Normal Goose Behavior or Should I worry?

[EnsignIdonia]

If it’s possible I think you should take him to a vet. It sounds like he may have a serious respiratory infection. If it’s bacterial it will be easier to treat than if it’s a fungal infection.

I also suggest removing the straw and use pine shavings instead. Straw often harbors mites, mold spores, and bacteria.

We found a vet that treats geese not far and got in for tomorrow.

We'll move to pine this week. Thank you for your help. I feel so bad for him

 

[EnsignIdonia]

So we have a broad spectrum antibiotics and a dewormer. They did a float test and fecal smear with negative results. Here he is at the vet.

After two doses he's not changed much. We're pretty confident he's drinking and rinsing his face but don't think he's eating well. I'll see him touch the food and get a bit then leave the bowl.

We're wondering if he needs some electrolytes or if we should give him some food via syringe. He has romaine, a favorite snack, and isn't eating it. There's fresh dry food too.

We still have him quarantined in the unheated garage to keep him close. His friends are upset outside.

I don't know what to do if this doesn't work.

 

[Jenbirdee]

did the vet do a blood test or an xray to see if he ate something toxic like metal?

 

[Jenbirdee]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/geese-with-neurological-symptoms.563771/post-7280454

 

[EnsignIdonia]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/geese-with-neurological-symptoms.563771/post-7280454

They didn't do x-rays or blood. We were going cautious but if this doesn't work we might have to consider it. From the look of that thread there's nothing do it if that's the case so I guess we just make him comfortable?

I can't afford surgery and hospital care for a goose, it's a big reason we don't have cats or dogs. I definitely don't want him to suffer.

We normally keep them in an enclosure with no objects except their house and food/ water. Their fence is also snow fence so not metal.

 

[Jenbirdee]

 

[EnsignIdonia]

We're on day 3 of meds. He's on a broad spectrum antibiotic and finished Panacur dewormer. He hates it.

He was still lethargic and not eating so we decided being alone in the garage wasn't worth it. We have a very large house, big enough for about 10 geese to lie down with room. Fresh food, deep fresh water all to himself. The girls can sit next to him since the whole front is hardware cloth. He's easy to catch so I think he's still getting his strength back and we watch him through the window. We think we see him eating.

The vet wants him on 3 days of antibiotics but we might give him an extra day. We have 7 days worth.

Thank you for everything.

 

[Goosebaby]

We're on day 3 of meds. He's on a broad spectrum antibiotic and finished Panacur dewormer. He hates it.

He was still lethargic and not eating so we decided being alone in the garage wasn't worth it. We have a very large house, big enough for about 10 geese to lie down with room. Fresh food, deep fresh water all to himself. The girls can sit next to him since the whole front is hardware cloth. He's easy to catch so I think he's still getting his strength back and we watch him through the window. We think we see him eating.

The vet wants him on 3 days of antibiotics but we might give him an extra day. We have 7 days worth.

Thank you for everything.

Give him 5 days of antibiotics and then reevaluate. Overall I’d say give him 7 days of it but that’s up to you.
3 days isn’t enough to do anything. 5 day treatments are more for mild to moderate bacterial infections. 7 days is typical treatment. 10+ days for a severe infection where they’re gravely ill.

A lot of vets don’t like to prescribe birds antibiotics longer than 7 days due to the risk of harming their immune response and them getting aspergillosis as a secondary treatment, but limiting the antibiotic treatment can either not treat the illness or they can relapse which also lowers their immune response to asper.

Sometimes with more severe illness it’s hard to tell if the medication is working. The more severe the illness the longer the recovery time. If they’ve gone off their food and are lethargic that’s a serious illness so it will take longer to see improvement, if he’s started eating again that’s a sign he’s starting to feel better.

 

[Goosebaby]

So we have a broad spectrum antibiotics and a dewormer. They did a float test and fecal smear with negative results. Here he is at the vet.

After two doses he's not changed much. We're pretty confident he's drinking and rinsing his face but don't think he's eating well. I'll see him touch the food and get a bit then leave the bowl.

We're wondering if he needs some electrolytes or if we should give him some food via syringe. He has romaine, a favorite snack, and isn't eating it. There's fresh dry food too.

We still have him quarantined in the unheated garage to keep him close. His friends are upset outside.

I don't know what to do if this doesn't work.

If he’s been off his food long enough it will make him incredibly weak and actually reluctant to eat. You could start tube feeding him.

You’ll need a 60ml syringe, a lamb feeding tube, and a 30% protein game bird start or parrot recovery formula. Some of these things you can find at feed stores, your vet might also have them.

It can seem daunting if you’ve never done it before but it’s easier than it seems.


Mix formula or feed with an enough hot water to maintain a soupy consistency, you’ll probably need to add water or it will get gummy. Let it cool until you can stick your finger into it without burning but it’s still warm, then fill the entire syringe, try to minimize the amount of air bubbles in it.

With one hand apply pressure to the corners of his mouth until he opens, insert the tube down HIS right side of the throat and push it all the way down, you’ll see or feel the lump going down the side of his throat.

once it’s down at the base of the neck hit the plunger.

The faster you do this the easier it is and the less stressful it is for him.



Also by the way what antibiotic is he on?

 

[Goosebaby]

What antibiotic is he on?