worried about BOTULISM: Duck swam in Dirty Water (with dead animals). Help

[sassychickens76]

Hope your baby's not sick

 

[Buffy Brahma Mama]

Hello! I wouldn't seperate him or give him any charcoal.

The bacteria that primarily is found in water with dead animals is coliform. It can be in the water and it doesn't mean he will get sick from it.

I would give him some vitamin water and perhaps orego stim (it think this is approved for all farm animals, as I know it's used in chickens). These things will help boost his immune system.

I don't think the chlorine or the coliform that might be in the water would be in such large quantity to impact him at all. If you just chlorinated the pool however, that might be a different story.

Keep us posted and think positive!

 

[KaleIAm]

Thanks for the tag.

I don't have a lot of experience with this issue, I know in some cases it can be a problem - even resulting in death, but I'm not sure about the specifics of why or if you should give proactive charcoal or antibiotics.

Personally I would call my vet and ask if I should bring my duck in, or not. They'll tell me if I need an appointment and if it is an emergency. And even if I had a vet who wouldn't I would still bring my duck in. The worst thing that can happen from taking your duck in is that you will spend some money you don't need to. The worst thing that could happen if you don't is that your duck could pass away.

 

[TropicalBabies]

Esh! I am so sorry. Well, I second @Buffy Brahma Mama . I don't have ducks but my gal pal had. They got botulism, she was in constant contact with the vet and it was a more ride it out situation. There was little they could do one way or the other from what I remember. Antibiotics don't help. I'd keep flushing his system so if he does have anything icky in him he can flush it out, vitamins to help? I don't think it will hurt but I would let him lay low for a few days. From what I understand, it can be a tricky thing, weeks, months? Yes, call your vet to say you did but lets all hope he is fine

 

[MissE]

Think of all the dead things in lake or pond water. Wild ducks, and domestic ducks if you're fortunate enough to have a real pond, swim in water where something has died all the time.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If you feel better doing the charcoal flush it won't hurt him. I agree separating him is probably not the best thing to do, since it's stressful for them. If you don't have the activated charcoal then there is molasses or epsom salt flushes. I keep all 3 on hand.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/flushes-for-aiding-in-toxin-removal.700526/

 

[Banana01]

I wouldn't be too worried because he didn't injest maggots or anything. Botulism is anaerobic, I'm sure some botulism is in your pool, but he swam around on the surface and maybe ingested the surface water. Onset of effects would be 12-24 hours or longer. I did a post on here about my chicken surviving botulism, but not about how to treat it. Vets and water samples are not going to help.

I would however give charcoal immediately. Just burn a pile of sticks or wood, and take a piece of clean black carbon from the ashes and pulverize it into powder with your fingers. Mix the carbon with water and administer in an eye dropper. The carbon will mitigate the botulism toxin by absorbing it if he did injest any. Other than carbon, nothing else is going to help because you're primary concern is getting what he injested out without releasing any toxin. I hope he makes it okay.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

I do understand your concern, but i also couldn't suppress a little smile: You are a new duck-owner?
Having ducks of just shy of three years now i got used to their sometimes disgusting behavior. My ducks never drink from the fresh water before somebody has pooped into. If they have the choice between a bowl of fresh water, a bowl of stagnant algae soup or a muddy puddle, they use the puddle to bathe, poop into the fresh water and drink the algae-soup.
A duck's stomach is lined with a thick layer of Teflon, they can and do swallow things too disgusting to describe here without being disciplined.
Your drake is very likely more concerned about you right now, than you should be worry about him. It is highly unlikely that he will even experience an upset stomach.

 

[CoriM]

How's your duck today?

 

[graypes]

Hello! I wouldn't seperate him or give him any charcoal.

The bacteria that primarily is found in water with dead animals is coliform. It can be in the water and it doesn't mean he will get sick from it.

I would give him some vitamin water and perhaps orego stim (it think this is approved for all farm animals, as I know it's used in chickens). These things will help boost his immune system.

I don't think the chlorine or the coliform that might be in the water would be in such large quantity to impact him at all. If you just chlorinated the pool however, that might be a different story.

Keep us posted and think positive!

So the pool hasn't been cleaned for the summer yet, so when the pool cover blew off, rain filled the empty pool about 4 inches. No chlorine in it yet, its just rain water and dead stuff that collected there!

Personally I would call my vet and ask if I should bring my duck in, or not. They'll tell me if I need an appointment and if it is an emergency. And even if I had a vet who wouldn't I would still bring my duck in. The worst thing that can happen from taking your duck in is that you will spend some money you don't need to. The worst thing that could happen if you don't is that your duck could pass away.

That's my thinking too!! But by the time Monday came around, my vet totally ghosted me lol! But so far the drake, Nipple, seems to be fine so I guess I'll just watching him with a close eye now!

I wouldn't be too worried because he didn't injest maggots or anything. Botulism is anaerobic, I'm sure some botulism is in your pool, but he swam around on the surface and maybe ingested the surface water. Onset of effects would be 12-24 hours or longer. I did a post on here about my chicken surviving botulism, but not about how to treat it. Vets and water samples are not going to help.

This was really helpful to read, soothed my mind! Now that its a couple days out from the pool incident, I think its safe to say, Nipple will live another day! No botulism yet, I'm just waiting til the end of the week to fully celebrate, just to make sure he doesn't develop any respiratory infections!

I do understand your concern, but i also couldn't suppress a little smile: You are a new duck-owner?

Haha guilty, I've had my ducks a little over a year now but I'll still get sent into a panic when the slightest thing goes awry! I'm an overprotective parent lolol
I gave him a charcoal flush followed by some vitamins in his water and probiotics on his food just to be safe! last year when he and the duck were only a month old, they developed a nasty respiratory illness and required 2x daily oral antibiotics which they just LOVED (LOATHED), so I was just so nervous we'd have to repeat that process! I'm glad though its looking like he'll live lol
now that I think about it, I probably got him out within 5 minutes of him getting in so all that worrying for naught lol

THANK YOU ALL FOR YOUR HELP!!!