Can Ducks Get Marek’s Diseases?
We all know how deadly Marek’s disease can be for chickens, but can ducks get Marek’s disease as well?
Yes, the ducks can contract the virus. In fact, it can act as a silent killer for ducks as they can die from the disease without showing any of the symptoms. But usually, they do show symptoms, and we’ll tell you all about them.
In addition, we’ll also give you info on the nature of the disease and how you can protect your ducks from it. So, read till the end.
Want to learn more about duck diseases
Can Ducks Contract Marek’s Diseases?
Yes, ducks can get marek’s disease. Marek’s is extremely contagious and can prove fatal for most birds including ducks.
But let me tell you that Marek’s disease in ducks isn’t common at all. If you see worrying signs similar to the symptoms of Marek’s, don’t panic as it could be something else as well.
However, if you keep both chickens and ducks in the same house, and the chickens somehow contract Marek’s disease, then your ducks can get affected by the virus and suffer from this disease.
Can Ducks Get Marek’s from Chickens?
Yes, and if your ducks got the Marek’s disease, it’s the most likely possibility that ducks got it from the chickens. The biggest victim of Marek’s disease is chicken and compared to other birds they get easily affected by the virus.
This virus is culpable for the disease usually grow inside the feather follicles of the chickens and later gets released into the environment.
The virus can survive for long out in the open, and when other chickens or ducks come into contact with the virus elements, they contract the virus as well.
What Are the Symptoms of Marek’s Disease in Ducks?
Below are the symptoms that can be noticed in birds such as ducks and turkey –
- Might seem depressed and disinterested
- Won’t eat food
- Loss of movement
- Weight loss
- Anaemia
- Diarrhea
Ducks may or may not show all the symptoms when affected. Some birds may even die without showing any of the symptoms.
How Does Marek’s Disease Affect Ducks?
There haven’t been large studies, especially on the effect of the disease on ducks. But in general, scientists have studied the effects of the disease on birds.
Now, the virus mainly attacks the nervous system of the bird. It often affects the sciatic nerve, which is the primary nerve of the leg and makes the duck unable to move.
Since the nervous system is affected, the bird may seem disoriented to you. Also, the virus sometimes can make them blind.
How Do You Diagnose Marek’s Disease?
You can confirm the contraction of Marek’s disease with a Veterinary examination only. In the post-mortem, you could notice enlarged nerves of the birds if they died from the virus.
There might also be changes in one or multiple organs.
Can Marek’s Disease Be Treated in Ducks?
No, there’s no treatment for Marek’s disease. If a duck shows symptoms of the disease, you should separate it from the flock immediately. Then you should move forward to destroy it in a kind way.
If you don’t separate the duck from the flock, it will spread among all the ducks, if it hasn’t already.
After separating the infected duck, you need to keep an eye on others as well as there might be more affected ducks among the flock.
A diminished spirit, accompanied by telltale signs such as paralysis, loss of appetite, weight loss, and even gastrointestinal distress, unveils the unfortunate grasp of this ailment.
How Can Ducks Be Protected from Marek’s Disease?
Vaccines are the best way to prevent the disease. You’ll find different vaccines on the market available to prevent Marek’s disease. The most popular vaccines are HVT, SB-1 or 301B/1, and CVI988/Rispens.
These vaccines are not only safe enough to use but also generate a strong resistance against the virus.
Make sure that you don’t administer an overdose of the vaccine. Also, vaccines that contain live cells are more effective against the virus as they won’t be neutralized by the duck’s defenses easily.
Alongside, it’s also very important to clean the living area of the ducks and maintain good hygiene all the time.
You can also opt for breeding ducks with genetic resistance.
Conclusion
Though not very common, ducks are sadly not immune to the dangers of Marek’s disease.
Ducks can contract the Marek’s disease and also suffer from it. Thus, it would be wise to vaccinate them early to protect their lives and prevent their suffering. To read more informative posts like this, connect with us on Twitter and Facebook.
Article Reference:
- https://ucanr.edu/sites/uccemodoc/files/337497.pdf
- https://nre.tas.gov.au/biosecurity-tasmania/animal-biosecurity/animal-health/poultry-and-pigeons/mareks-disease
- https://www.msdvetmanual.com/poultry/neoplasms/marek-s-disease-in-poultry
