HELP! HURT DUCKLING!

[SteveTheDuck]

So unfortunately, my duckling foot got stepped on, and it cannot walk on its one leg

Its only about 2 weeks old, and there is no visible brake, so this leaves me to believe that it is just dislocated. He can put a little bit of pressure but mainly just sits on his towels under his heat lamp with his food and water. I just need some advice on what I should do. I don't think a splint would help a dislocation, and I really don't want to go to a vet whose going to charge me $$$ for X-rays to tell me what I already know. Is there any particular care I should be giving it to help mend it?

If it helps he is the biggest ducklings in his litter. Literally twice the size of the other ducklings

Thank you in advance any advice is appreciated.

 

[chasiekitten12]

Well first off

DO. NOT. PANIC! IT. IS. OK!

It is better than on his body or he would have died but it is ok it is alright keep that in your mind he will be ok! Ok well what are you feeding him. It is a good thing he is bigger then the rest of his age!. Who stepped on it? A kid or grownup?
You may want to do something that most of the time you do not want to do. You may want to give him worms and greens. He is young yes but he needs it. Break the worms in half and only give him 1 or 2 a day. The greens you need to give a small amount. Have any cucumbers or strawberries or even apples and broccoli? Break these into tiny tiny pecies and give him some. Give him some weeds too. Give the other ducklings some weeds also this will help them when older but a very small amount once older (about 7 weeks) they can have as much as they want. He needs nutrition. Give it to him in small pecies.

 

[chasiekitten12]

Can I have a picture of him?

 

[Miss Lydia]

So unfortunately, my duckling foot got stepped on, and it cannot walk on its one leg

Its only about 2 weeks old, and there is no visible brake, so this leaves me to believe that it is just dislocated. He can put a little bit of pressure but mainly just sits on his towels under his heat lamp with his food and water. I just need some advice on what I should do. I don't think a splint would help a dislocation, and I really don't want to go to a vet whose going to charge me $$$ for X-rays to tell me what I already know. Is there any particular care I should be giving it to help mend it?

If it helps he is the biggest ducklings in his litter. Literally twice the size of the other ducklings

Thank you in advance any advice is appreciated.

If you give him anything other than his chick or duck crumble be sure to offer grit, they cannot chew anything with out it.,

I'd try soaking his leg and foot in some nice warm Epsom salt water[just don't let him drink it it's also a laxative], put a small bowl with about 1Tab of Epsom Salt to 1 Cup of nice warm water. hold onto the lil one and place him into the bowl holding him the whole time let him soak in the water for as long as you can at least 5 mins, longer if he'll stay still. Maybe 2X a day, Epsom salt helps with injuries such a swelling and inflammation if it's a sprain this should help just keep it up till you see him putting weight on his leg. If it's dislocated seems the foot would just be hanging there is this what your seeing? Not being a vet I'm not sure what a leg would look like with a dislocated foot but i would think it would be very painful and very swollen.

 

[SteveTheDuck]

Can I have a picture of him?

Thats some good advice, I called a bunch of wildlife places today but they cannot help since its a pet so I'm taking him to a vet first thing in the morning. There are no more painful chirps or crying I broke up some baby aspirin and put it in its water, but yes I am feeding it peas, moisten oats and grits, and kale in little pieces, but I will try definitely try worms! Im just mostly worried it heals properly

 

[buff goose guy]

Keep in mind that it could actually be broken, but if it's a dislocation time heals those, my American buff goose has foot problems and from now and then her foot does snap but after a few weeks of just lieing down it does get better and she ends up walking perfectly normal in about a month or two .

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thats some good advice, I called a bunch of wildlife places today but they cannot help since its a pet so I'm taking him to a vet first thing in the morning. There are no more painful chirps or crying I broke up some baby aspirin and put it in its water, but yes I am feeding it peas, moisten oats and grits, and kale in little pieces, but I will try definitely try worms! Im just mostly worried it heals properly

Aspirin isn't good to give to water fowl can damage the kidneys, only Metacam is rec for water fowl.

 

[SteveTheDuck]

Update:

Steve is doing good, took him to the vet today, and his leg is neither broken or dislocated as of the x-rays.
Turns out his leg got rotated right and there are some nerve damage done so he is not putting pressure on it and it is staying turned out, so the vet gave some metacam and put a hobble on, he hates the hobble and has already gotten out of it 3 times but after a bit of tweaking to get it to stay on it seems like its working and keeping his leg from pushing out. Vet said it should take 2-4 weeks and with proper medication and diet he should get stronger.

I guess its a waiting game now, with keeping off the foot for as much as possible.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Update:

Steve is doing good, took him to the vet today, and his leg is neither broken or dislocated as of the x-rays.
Turns out his leg got rotated right and there are some nerve damage done so he is not putting pressure on it and it is staying turned out, so the vet gave some metacam and put a hobble on, he hates the hobble and has already gotten out of it 3 times but after a bit of tweaking to get it to stay on it seems like its working and keeping his leg from pushing out. Vet said it should take 2-4 weeks and with proper medication and diet he should get stronger.

I guess its a waiting game now, with keeping off the foot for as much as possible.

Aww Steve is so cute, glad to hear he is on the mend and they really are escape artists aren't they, hopefully with the hobble and your TLC he'll be running around again real soon. Thanks for updating.

 

[chasiekitten12]

Great to hear that! Did you do the salt water thing? Is it needed?