I've been wondering the same thing, Karen.  I'm glad you asked.

kili

I got a phone call at work today to say that Enid seems a little more perky
than yesterday.  The concern is that she is still unable to eat, and
contrary to what the nurse said yesterday she is not drinking on her own
either.  She is being tube-fed to keep her going.  The vet isn't sure
whether she's getting stronger because she's actually getting some calories
into her, or whether she is recovering slightly.
The blood tests are back and indicate "a moderate infection going on
somewhere" but where it is focused isn't clear.

We discussed "where to go from here..?"   The next step if she cannot eat
soon would be an endoscopy (both ends, to see if there is anything in her
throat, or whether something has gone wrong down in the egg department as
she hasn't laid yet and as she is a young goose I would have expected her to
start perhaps a month ago.)
Geese are not like hens, they start to lay in early spring, sometimes as
early as February, lay an egg every other day and pack in after they've laid
thirty eggs or so.  That's the lot then, until the next year.
The vet (Craig is his name & I haven't met him before this week, he must be
new) warned me about escalating costs and said even if I had the endoscopy
done there is no guarantee that they can do anything about whatever they
might find.
He said he would be happy to plod along tube feeding her for a while to see
if the antibiotics work soon, as she has, after all, only been on them for a
couple of days and may just need a bit longer to regain her appetite and be
able to drink.  Apparently another goose came in as an inpatient today, and
Craig says that Enid was "very interested and intrigued when she saw it."
Why do I get the feeling he's getting a bit attached to her?" <smile>
I have asked him to keep her going for 24 hours as she is and we will review
her tomorrow.
I find myself in a very difficult ethical situation (for me, anyway.)

If I was wealthy I would say  "do everything, no matter the cost, to save
her."   If she needs an endoscopy up/down both ends the vets bill will then
go up to about £200,  400 dollars-ish and there is no guarantee that finding
out what they do from the info they get will make any difference to the
outcome.
I wouldn't normally bother about this as I've spend so much of my income on
vet's bills over the years for my dogs et al it seems normal to set aside
some income and expect the expenses.
This is not a great time for this to happen, as I am likely to be off work
recovering from yet another op in the near future and my employers won't pay
me when I am as it's too soon after my last lot of sick leave from my
cancer.
These sort of things always happen to me :-(

I am really struggling with what to do.  Thinking about it is keeping me
awake at night and I am a wreck at work.
What do you all think I should do?  Save my bank balance (and don't get me
wrong here, I am NOT asking for donations) for when I'll need it to recover
from my own surgery without pay from work, wait a while to see if Enid
recovers on tube feed, fund the endoscopy, or call it a day and get Shylock
a new goose?  Not that easy, actually, geese are not exactly all over the
place near here.. and besides he is still shouting all the while in the hope
that she will reply from somewhere where she is temporarily lost.
Why can't he be like a rooster who doesn't care a damn who's there as long
as he can.. ahem, jump on her?

I could never eat a goose, they are too intelligent for words.  I had a
colleague who always had goose every Christmas.  After hearing my stories
about my geese she was completely unable to eat one ever again.  I don't
think she's forgiven me yet.

Tweed