Help!...duck viral hepatitis?

15 years ago

We've had five of our mallard ducks hatch ducklings this spring... what fun! (We've had mallards on our pond off and on for years and have never before had them hatch ducklings.) I've raised a number of purchased batches of ducklings through the years and commented awhile back that I'd never lost a duckling. But now... we brought three of the ducklings inside that were abandoned or somehow strayed away. They were doing fine and then one by one began to be weak in their legs and for a little while scooted on their stomachs and then died. Another whole batch that looked freshly hatched were left by the hen and were huddled alone in really bad weather so we brought them all in and have been raising them carefully as we've always done. Today they are beginning to do the same as the other three... I isolated three of them that seemed unable to walk well and two are now dead. I am afraid I'll lose this whole batch also and I so hoped to keep them alive since the babies left with the hens are fast disappearing. Checking the web, it sounds a little like viral hepatitis, but have any of you had any experience with this? The hens that hatched all these ducklings did fine when we raised them. Excuse the long post, hope someone has time to read it! Also I'm concerned about our beloved African Grey parrot... would he be susceptible since we've had these ducklings in the house?

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Comments (5)

msjay2u
15 years ago
I have not had any experience with this but I was a little curious so I looked it up on the Internet. I am not sure if I read the right info or not but what I did read made me a little concerned. It appears if it is viral Hepatitis it can not only transmit to other birds but it appears to humans as well. What I read about is chlamydiosis and it said that hepatitis often accompanies it. i suggest you contact a vet ASAP and also touch bases with your physician. This is nothing to guess about. Sometimes you have to call a professional.
Good luck and keep us updated please....

Again I am not sure if I found the right info for you or not and I hope I don't panic you unnecessarily...

Here is a link that might be useful: please read this
islandmanmitch
15 years ago
I would wipe everything down with a bleach water solution at the very least.
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brendan_of_bonsai
15 years ago
msjay2uThe article linked too was a little confusingly worded, part of the psychophysiology of a Chlamydophila psittaci (correct spelling) infection is inflammation of the liver (Hepatitis) which is not the same thing as Hepatitis A,B,C,E,F,and K (which are different viral diseases in humans and other mammals and for which we tend to use the short hand "Hepatitis").

To the OP, Why do you think it's a viral hepatitis exactly? I think we need more info before an answer can be found. Lameness then death is symptomatic of everything from Chalmydiosis to inadequate nutrition to accidental poisoning. Too much information is better than too little.

What were you feeding them? What was the temp like where they were kept? Clean water? Other symptoms (Low energy, glassy eyes, runny stool, any kind of discharged or waxy/flaky buildup, did the legs bow or just buckle)? In any case a little Bleach is probably a good thing, or 70% alcohol, avoid antibacterial soaps.

If it does say turn out to be Chlamydoiosis it's very treatable in both the ducks and you if you catch it early enough, (closely related to Chlamydia the STI) probably spend a few weeks on Azithromycin or Doxycycline and be right as rain. Death is ever so slightly less responsive to treatment.

Keep a close eye on that parrot, any sullen behavior, or if he stops eating or preening take him straight to the vet.
rantheman
15 years ago
The cleaning methods described will help greatly in the future. The thing to remember is that most disinfectants are inactivated by organic matter. so the place has to be clean first. second most require a ten minute contact time. The syndrome you described also sounds like poor utilization of vitB. Very common in ducks as the feed often is lacking good luck

Rantheman B.Sc.Ag, R.A.H.T.
monicahija
13 years ago
Hi,

I just got last week 4 ducklings from the street (south india)and now one of them died with the back arched, and one eye fully close...she was fine till yesterday ,when i notice that actually she was smaller than the others and, couldn't walk properly (she couldn't follow the speed of the other 3)and today she died,,,
So i read that for the symptom of the back arched, could be this Duck Viral Hepatitis, so i am worry for the other 3 babies, and for 2 more that are older(4 month old)...and also very worried for my african grey ...since they share the space (4m x 4m x 3m). Usually the ducks are on the floor and the parrot in some branches and is rare that the parrot goes down to get some food from the ducks (she has her food up close to a brach)

So my question is if i have to worry for the way she died (back arched)? i would like to know what happen to the african grey from the previous post? thanks, monica

Help!...duck viral hepatitis?

Comments (5)

msjay2u

islandmanmitch

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brendan_of_bonsai

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