Backyard Poultry Forum

Help, My muscovy drake is sick. He lost most of his appetite 2-3 days ago, but still drinks water. He has also become not very active. He has green stains near cloaca suggesting no food is being digested and he also has some watery discharge from his left eye which is sometimes bubbly. 5 days ago my brother visited and his husky pup chased all the ducks (until he was caught and locked up). The others are ok and I own a dog so he has seen them before. Could he be in shock, or does he have a blockage? How would i treat either? Help would be appreciated as he is my friend, Kim

Oh dear...the first thing I would do is a flush through...feed your duck a sloppy bran and water mixture to move things through its system...
The mucky eye could indicate something else though....


Riemerella Anatipestifer Infection.
This bacterial disease of ducks is also known as Pasteurella Anatipestifer infection, infectious serositis and New Duck disease. Anatipestifer infection causes high mortality, weight loss and condemnation. In the acute form, listlessness, eye discharge and diarrhea are commonly seen.

Ducks show incoordination, shaking of the head and twisted neck. Birds are commonly found on their backs, paddling their legs. Typical lesions found in dead birds are infected air sacs, membranes covering the heart and liver, and meningitis. Preventive management and vaccination are effective means of control. Penicillin, enrofloxacin and sulfadimethoxine-ormetoprim (0.04-0.08% in feed) are effective in reducing mortality.

Kim just in case your duck has some sort of infection happening it certainly would not hurt to give him a course of any of the meds highlighted...see which ones you can get from the vet...they should be able to tell you the correct dosage..

He probably has gotten a fright with the dogs and perhaps his immune system has been down a little...stress can make sickness rear its ugly head...these two things might have been all that was needed to make him sick...So I would go get some meds...do the bran flush...seperate him from any other ducks/chooks etc and see how you go..Post back again if you need anything else..
Cheers
Loo

Thanks Loo,
But thankfully he has come good. I heard somewhere that if you have a weak duckling that you can mash up a boiled egg yolk in some water and let them drink it. I gave him some wed arvo and then some again in some mash on thursday but basically left him alone incase he was in shock, i didn't want to distress him anymore than the pup had. By yesterday afternoon (Thur) he was eating and moving around normal again. He does still have the watery eye (which is only water, not off-colour like an infection). Maybe this is normal and i just haven't noticed it before? I will check out the others when i feed them again this arvo.
Thanks for your help. Regards, Kim

kim

This advice I got from a mussie breeder. He has about 300 and this is what he advised for your duck
Always carry a can of pink eye (teramicin) got from stock feed good for eyes, open cuts etc.
Can if no visable damage and is still drinking add stamanade powder to there drinking water ,gives them the vit and electrolites they need to recover from shock.
And make sure he still has good clean food around all the time.

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AVRIL
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