Update: Sick duckling, flopping on back, looks like Pasteurella

[Kim65]

I googled Penicillin doses for ducks and got 30,000 units or a bit less for a small duck. The DuraPen I have is 150,000 units in one milliliter (ml) so I figured just under 0.25 ml would be roughly 30,000. It being her first dose I thought if I was a little high, oh well. She'll die in a couple of days if I don't do something. So I dug around in all the crap I bring home from the hospital in my pockets, got a teensy needle and my daughter held her while I gave her first dose.

I learned how and where to give a bird a shot here: http://shilala.homestead.com/injection.html

Apparently sulfonamides (Dimethox 40%) and penicillins are good for pasteurella and if THAT is what she has, she'll be feeling better in a couple of days. I've not had much luck syringing water into her bill, but she has a bowl of electrolyte water and a tiny bowl of peas

and she's settled down for the night.

I also have a chicken with most of her back skin ripped off down to the muscle in the tote next to the duckling. The chicken got herself a shot of Durapen too, and is slightly more cooperative with syringe feeding.

Then tomorrow I go to work and give human beings shots and antibiotics and fluids

Wow, she just seized again

I picked her up, it seems like she stops breathing. Poor little thing. Keep your fingers crossed for her. Her name is Bella.

 

[Puddle Foot Farm]

Good luck Bella.

 

[callducklover20]

Here is the links I got when I believed my ducks had pasteurella- http://www.xtremegamebirds.com/Dosage Chart.html, http://www.duckhealth.com/duckhlth.html, http://www.shagbarkbantams.com/contents.htm, http://www.acornhollowbantams.com/waterfowl_basics.cfm?id=46. After I lost a few ducklings, I gave all mine injections are they are all better now-good luck with everything

 

[Kim65]

Thanks for your well wishes. She seized or whatever it is two more times during the night, but they seemed to resolve more quickly. She's sipping her water too, something she refused to do last night, so I hope that's a good sign. A duck that won't drink water is terrifying! Just she is jumpy as heck. I am still giving her electrolyte water and another dose of baby vitamins (without iron). I cautiously admit she looks a little better . . . esp with the drinking water. I put some peas in there with her and she's ignored them. Well, she layed down on them, hoping for osmosis or something lol.

 

[nettie]

if she will drink but not eat, you can make her a slurry. You can mix either her pellets, cat food, dog food, even parrot pellets into water and make a slurry. If she'll dnrink, she might drink this mix and get some nutrition in her. Only let her have a small dish of slurry for about 1-2 hours at a time so it doesn't spoil (make a new batch each time).

 

[Kim65]

Thank you Nettie. I will make her a slurry. I gave her another ml of baby vitamins and her shot of Durapen. She's had two seizures so far today. I just hold her during them and afterward until she comes around. She sits around resting mostly, and yes I called in "sick" to work again today, I can't leave her.

 

[Kim65]

I made her a slurry, which she's sipped at. I made one for the coyote attacked chicken she SHE's gobbling it down like mad, so thanks Nettie, you helped both birds.

Still Bella is having violent seizures. Wings spread, neck pulled back and horrid stiffness and twitching. Yesterday she had perhaps two or three seizures (including the one she had when I found her) and today already she's had four. It is such a classic neurological seizure, she stops breathing, goes limp after it's over, is very quiet and "out of it" for a minute or two, then wakes up and wonders how come that human is holding her again.

I can't stand to see this. I know the antibiotic might not be taking effect just yet (two doses of Durapen, about 30,000 units each). I sent my daughter to the liquor store to get a tiny bottle of some kind of hard liquor. Liquor raises the seizure threshhold, and hopefully will relax her a bit and she'll have fewer seizures. I know, kinda desperate

I'll use an eye dropper and drop a single drop in a bit of water and syringe it into her and give her another drop with each seizure, being very careful not to sedate her too much. I watched those Mutual of Omaha Wild Kingdom with the birds and monkeys and elephants eating the fermented fruit and stumbling around drunk lol that's my rationale that a teensy bit won't hurt her. I'll have to watch her respirations and rousability. OF COURSE this is a weekend

 

[Kim65]

Here's an update: I can hardly believe I'm doing it, but SOMETHING is helping this duck. I'm cautiously optimistic, very cautiously. At least I'm gonna keep trying until it's obvious the antibiotics aren't working, which I figure should be no later than tomorrow.

This is the part that bugs me but it SEEMS to be working. 1/2 ml of alcohol (vodka from one of those "nip" bottles) diluted in water several times a day. When she goes without it, the seizures seem to be more often and "harder". Plus it must make her feel calmer

Durapen 1/2 ml injected twice per day

I gave her a couple of mls of injectable Vit B for stress

I added Terramycin to her water (and that of the poor scalped chicken). Still using a slurry of chick starter, a raw goose egg (thanks, Petey Girl) and probiotics. I realized too late the Terramycin in the water will probably kill off the probiotic bugs

so I'll have to give her the probios in a syringe.

Hope this helps someone else, in the least I NEED to get this out of my system, it's gut wrenching and sad

At least the vet will be open tomorrow.

ETA: with all the googling I've done, it has been BYC who comes up at the top of the ratings and where I've found 9/10ths of my information from the knowledgable people here

 

[nettie]

I'm glad to hear she'll drink the slurry water. I'm hoping everything comes out well!

 

[callducklover20]

yep everyone on here has the best info and the best link-my ducks and chickens are so happy and healthy now thanks to all the great people on here- I think Ive now created little monsters though everytime they see me they want another treat lol-love their eggs, peas and all the organic lettuce from the farmers market. I keep following this to see how your girl is doing and keep pulling for her and you.