When choosing which birds to breed, farmers often stop at ducks with strong immunity. However, they also sometimes suffer from diseases, which is why it is important for the breeder to provide the right treatment in time to save the livestock.
In our article, we will consider the main types of infectious and non-communicable diseases of ducks, talk about external parasites, tell you how to protect birds and give basic recommendations for treatment.
Infectious diseases
Infectious diseases are dangerous because they spread fairly quickly to all ducks, and can also spread to people. The causative agents of infections are all sorts of viruses, fungi and bacteria.
Aspergillosis
This disease is caused by a fungus that is sufficiently resistant to various chemical and physical factors. The infection primarily affects the respiratory system.
The occurrence of this disease is most often promoted by such factors as prolonged use of antibiotics, weakening of the immunity of birds, excessive humidity during storage of feed.
Symptoms
In addition to the fact that the ducks look exhausted, there are other signs of the disease:
- labored and rapid breathing;
- shortness of breath, in advanced cases - wheezing;
- loss of appetite;
- impaired coordination of movement;
- torticollis;
- damage to the air sacs;
- discharge from the nose is observed;
- paralysis.
Treatment
Treatment with nystatin 2 times a day. Ducks are given potassium iodide mixed in proportions of 60 ml of water per 150 mg. Aerosol treatment of the room with a 1% iodine solution is performed. The room is disinfected with 1% sodium hydroxide or 2-3% alkaline formaldehyde solution.
Prevention
For prevention purposes, the containers used for drinking and feeders are thoroughly disinfected. Ducks are provided with natural ventilation and vaccinated with Aspergillus fumigatus vaccines.
Pasteurellosis (cholera)
Type of infectious disease of ducks, in which there are signs of hemorrhagic diathesis and septicemia. The source of this disease is a sick or ill bird, insects (especially ticks), animal feed.
Symptoms
The incubation period of the disease lasts from 12 hours to 2-4 days. Symptoms of the acute form include:
- oppression;
- an increase in the body temperature of ducks to 43-44 degrees oFROM;
- thirst;
- poor appetite or lack thereof;
- diarrhea, in which the litter is gray-green, with an admixture of blood.
The duration of the chronic form of the disease is several weeks. Symptoms of this form are:
- joint swelling;
- lameness;
- sagging wings;
- rhinitis.
Treatment
Treatment is carried out with the help of antibiotics, which should be given with food for 5-7 days. The therapeutic dose of chloramphenicol is 60-80 mg / kg, tetracycline is 50-60 mg / kg of live weight of ducks.
Prevention
For prophylaxis, live and inactivated vaccines are used. A live vaccine is administered to ducklings, starting at the age of one month, while the use of sulfa drugs is prohibited 5 days before vaccination and 5 days after. Inactivated vaccines are administered to clinically healthy ducklings from the age of 15 days, after 6-8 months, revaccination is performed.
Also, as a prophylaxis of this disease, it is recommended to disinfect with chlor-turpentine, resorcinol or lactic acid during ventilation, in the place where the ducks are kept.
Tuberculosis
A chronic disease that waterfowl rarely experience. Infection usually occurs through the droppings of sick birds, hatching eggs, rodents, bloodsucking, helminths.
The disease can pass from people, so people with tuberculosis are not allowed to duck.
Symptoms
Tuberculosis develops slowly, which is why ducks retain mobility and appetite for a long time. With a long course of sick ducks, it is determined by the following symptoms:
- exhaustion;
- tousled plumage;
- lethargy;
- nodular formations on the mucous membranes;
- decrease in egg production.
Treatment
The treatment of this disease is carried out with the help of antibiotics and chemotherapeutic agents, however, it is ineffective and economically inexpedient due to the long period of up to 3 months.
Prevention
The main method of prevention is the disinfection of the premises, using a solution of caustic alkali 3%, formaldehyde, bleach, the content of active chlorine in which is more than 5%. Macro and microelements, in particular copper, potassium iodide, zinc sulfate, are added to the diet of ducks.
Bacillary White Diarrhea (Pullorosis)
This disease is most often affected by young animals. Adult individuals can be its carriers. The main source of infection is a sick and sick bird, infected eggs, feed of biological origin.
Symptoms
Depending on the route of infection, symptoms appear immediately or after 1-5 days. These include:
- labored breathing;
- dyspnea;
- pale yellow feces of a mushy mass, dried near the cloaca, interfering with bowel movements;
- ducklings get up heavily;
- the bird moves slowly;
- death in the first hours after withdrawal.
Treatment
It is carried out in the first 5 days of life by gentamicin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol. The drugs are mixed with food or water, based on 3-5 g per 1000 heads. Adult ducks are given 45-50 mg / kg body weight, the course lasts 8-10 days.
Prevention
As a prevention of this disease, it will be enough to comply with the basic rules of sanitation, thoroughly disinfect both the premises and the equipment located in them.
Contagious runny nose
Infectious sinusitis or infectious catarrh of the respiratory tract is a contagious disease of ducks, to which ducklings of 15-20 days of age of autumn conclusions are mainly exposed.
This disease occurs in the case of poor feeding, non-compliance with the conditions of detention (wet flooring, draft, poor microclimate). The virus is transmitted with food or water.
Symptoms
The course of the disease is usually acute. In ducks, you can notice the following signs of the disease:
- weakness;
- respiratory failure;
- sneezing;
- poor appetite;
- inflammation of the mucous membranes of the nose;
- the appearance of edema under the eyes.
Treatment
Treatment measures should be taken quickly. Ducks are prescribed antibiotics (penicillin, tetracycline, streptomycin), which are injected or given with drinking water. A 1-2% solution of protargol or boric acid is instilled into the nasal passages, vitamin complexes are added to the feed.
Prevention
As the main method of preventing this disease, spraying in the house a 1-2% solution of drinking soda is used. It is also worthwhile to ensure constant ventilation and lack of crowding of birds.
Viral hepatitis ducklings
Ducklings from 10 to 20 days of age are largely susceptible to the disease. The main sources of infection are sick ducks that secrete the virus along with droppings, conjunctival, nasal exudates, dung beetles, infected food and water.
Symptoms
There are acute, chronic and subclinical forms of the course of the disease. In the acute form in birds, the following, not pronounced symptoms:
- loss of appetite;
- depression;
- diarrhea;
- cramps
- rhinitis;
- slow walk.
In the chronic form, the symptoms are more noticeable. Among them stand out:
- penguin-like gait;
- diarrhea;
- swollen joints of ducks.
Treatment
No drug has been developed to treat ducks from this disease.
Prevention
Inactivated and live vaccines are used to prevent the disease. With live vaccines, ducklings are usually vaccinated in an incubator, the daily chicks are given the vaccine with water, and young animals are vaccinated no earlier than a month before the laying of eggs. An inactivated duck vaccine is inoculated at 8, 16 and 22 weeks.
Typhoid fever
It is caused by bacteria that persist for a long time in bodies of water. Younger and adult ducklings are more often affected by the disease. For 26% of ducklings, typhoid in the first months is fatal, survivors of the disease of the bird become its carriers.
Symptoms
Typhoid-infected ducks gather in groups, their stools are watery with a fetid odor, and they also observe:
- weakness;
- loss of appetite;
- the occurrence of shortness of breath;
- drooping wings.
Treatment
The main way to treat this disease is to use a live attenuated attenuated strain vaccine. Birds must be vaccinated at the age of 70 days.
Prevention
As a preventive measure, it is necessary to apply measures such as maintaining hygiene of the house and incubators, as well as conducting thorough cleaning and disinfection on a regular basis.
Coccidiosis
This disease affects the digestive tract, which becomes inflamed, which leads to its dysfunction. The inflamed intestinal walls become unable to absorb water and nutrients.
The causative agent of coccidiosis develops well in humid places, so the premises for keeping ducks should be dry. The disease is transmitted through poor quality food and dirty water.
Symptoms
Healthy ducks are immediately separated from diseased individuals when the following symptoms are detected in the latter:
- loose stools with an admixture of blood;
- low mobility;
- loss of appetite.
Severe coccidiosis accompanied by bloody stools
Treatment
Treatment is carried out by the use of anticoccidial drugs - amprol, sulfonamides, ionophores, clopidol. In the early stages of the disease, ducks are given diclazuril and nicarbazine. In severe illness, ducks are drunk by Baykoks for 2 consecutive days, it is given together with drinking water at the rate of 28 ml per 100 kg of live weight. After 5 days, the treatment is repeated.
Prevention
In order to avoid infection, it is necessary to strictly comply with sanitary standards, as well as use coccidiostatic drugs in the first months of duck development.
Viral enteritis (duck plague)
A contagious disease of ducks, characterized by a sudden manifestation of clinical signs. The source of infection is dust, droppings of sick ducks containing the causative agent of infection, infected water, rodents, cats, blood-sucking insects.
Symptoms
The main symptoms appear 3-7 days after the onset of infection, these are:
- refusal of feed;
- sluggish gait;
- birds lie on their sides, wings are extended along the body.
Treatment
A fatal outcome is observed in 100% of ducklings and 90% of adults, so the diseased bird is immediately slaughtered, and thorough disinfection is carried out in the house itself.
Prevention
The main method for preventing this disease is the administration of a subcutaneous or intramuscular live culture vaccine at the age of 3 and 7 weeks.
Colibacillosis
Bacterial septic disease of ducks, which occurs with disorders of the immune system. Poor nutrition, lack of sufficient vitamin A, poor ventilation, recent infections, and noncommunicable diseases contribute to the multiplication of E.coli bacteria in ducks.
Symptoms
The disease often occurs in late autumn and winter. In ducks, the following signs of infection appear:
- the development of fibrinous pericarditis and perihepatitis;
- conjunctivitis;
- nervous phenomena;
- thirst;
- loss of appetite;
- drowsiness.
Treatment
Treatment of this disease must be carried out using antibiotics simultaneously with thorough disinfection of the premises in the presence of ducks with the help of urea and iodine aerosol.
Prevention
It consists in the administration of a daily dose of 0.1 ml of subcutaneous inactivated vaccine to daily young animals, 0.2-0.5 ml of the drug is administered intramuscularly to birds of 30-60 days of age, for older individuals the dose is 1 ml.
Salmonellosis (paratyphoid)
The causative agent of this disease is distributed with water, food or bedding. It is carried by sick and ill birds, bed bugs, rats, and flour worms. Ducklings of 10-15 days of age are most susceptible to paratyphoid.
Symptoms
The acute course of the disease is characterized by:
- lameness;
- instability, in which, when falling on their back or side, ducklings move their paws;
- loss of appetite;
- lacrimation
- diarrhea;
- atony of goiter.
Symptoms during the subacute course of the disease are subtle, these are:
- bowel disorder;
- uneven growth.
In birds older than 50 days, salmonellosis occurs chronically.
Treatment
To recover the body, ducks are treated with antibiotics (chloramphenicol, gentamicin, tetracycline), which are given with feed or water at a dose of 3-5 g per 1000 heads for ducklings, 45-50 mg / kg for an adult bird.
It is also worth knowing that with untimely detection of symptoms and the late start of treatment, the mortality of ducklings can reach 90%, and in birds older than 50 days salmonellosis proceeds chronically.
Prevention
In order to avoid the disease, oral vaccination is carried out with a live avirulent vaccine at 2-3 days of age with revaccination after 2 days. Adult ducks are inoculated before collecting eggs in an incubator for 20-30 days. At the first vaccination, ducklings are given 1 dose, ducks - 12.5 doses of the vaccine, at the second vaccination - 2 and 15 doses, respectively.
Non-communicable diseases
The main reason for the occurrence of non-communicable diseases is the failure to comply with the conditions of detention and poor nutrition. In most cases, non-communicable diseases do not apply to the entire population.
Vitamin deficiencies
This type of disease occurs due to the insufficient content of vitamins A, D, B1, E, B2, B12 in the body of ducks.
Symptoms
Ducks with vitamin A deficiency can be distinguished by their worsening condition. Among the symptoms are:
- lethargy;
- weak immunity;
- fragility of feathers;
- decrease in egg production;
- inflammation of the mucous membrane of the respiratory tract and eyes.
With a decrease or absence of vitamin D, ducks develop rickets. The following symptoms appear:
- thinness;
- unstable gait;
- soft bones.
The lack of vitamin B1 in the body of ducks disrupts the metabolism of fats, as a result, their appetite disappears and growth slows down.
Vitamin B2 is often found in ducks under the age of 20 days. In adult birds, body weight decreases, hatchability of chicks deteriorates, as well:
- the absorption of protein synthesis is reduced;
- essential amino acids are removed from the body;
- anemia develops;
- the toes become twisted.
Vitamin B12 deficiency interferes with protein absorption. Symptoms of this vitamin deficiency are as follows:
- egg production decreases;
- loss of appetite;
- anemia develops.
The average norm of tocopherol is 0.3 mg / kg feed. In its absence, ducks have symptoms:
- eyes are closed;
- weakness;
- cramps.
Treatment
The main way to treat ducks with a lack of vitamins A, B1, B2, B12, E is to provide them with proper nutrition. To develop vitamin D ducks in the body, frequent walking of birds is used in the summer, in the cold season they are irradiated with an ultraviolet lamp.
Types of vitamin deficiency | What to feed? |
Vitamin A | fish oil, greens, carrots |
Vitamin B1 | bran, sprouted grain, baker's yeast, fresh herbs. |
Vitamin B2 | sprouted wheat, greens, fish and bone meal |
Vitamin B12 | fishmeal, dairy products |
Vitamin E | herbal flour, potatoes, fodder yeast, a drop of tocopherol per day |
Vitamin D | Vitamin D2 and D3 Enriched Premixes |
Prevention
As a prevention of the occurrence of various vitamin deficiencies, ducks must be given various complex preparations containing vitamins and mineral elements.
Goiter disease
The most common goiter disease is its clogging. The reason for blockage is the predominance of dry feed in the diet of ducks, the ingress of foreign objects, inactivity, a lack of calcium and vitamins.
Symptoms
A signal symptom for a bird inspection is a lack of interest in food. In the future, ducks find:
- oppression;
- lack of appetite;
- an increase in goiter;
- obstruction of feed;
- dyspnea;
- labored breathing;
- open beak.
Treatment
Birds are injected with 20-30 ml of vegetable oil in the goiter, massage, removing the contents through the mouth. In exceptional situations, surgery may be required.
Prevention
To prevent clogging of goiter, it is necessary to provide a sufficient amount of benign food and clean drinking water. It is also worth excluding from the diet dry, easily swelling food.
Disease like inflammation or Qatar goiter occurs after eating moldy, rotten feed, duck eating a large amount of fertilizer, medicine or when a bird is fed with musty water.
Symptoms
The disease is characterized by a rapid manifestation of symptoms. These include:
- low mobility;
- lack of appetite;
- discharge from the beak of liquid contents with an unpleasant odor.
Treatment
Easily digestible food is given to the bird, it is watered with a 0.02% solution of potassium permanganate, and a 0.2% solution of lactic acid. Then the goiter is massaged for 2-3 minutes and the contents are removed through the duck’s mouth. The procedure is repeated several times, the bird is given a decoction of oatmeal, cottage cheese, acidophilus. After 4-5 days, the bird is transferred to a normal diet.
Prevention
For the prevention of this disease, it is necessary to provide the birds with paddock in a territory free of fertilizers and toxic chemicals, as well as provide them with clean and fresh water.
Pica
This non-contagious disease of ducks develops as a result of insufficient content of animal feed in the diet, as a result of which, during the disease, ducks eat eggs, peeling the shell, eat chips, bedding, small stones.
Treatment
A sick bird is isolated from the rest in a separate room, where its diet is primarily adjusted. If the duck pecked itself - grease these places with tar or iodine.
Prevention
Prevention of this disease is to provide ducks with a balanced diet containing animal feed.
Esophageal obstruction
An infectious disease of ducks, which most often occurs during intensive fattening, in particular with uniform feeding with compound feed and oats, as well as with a lack of drinking. You can read about the correct diet and feeding rules for ducks here.
Symptoms
On palpation of the esophagus, you can notice that it is full of food, its expanded part hangs to the ground, preventing the duck from moving. Almost immediately after eating, the ducks show anxiety, loss of appetite, shortness of breath appears.
Treatment
Plant or petroleum jelly in the amount of 30-50 ml is injected into the patient’s esophagus using a probe. The esophagus is massaged, as a result, the undigested food comes out through the mouth.
On the first day, the bird is soldered, excluding food from the diet, the next days of ducks are fed semi-liquid feed, carrots and potatoes.
Prevention
To avoid the occurrence of this disease, ducklings should not be given dry food without the introduction of succulent food and greens in the diet.
The water in the house should be constant.
Vitelline peritonitis
This is a disease in which the intestinal membrane and peritoneum of the ducks become inflamed. Vitelline peritonitis is the result of violations of vitamin, protein and mineral metabolism.
Symptoms
In the acute form of the disease in a bird, the abdomen is increased in volume, there is a risk of developing dropsy, a bowel movement of a gray-green color. Symptoms appear such as:
- decrease in egg production;
- increased body temperature of ducks;
- weakness;
- lack of appetite.
Treatment
Treatment of this disease is often ineffective. Using antibiotics or sulfonamides can stop the inflammatory process in ducks, however, egg production is not restored.
Prevention
As a preventative measure, young animals are given calcium at 4-4.5 g per day, chalk, shell, and an aqueous solution of calcium chloride are added to the diet. A thorough disinfection is carried out in the house.
Inflammation of the cloaca (cloacite)
An infectious disease often registered in ducks during oviposition. It occurs with an unbalanced diet, an excess of proteins, a lack of green and succulent feeds, which leads to an increased formation of uric acid in the body. As a result, urate accumulates in the ureters and cesspool of birds, causing inflammation and erosion of the mucous membrane.
Symptoms
At the initial stage of the disease, duck cesspool is covered with microcracks and ulcers. Breeders later discover that:
- the skin around the cloaca is inflamed;
- defecation is difficult;
- birds lose weight;
- lack of appetite;
- oviposition stops.
Treatment
The treatment is based on the presence in the diet of green feed, various enzymes and vitamin and mineral supplements, prebiotics.
Prevention
As a prevention of this disease, rational feeding, as well as compliance with sanitary standards, is used.
Oviduct prolapse
The inflammatory process in the cesspool and the laying of large eggs can lead to prolapse of the oviduct in the bird.
Symptoms
In a sick bird, constant diarrhea appears, the swollen oviduct protrudes into the cloaca.
Treatment
The precipitated part of the oviduct is washed with clean water, in which alum is previously bred. After that, the oviduct is lubricated with petroleum jelly and put it in place.
Prevention
In the diet of ducks should be vitamins and mineral supplements. Birds are reduced daylight hours to 9 hours so that puberty does not come too early. Youngsters are given 2 mg of potassium iodide with food.
Genital inflammation
The disease occurs with the constant mating of ducks and drakes on dry ranges.
Symptoms
The genitals are inflamed, especially in the drakes.
Treatment
To carry out the treatment, the cesspool is lubricated with petroleum jelly and washed with clean water.
Prevention
In order to take preventive measures, mating ducks and drakes is carried out in reservoirs.
Oviduct inflammation
Salpingitis is quite common in ducks, which are highly productive during egg production. The main causes of the disease are an unbalanced diet, inappropriate conditions of detention, the presence of helminth ducks or adenovirus in the body.
Symptoms
Ducks carry deformed, sometimes shellless eggs. There are signs such as:
- weight loss;
- inflamed, protruded oviduct;
- the appearance of curdled and mucous masses during masonry.
Treatment
Ducks are treated with antibiotics and chemotherapy.
Prevention
The main method for the prevention of this type of disease is the observance of appropriate bird keeping conditions in the house, which avoids the emergence of various viruses and the appearance of parasites.
Cannibalism
It develops with the crowded content of young animals, in rooms with a high level of humidity, with a lack of feeders, drinkers, due to the lack of protein, water, minerals and vitamins in the diet.
Symptoms
Birds become aggressive, suffer from cannibalism during the laying period.
Treatment
Salt and vitamins are added to poultry nutrition. It is also necessary to improve the conditions of the house.
Prevention
For prophylaxis, young beaks are circumcised. It is also worth remembering that the house should be spacious and adequately lit.
Lack of plumage
An infectious disease that affects 40-50-day-old ducklings.
Symptoms
Ducklings have a partial or complete loss of feather on their backs. In addition to the lack of plumage are noticeable:
- lethargy;
- poor growth;
- soreness;
- slow development.
Treatment
To eliminate the disease, the chicks are fed with cake, feather flour, ground oats.
Prevention
As a prophylaxis, birds are fed with feed additives containing amino acids, as well as conditions are improved.
Ammonia blindness
It develops in ducklings, from the moment of birth of which 1-1.5 months have passed. This disease appears due to non-compliance with sanitary standards in the place of keeping birds.
Symptoms
Lack of ventilation in the room leads to the accumulation of ammonia vapors. As a result:
- the eyes of ducks swell and become inflamed;
- the bird eats poorly;
- ducks are lethargic and lethargic.
Treatment
The main method of treatment is to enrich the diet with vitamin A, add carrots and fish oil to it, as well as wet cleaning in the room.
Prevention
For prevention, the floors, walls, drinking bowls and feeders of ducks are disinfected with a solution of chlorine. Also, do not forget about observing sanitary standards in the houses.
Parasitic diseases
This kind of disease is caused by organisms that parasitize on the feathers of ducks and settle in the internal organs. If measures are not taken in time, the bird may die.
Echinostomatidoses
Called by trematodes, which parasitize in the large and small intestines of ducks. These parasites enter the body of a bird when it eats infected snails and frogs from an open reservoir in the warm season.
Symptoms
Young animals tolerate the presence of trematodes severely, up to a fatal outcome.
Symptoms of parasite infection:
- diarrhea;
- growth lag;
- lack of appetite;
- weakness;
- decrease in egg production (in adults).
Treatment
For deworming, phenasal is used at a dose of 6 g / kg, biotin - 1 g / kg, 2 ml / kg of carbon tetrachloride.
Prevention
The main method of prevention is the land rearing of ducklings up to 3 months, separately from adults, as well as regular inspection, proper nutrition, and the prevention of wild birds in ponds near the house. At the end of the grazing season, ducks are given anthelmintic drugs.
Worms
Helminths are the most dangerous pests that are rapidly transmitted to other ducks.
Symptoms
In waterfowl infected with worms, immunity decreases, lethargy appears, egg production is practically absent.
Treatment
As a treatment, the bird is given anthelminthic drugs diluted with water: albene - 1 tab. 35-40 kg of weight, piperazine - 5 g per 10 birds.
Prevention
For prevention, onions, garlic, pumpkin seeds, and rose hips are introduced into the daily diet of the bird. The floors of the room are disinfected with a chlorine solution, the inventory is treated with a 2% formalin solution. Ducks are regularly inspected.
Outdoor parasites
Arthropods (lopepoedoids, scabies mites) live on the skin of ducks or inside it, settle on feathers, cause inconvenience to the bird, and also are carriers of infectious diseases.
Parasites settle on the skin of ducks, at the very base of the feathers. These are wingless insects that eat the torn away particles of the skin of birds, fluff, multiply rapidly while on the bird, and die outside of it.
Symptoms
Ducks have a severe itch, they refuse to feed, reduce weight.
Treatment
To get rid of loppedoids, 1 part of a gray-mercury ointment is mixed with 2-3 parts of petroleum jelly. The resulting mixture of birds lubricate the skin under the wings and cesspool. The procedure is repeated after a week.
When scabies, the paws of ducks are immersed for 20-30 minutes in a warm soapy solution, after which they are treated with a 1% solution of creolin. A tar ointment consisting of 10 g of petroleum jelly and 1-2 ml of tar is rubbed into the birds.
Prevention
Prevention is the installation in the house of a box filled with dry sand and wood ash with the addition of 100 g of sulfur powder, which is necessary for cleaning feathers with ducks on their own.
Now you have familiarized yourself with the list of the main diseases of ducks and their symptoms, and also have learned in detail all the necessary information for the treatment of a particular disease. Remember: proper care, prevention, hygiene, cleanliness of the room, maintaining good conditions and proper nutrition with clean water are the guarantee that your birds will be healthy.