Sudden Death [Update] - Coughing and Heavy Breathing

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These are our first ducks (well since I was a kid), so I don't know what that might look like. Is rapid onset normal for pneumonia or sinus infection? This all transpired in less than 24 hours. Aspiration seems more plausible, but I don't know how it would have happened. Someone had mentioned worms--is that a possibility?
They can go from sounding fine day to sounding like they are drowning the next. When you carried him, was his crop full of water? If it was, it's possible that he could have aspirated from that, though you should have noticed when you set him down.
 
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They can go from sounding fine day to sounding like they are drowning the next. When you carried him, was his crop full of water? If it was, it's possible that he could have aspirated from that, though you should have noticed when you set him down.
He'd been sitting for some time after being in the water when I carried him. Is there anything to do at that point if there is a crop issue?
 
He'd been sitting for some time after being in the water when I carried him. Is there anything to do at that point if there is a crop issue?
You just have to be careful handling them if their crops are full of water. I've had them aspirate water from carrying them, but never enough to kill them, so I doubt this is what happened. When it happens here I usually notice that they start open mouth breathing, gurgling and coughing, but they usually cough up the water in 30 minutes or less. This issue with the crop is why people should never carry their birds upside down by the legs.
 
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You just have to be careful handling them if their crops are full of water. I've had them aspirate water from carrying them, but never enough to kill them, so I doubt this is what happened. When it happens here I usually notice that they open mouth breathing, gurgling and coughing, but they usually cough up the water in 30 minutes or less. This issue with the crop is why people should never carry their birds upside down by the legs.
We don't carry our birds like that. Aspiration does seem likely, but how? The vet is on it.
 

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