X-rays added. Surgery or endoscopy to remove large stones? Finally found the issue four weeks into hand feeding to keep duck alive

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Worcester_Cat

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We had an X-ray done and it seems our gorgeous duck has three stones stuck in her ventriculous and one in her proventriculous.

My local vet thinks these have moved down the tract but the specialist exotic vet thinks they can’t come out on their own.

It will cost a lot for a ct scan even before removal so we are looking at a lot of money.

I wondered if you had any advice or experience regarding this situation. X

P.s photos added and Flora is a runner duck (for size purposes)
 

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So sad for you and your girl. I dont have experience with this. I once paid for a consultation with an exotic vet and it was very expensive and the vet couldn't do more than offer to euthanize my drake. I declined as the boy had a good quality of life and the will to live. He lived another 6 months a very happy boy, then died unexpectedly and out of the blue still believing he was boss duck! I could not afford the number you have mentioned and then surgery. If she were mine, I would go for palliative care like I did with my boy until her quality of life decides for you that she needs to be euthanized. I dont know her or her present condition but the time that you decide to euthanize might be now. Its not a nice decision to make. You both have my sincere sympathy
 
ruthhope said:
So sad for you and your girl. I dont have experience with this. I once paid for a consultation with an exotic vet and it was very expensive and the vet couldn't do more than offer to euthanize my drake. I declined as the boy had a good quality of life and the will to live. He lived another 6 months a very happy boy, then died unexpectedly and out of the blue still believing he was boss duck! I could not afford the number you have mentioned and then surgery. If she were mine, I would go for palliative care like I did with my boy until her quality of life decides for you that she needs to be euthanized. I dont know her or her present condition but the time that you decide to euthanize might be now. Its not a nice decision to make. You both have my sincere sympathy
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Thanks for your support Ruth. I am still hopeful. X
 
I don’t think it would hurt and there’s maybe a chance it might be helpful to feed your duck some small chunks of coconut oil, at least I would try that especially since the local Vet seems to think they are moving through the track. Maybe the slipperiness could help.
 
casportpony said:
Has your local vet seen them?

Is she eating and pooping?
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These were by my local vet and the specialist would like to 3D scan. The specialist has seen the X-rays (taken Monday) and advised this needs to be done to check size and position before an endoscopy or operation to remove.

She is pooping. She is drinking all the time. She was not eating food by herself so we have been hand feeding her peas and meal worms. She has been ravenous (originally lost 1kg). I started line feeding her on Saturday and she has picked up no end in the last two days. She is now preening, leading the others around the pond and putting up a fight when we handle her.

She is still uncomfortable and doesn’t appear to sit but we have her on metacam. She loves the pond. I have not seen her eat any pellets but she is foraging now in the pond and in the grass.

Interestingly, she went to the vets twice who gave her a thorough examination and it is only this third time that they felt a mass/lumps so decided to Xray. This suggests to me, either something else was causing her to be poorly or the stones have been moving through her.

She has been so up and down but she is currently the best she has been in four weeks which is a really good sign, I was hoping.
 

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