URGENT - Gosling with seizures - help!

[skaelia]

I was hoping you might be able to help!

We had to put down a 3 week old gosling last week because it was having very bad seizures. It started with it losing interest in food, losing the ability to walk, blindness, and then seizures to the point where it was unconscious. This all happened really fast, within about 24 hours, but I thought it could have been a birth defect as that one was very slow to pip and had a long hatch in general. Was never quite right from the beginning.

However, now we have a 10 day old gosling starting to show the same symptoms. Its brooder mate, three days older, is super healthy and that was the case with the last one as well.

I'm fairly certain it's not a nutrient deficiency. They're getting lots of greens, and their food should have plenty of niacin. If there's anything you can think of please let me know! I've looked in all my books and sources on the internet and can't find much about this.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I’m so sorry for your loss. What are you feeding your goslings? And you say your feeding greens are you also providing grit?

 

[skaelia]

Yes, they get plenty of grit.

We're feeding a 20% chick starter feed (scratch and peck) supplemented with brewer's yeast.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Are you putting 1 tablespoon per cup? Is a vet an option?

 

[skaelia]

I've been adding 1.5 cups of livestock grade brewer's yeast per 5 lbs of feed.

I should clarify that the two goslings in question are from different hatches that were several weeks apart. The older goslings were being housed outside (on grass during the day, in a shelter at night) when this happened, and the younger ones are still indoors. So it's probably not something environmental, but I've sanitized everything just to be sure.

Also, in both cases there's a loud crackling/gurgling sound coming from their stomachs...maybe from not eating anything?

At a friend's recommendation I've given a niacin supplement in water to the one that's ill. She mentioned that she had the same issues with seizures after scratch and peck changed their formula, and this was reversed when she gave them extra niacin. I was always under the impression that symptoms of niacin deficiency would show more gradually, but it's worth a try.

Open to any other thoughts/suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Let’s see if @Isaac 0 has any ideas or @Iain Utah this can clarify some of the niacin questions. https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/

 

[Conan]

Can you switch their feed? I've never cared for scratch and peck starter. Purina flock raiser crumbles is formulated perfectly for waterfowl, and my littles have always thrived on it.

 

[skaelia]

Yep, switching feed is next on my list as soon as the feed stores open tomorrow!

 

[Isaac 0]

Hi there,

To clarify, seizures can be caused by any disease that causes a sudden electrical discharge into the brain, if the seizures are recurrent, it can be described as epilepsy. Something you may ask is what can cause seizures in birds, to name a few, nutritional deficiency specifically in calcium, vitamin D, thiamine, or vitamin E can cause seizures. So can any viral disease or bacterial infection, neoplasm's, metabolic, structural disorders, neurological damage, toxicity in either lead, zinc, organic mercury, pyrethroids, organophosphates, carbamates, or meythlxananthines.

If we are unable to speak with a vet, we'll need to try to eliminate each possible common cause until a diagnosis can be made. I do think you have a good assumption that it's not nutritionally related as the severe progression of the symptoms to me doesn't sound nutritional related, if it was, the state of decline would be much slower.

I do have some questions that will help later, have you noticed any mold in their feed, bedding or pen, are you aware of anything they may have been near eaten that was toxic, do you have an open or closed flock, have the birds experienced any type of neurological damage to the head or neck recently, can you further describe the seizure episodes, could you post a video of the goose, how do her poops look, could you tell me all of her symptoms to more detail, what kind of heat lamp are you using, could you post a picture of her eye, if it's dry and she is unable to blink it'll need to be lubricated?

If you can see a vet YOU SHOULD, birds that are experiencing seizures should be examined and cared for immediately. The first line of action should be placing the goose into a well-padded cage to prevent further damage when experiencing seizures, the feed and water dishes should be shallow to prevent aspiration or drowning. The area that she be kept in should be quiet, and dimly lit, we want to reduce further stress. If she is not willing to drink, she'll need to be tube-fed, I'll refer to @casportpony for guidance on that topic.

I do want you to see a vet if you can, they'll be able to perform a few diagnostic tests to help narrow down the cause, they'll be able to prescribe medications for the underlying cause, and will be able to administer benzodiazepines initially to reduce the frequency of her seizures, they'll also be able to provide her with advanced supportive care.

https://www.metzerfarms.com/Veterinarians.cfm

I do think time is critical here given the decline of your other goose.

 

[Isaac 0]

To post a video, you'll need to upload t to youtube and copy/paste the link here.