Strange Gosling problem

[cochese53]

Hi All,

I have a family of Canadian Geese that frequently raid my duck pen; they're mostly harmless and I typically chase them away when they chase my ducks. I noticed a gosling was missing feathers/fur around its neck in such a perfect ring that it looks like it was done with hair clippers; The skin is red and irritated. The gosling's behavior appears mostly normal, but stumbles off on its own away from its parents often (and they don't seem to care much about it surprisingly). It also appears to foam at the mouth and shake its head around from time to time throwing saliva/foam around. He has 2 siblings that is usually in close contact with, sharing food/water and they seem to be fine.

I'm not a huge fan of the over population of geese that we have, but I am genuinely concerned for this little guy. I am also concerned for the rest of the waterfowl at our community pond. Hoping someone might have a seen it before and/or have a good idea of what it could be? Links to 2 mediocre pics below, I can take more if needed.

Thanks,

CoCHeSe

http://www.superdawson.com/goose/p1.jpg
http://www.superdawson.com/goose/p2.jpg

(UPDATE) New video of the Goosling

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi All,

I have a family of Canadian Geese that frequently raid my duck pen; they're mostly harmless and I typically chase them away when they chase my ducks. I noticed a gosling was missing feathers/fur around its neck in such a perfect ring that it looks like it was done with hair clippers; The skin is red and irritated. The gosling's behavior appears mostly normal, but stumbles off on its own away from its parents often (and they don't seem to care much about it surprisingly). It also appears to foam at the mouth and shake its head around from time to time throwing saliva/foam around. He has 2 siblings that is usually in close contact with, sharing food/water and they seem to be fine.

I'm not a huge fan of the over population of geese that we have, but I am genuinely concerned for this little guy. I am also concerned for the rest of the waterfowl at our community pond. Hoping someone might have a seen it before and/or have a good idea of what it could be? Links to 2 mediocre pics below, I can take more if needed.

Thanks,

CoCHeSe

http://www.superdawson.com/goose/p1.jpg
http://www.superdawson.com/goose/p2.jpg

I have no idea what could be wrong with that gosling but I know some one who maybe able to help you, would you send this to Speceider by PM he is pretty knowledgeable and maybe able to help.

 

[cochese53]

Thanks Miss Lydia, I PM'd them.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks Miss Lydia, I PM'd them.

I hope he can give you some answers, poor lil thing I've never seen anything like that with the feathers.

 

[cochese53]

I poked around the forums and found that this gosling's behavior resembles the "Dying gosling" post by "Carrosaur." Sort of a stumbling stupor at times, as if intoxicated. My sympathy goes out to Carrosaur; and I apologize to all those with stronger bonds to their fowl that probably need the help more than I do!

Happy to see it is still alive this morning, and with his family again. Finally got it to drink some "Sav-A-Chick Electrolyte and Vitamin Supplement" -- hope it helps. I am feeding it "DuMor Grower/Finisher" as well. I took more pics but its sort of more of the same. It seems to be more alert, less stumbling, but maybe because its morning.

 

[Starfire669]

The head shaking and foaming make me think the gosling got into something toxic. Maybe it ate some poison plant or drank some fouled water with bad bacteria which is causing the symptoms.

I don't know what to make of the bald red neck. Except that it also looks like it may have infection. How the original injury occurred I have no idea, but if the gosling has access to bad water and dunks it's head in, it would get infected through the open skin.

Is there any way to put the baby on antibiotics?

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is so sweet of you to take an interest in them, hopefully what you are doing will help. You can also get some activated charcoal from antacid isle at walmart or pharmacy and open a capsule and put into a small bucket of water 2capsules to a gal would be fine, offer to them to drink and hopefully this lil one will drink out of it, if it's a toxin the charcoal will help to eliminate it from it's system. also continue the electrolytes/vitamins too. please keep us updated. glad to hear it seems better this morning.

 

[cochese53]

Thanks to all for the advice. Just an update. Talked to one of my pond neighbors and they said a feral cat attacked the gosling and shredded its neck. After further inspection it seems that could be the case and the rest is just infection and difficulty swallowing when it wobbles its head? It seems to be doing well this afternoon after several drinks of electrolyte and vitamin supplement (we call it Duck-Orade) on several occasions today. Close up pic below reveals some cracks and possible scratches or tooth marks? I also included a new video to show how well its getting along, again sorry the video is so large.

http://www.superdawson.com/goose/p3.jpg
http://www.superdawson.com/goose/v2.mp4

 

[Starfire669]

Thanks to all for the advice.  Just an update.  Talked to one of my pond neighbors and they said a feral cat attacked the gosling and shredded its neck.  After further inspection it seems that could be the case and the rest is just infection and difficulty swallowing when it wobbles its head?  It seems to be doing well this afternoon after several drinks of electrolyte and vitamin supplement (we call it Duck-Orade) on several occasions today.  Close up pic below reveals some cracks and possible scratches or tooth marks?  I also included a new video to show how well its getting along, again sorry the video is so large. 

http://www.superdawson.com/goose/p3.jpg
http://www.superdawson.com/goose/v2.mp4

Cat bites are highly infectious. Their needle teeth deposit germs into a wound that then cause infection. About 4 years ago I was bitten on my hand by a cat at a shelter I was thinking of adopting, (I did not adopt her) I had to have antiboitics injected into my hand. my hand swelled up so much my skin split an docouple not move my fingers for 2 weeks. This baby may also need some antiboitics to help it recover from infection if it was bitten.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope the parents beat the tar out of that cat. I'm glad to hear it is doing better this afternoon. Hopefully it will recover completely, seems it would be very hard to treat this one gosling with antibiotics without treating everyone. Thanks for update.