water along with fresh water during the day. She's not eating her pellets or any treats (loves mealworms and soldier larvae, but isn't interested).
Here's the strange thing, she makes the effort to drink, bob's her head in the water bucket but doesn't lift it high enough to swallow. I've checked her neck for some hardware impaction or some thing she may have swallowed but I don't see anything. It seems like she wants to swim, but I don't want her to drown in the kiddie pool. She is moving around ok, has energy when I pick her up (flaps her wings to get away, carries on) only thing is that she looks hungry. Her crop is concave and her neck looks taunt and skinny. I've tried dunking her head in water and tilting her head back manually along with syringes if her vitamin water and nutri-drench drops in the mouth. Just wondering if this sounds like botulism?? All other adult ducks are fine and acting healthy. It has been VERY dry here but as of the last week we've been getting rain steady. Is there anything else I should be doing? And I should definitely keep her separate from the flock right?

 

[Niche Flock]

 

[Niche Flock]

I just moved a shallow bowl into her own, she kept going around her water bucket in circles like she wanted to get in. She's now siting in the water and continues to dip her bill in but no upward head movements to show she's swallowing. I gave her two syringes of water and electrolytes before this. And even picked her up dunked her head and she seemed to hold her head level. Her neck is not floppy. Right now she seems sleepy, her eyes keep closing

 

[Niche Flock]

 

[Isaac 0]

Sorry to hear about your duck.

There are some obvious problems going on with her, but it's really hard to know without a vet doing a physical examination and some diagnostic testing to help further narrow down what may be affecting her. Unless I saw one of my birds eating something toxic, or they're showing signs that are specific to toxicosis (Limberneck), I'm probably not going to treat her for anything because the substances that you would use to treat toxicosis are going to cause dehydration, and that is the last thing you're going to want with her right now.

Has she laid any eggs recently, did they look ok, does she have a history of producing soft-shelled eggs? The drinking, but not eating part is common with ducks that are trying to pass an egg. How does her abdomen feel, hard, soft? Is she tail bobbing at all, increased respiration effort?

Until we can figure out what's going on with her, move her into warm, quiet, stressful free area. Provide feed and water, but make sure the water is shallow enough she won't be able to drown. Get her weight down now, and if over the next few days she loses 5-10% of that, she'll need to be tube-fed. You can provide a little bit of nutritional support by offering her some scrambled eggs, and putting a little bit of vitamins in her water.

Any more information you have about this duck, will be great.

 

[Niche Flock]

She's not doing well at all. She prefers to sit in the shallow tub of water with her eyes closing. She has fresh water, snacks and mold-free food. I checked her abdomen again and do not feel any bulges where an egg could have dropped or is bound. She seems thin. It appears she has a slight tremor or is shaking a bit.

 

[Isaac 0]

Is a vet an option? I would not have her sitting in water like that.

 

[Niche Flock]

She's walking fine, but seems more lethargic and situates herself back in the water. She flaps her wings when attempt to pick her up. The only symptoms that made me wonder if it is excessive stress or botulism possibly is the lethargy and the inability to lift her head to swallow...but I suppose that could be due to dehydration too...she's standing in her dish now and seems alert. I havent seen her poop, a couple of days ago it was green. She was her rear like normal too, and still places her bill in the water but I don't know if she's drinking/swallowing or not. I checked locally and I don't know of any avian vets, small and large animal but none that have experience with birds.

 

[Niche Flock]

Is a vet an option? I would not have her sitting in water like that.

Unfortunately no. I wish there was one locally....I can check with a local wildlife rehabilitator for advice too.

 

[Isaac 0]

Could you give us your general location, so we can find one for you? She looks very ill.