2.5 year old drake having balance issues - vet was unsure of what's wrong...any ideas?

[Miss Lydia]

What do you do with him on the days it's too cold to go out? Right now my pen is a cold muddy mess, which the other ducks LOVE, lol, but since he's no longer waterproof he can't join them. But I feel bad that he's just sitting in a box in my bathroom all day long. I've been trying to think of something to do for him, like maybe plant grass in a tray and dump some worms or something in, so he can pretend he's outside digging and hunting for bugs. I don't know, maybe that's silly, lol. If he didn't get soaked so easily I'd leave him in a tub to swim and float and splash, like I used to do when I had other (healthy) indoor ducks, but he gets drenched to the skin and I know he gets cold, poor fella, and he can't get out when he wants like the other ducks could. And he does NOT enjoy the blow-dryer!

Even on really cold day with rain and snow he goes to the front with his girls, i carry him and put him at the door to the dog house i have set up for him full of shavings, he spends alot of time in there his food and water is right next to it under a metal roof. He isn't water proof anymore either That would be nice maybe some kitty grass and some meal worms sprinkled around the grass. Ernie doesn't get around much any more but I keep watching for any signs of depression or giving up and haven't seen that yet. Thank goodness. I actually have 4 large dog house for my old ones full of shaving. the other members of the flock have their special places too but my geriatric ones get the dog houses.I can't let Ernie be with the other drakes or geese though, they know he is different and mess with him.

 

[cymbaline]

Even on really cold day with rain and snow he goes to the front with his girls, i carry him and put him at the door to the dog house i have set up for him full of shavings, he spends alot of time in there his food and water is right next to it under a metal roof. He isn't water proof anymore either That would be nice maybe some kitty grass and some meal worms sprinkled around the grass. Ernie doesn't get around much any more but I keep watching for any signs of depression or giving up and haven't seen that yet. Thank goodness. I actually have 4 large dog house for my old ones full of shaving. the other members of the flock have their special places too but my geriatric ones get the dog houses.I can't let Ernie be with the other drakes or geese though, they know he is different and mess with him.

I guess I'm just being overprotective then, lol. I'm afraid he'll get too cold, or get tipped and turned around and unable to get food or water (although he still manages to do that in his box sometimes, silly boy). Sounds like maybe I should just let him be on his own sometimes. The girls are all friendly with him, and his buddy Rocky that he grew up with is gentle too, but my new boy from this spring, Tony, and Dexter, my boy from last spring, occasionally get an attitude with him, and of course he can't defend himself or get away.
Sounds like your ducks have it pretty great.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I guess I'm just being overprotective then, lol. I'm afraid he'll get too cold, or get tipped and turned around and unable to get food or water (although he still manages to do that in his box sometimes, silly boy). Sounds like maybe I should just let him be on his own sometimes. The girls are all friendly with him, and his buddy Rocky that he grew up with is gentle too, but my new boy from this spring, Tony, and Dexter, my boy from last spring, occasionally get an attitude with him, and of course he can't defend himself or get away.
Sounds like your ducks have it pretty great.

That's why my younger drakes can't be with Ernie they just have to be bullies, But you could try putting Bull winkle out with them on a day when it's not wet or real cold and see how he does with shelter and food and water close by. Ernie doesn't go far from his house or water and I think if he didn't get to be with the girls in front he would have been gone along time ago, they have been together over 10 yrs now. Once when my 3yr old drake managed to squeeze through the gate to the front yard Ernie tried to beat him up, well it really set Ernie back though having to use so much energy but I was amazed he still had it in him. I think my drake was too. lol

 

[cymbaline]

That's why my younger drakes can't be with Ernie they just have to be bullies, But you could try putting Bull winkle out with them on a day when it's not wet or real cold and see how he does with shelter and food and water close by. Ernie doesn't go far from his house or water and I think if he didn't get to be with the girls in front he would have been gone along time ago, they have been together over 10 yrs now. Once when my 3yr old drake managed to squeeze through the gate to the front yard Ernie tried to beat him up, well it really set Ernie back though having to use so much energy but I was amazed he still had it in him. I think my drake was too. lol

That's funny - still protective of his lady-ducks.

I didn't mean this to sound like he never goes outside, btw...just not as often as I'd like him to be able to. I do gardening/yard work a LOT whenever the weather is nice, so pretty much all spring, summer, fall, and any days that are sunny and over 40-50 degrees in the winter, lol. All of the ducks get to run free when I'm out with them, and I find a nice spot in the grass or under a shrub and sit him down, and he gets to eat all the grubs I find.

(Obviously I just keep talking about him so I can share videos of him being adorable...right?)

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's funny - still protective of his lady-ducks.

I didn't mean this to sound like he never goes outside, btw...just not as often as I'd like him to be able to. I do gardening/yard work a LOT whenever the weather is nice, so pretty much all spring, summer, fall, and any days that are sunny and over 40-50 degrees in the winter, lol. All of the ducks get to run free when I'm out with them, and I find a nice spot in the grass or under a shrub and sit him down, and he gets to eat all the grubs I find.

(Obviously I just keep talking about him so I can share videos of him being adorable...right?)

He is adorable I am in love with him. He has a wonderful care giver. Please keep sharing with us.

 

[cymbaline]

Ok, this video shows what he bad leg has been doing lately. Up until last week, he almost never threw his leg back like this. He might keep it lifted sometimes, but not back behind him. He's starting to get spots on the front from laying it like that so much. He does push with the bad leg some; I don't know if you can tell in the video but when I hold his foot forward like normal, it's not me pressing on him as much as it's him pressing on me. Obviously not enough to hold himself up though. Also, pardon the mess - he had just had a snack and lord knows ducks don't do anything without making a holy mess, lol. And also pardon the shakiness - all the noise you hear is him biting my phone and biting my hand...guess he dislikes my phone as much as he hates my watch. Plus he hates being in the walker for some reason.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ok, this video shows what he bad leg has been doing lately. Up until last week, he almost never threw his leg back like this. He might keep it lifted sometimes, but not back behind him. He's starting to get spots on the front from laying it like that so much. He does push with the bad leg some; I don't know if you can tell in the video but when I hold his foot forward like normal, it's not me pressing on him as much as it's him pressing on me. Obviously not enough to hold himself up though. Also, pardon the mess - he had just had a snack and lord knows ducks don't do anything without making a holy mess, lol. And also pardon the shakiness - all the noise you hear is him biting my phone and biting my hand...guess he dislikes my phone as much as he hates my watch. Plus he hates being in the walker for some reason.

Is it a sore like a pressure sore? or just a spot? I wish I knew what was going on with is leg. When he is swimming does he use his leg? have control over it?

 

[cymbaline]

Is it a sore like a pressure sore? or just a spot? I wish I knew what was going on with is leg. When he is swimming does he use his leg? have control over it?

I'm not sure what you'd call the spots. He got spots like that on the back of his hocks when he started sitting on them. I guess whatever it is only happens when he puts pressure on parts of his legs/feet that shouldn't be stood/leaned on. I guess it's kind of a callous?
e doesn't really move it much in the water or out, except for when he taps it. Up until a week ago, he would tap the bottom of his foot like normal - now he taps the front of his foot because his leg is kicked out behind him. I can push his leg straight and almost get his foot in the right position, but it's like he's fighting me on it, whether he is trying to or not. I don't push too hard because I'm afraid of hurting him.
I'm baffled.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm not sure what you'd call the spots. He got spots like that on the back of his hocks when he started sitting on them. I guess whatever it is only happens when he puts pressure on parts of his legs/feet that shouldn't be stood/leaned on. I guess it's kind of a callous?
e doesn't really move it much in the water or out, except for when he taps it. Up until a week ago, he would tap the bottom of his foot like normal - now he taps the front of his foot because his leg is kicked out behind him. I can push his leg straight and almost get his foot in the right position, but it's like he's fighting me on it, whether he is trying to or not. I don't push too hard because I'm afraid of hurting him.
I'm baffled.

It's sure a mystery, sometimes we just never know but he seems happy so that counts to you as to the great care he is getting. Maybe he injured it at once time and nerves are damaged they are so good at covering up injuries and illnesses that it could have been something minor that just progressed all guesses of course. I never saw Ernie actually injure himself but once when he jumped from the side of the stock tank instead of using the ramp and he limped for well over a week before he got better, I don't know if this has something to do with his not walking well now or not but I wonder if they can get arthritis in places of injuries like us humans. Which maybe whats going on with Bull Winkle too? Watching him shake his foot makes me think nerve. Maybe tingling or something to that effect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheral_neuropathy ?


http://books.google.com/books?id=BL...page&q=Can water fowl have neuropathy&f=false go down to lead poisoning just to confirm that water fowl can get neuropathy. I doubt his if that's what it is is from lead but it could be from some kind of injury, I have fibromyalgia and have neuropathy.
His shaking his foot could be from tingling sensation.

 

[cymbaline]

It's sure a mystery, sometimes we just never know but he seems happy so that counts to you as to the great care he is getting. Maybe he injured it at once time and nerves are damaged they are so good at covering up injuries and illnesses that it could have been something minor that just progressed all guesses of course. I never saw Ernie actually injure himself but once when he jumped from the side of the stock tank instead of using the ramp and he limped for well over a week before he got better, I don't know if this has something to do with his not walking well now or not but I wonder if they can get arthritis in places of injuries like us humans. Which maybe whats going on with Bull Winkle too? Watching him shake his foot makes me think nerve. Maybe tingling or something to that effect.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peripheral_neuropathy ?


http://books.google.com/books?id=BL...page&q=Can water fowl have neuropathy&f=false go down to lead poisoning just to confirm that water fowl can get neuropathy. I doubt his if that's what it is is from lead but it could be from some kind of injury, I have fibromyalgia and have neuropathy.
His shaking his foot could be from tingling sensation.

It was definitely something that very slowly got worse over a length of time. He only stumbled sometimes for the first few months, then I started noticing that he would sit frequently, then I hardly ever saw him standing anymore.
I came to pretty much the same conclusion when I saw him tapping his foot - that it was like he was trying to "wake" it up. They didn't notice anything abnormal in his blood work or x-rays though, just inflammation of unknown origin.
You had asked about his leg in the water - I videoed him for a few minutes last night (had to go change clothes afterward because of all his splashing, lol):

I just love how he drinks/bites the water falling. <3
I never did really see him use his right leg though, even when he tipped over a little. I think he's been using his right wing to compensate a lot, in and out of the water, which I hope doesn't cause him more issues...