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

[Miss Lydia]

I had hoped to have a Rocky and Ruby Sue (cousin Eddie's kids from National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation - the best movie ever! lol), but Bullwinkle was a late bloomer and when I found out he was a he instead of a she, Bullwinkle was the only name that made sense...plus I loved those cartoons as a kid anyway. It was months before I could call them and not want to say "Moose and Squirrel" in a thick Russian accent like Natasha, haha!
All of my boys get along surprisingly well; only problem I have is them ganging up on poor Ruby. They absolutely wear her out, and practically ignore Turkey. I don't think Roxy got much attention this summer/fall either. Maybe it's her sexy new hairdo?

I joke about her "hairdo", but honestly I think it's that her feathers don't grow in right anymore where they boys mated with her so much and stripped the back of her little head bald at the beginning of this year.

Just a tiny bit of Phyllis Diller going on there. so cute. Those boys can sure be rough on the girls it's always refreshing when the mating and carrying on is over for the year and everyone is just hanging out, all but the geese, their mating season will start in about 2 months and already the gander is acting like a jerk to everyone.

 

[cymbaline]

So....I think I may have discovered why Bullwinkle suddenly started kicking his bad leg back behind him and not even trying to use it anymore.

What the heck is this?? It feels fairly soft and squishy, and , unless I'm imagining it, seems to move when he squirms? Maybe a hernia? I wasn't able to examine him for long because he kept biting at me.

Guess it's time to make another trip to the vet...*sigh*. I'm gonna have to start one of those "fund me" things for this poor boy, lol.

 

[Amiga]

Could be some kind of prolapse. I think fundraisers are a fine idea.

 

[cymbaline]

Could be some kind of prolapse. I think fundraisers are a fine idea.

Can they have an internal prolapse? This is off to one side as well. Sorry the pics aren't better - he is really grouchy lately. I think whatever it is, it's bothering him.

 

[Amiga]

I am trying to think about that . . . isn't a prolapse when internal organs come out the cloaca? But there could be swelling of the phallus or digestive tract or gonads internally.

 

[Miss Lydia]

So....I think I may have discovered why Bullwinkle suddenly started kicking his bad leg back behind him and not even trying to use it anymore.

What the heck is this?? It feels fairly soft and squishy, and , unless I'm imagining it, seems to move when he squirms? Maybe a hernia? I wasn't able to examine him for long because he kept biting at me.

Guess it's time to make another trip to the vet...*sigh*. I'm gonna have to start one of those "fund me" things for this poor boy, lol.

Aww poor guy, I think if you can swing it he needs to see the vet. Not sure what that would be. Does look like something is hanging out though but doesn't look like the sex organ.

 

[cymbaline]

Nothing is hanging out - it's all under the skin. But it's a decent size bulge. I'm going to make sure the vet that is familiar with ducks is in today and take him over after work, I guess. I don't think we need an avian specialist...whatever this is looks pretty basic. Of course I can't afford it - I'm still paying off his last visit - but I know this is bothering him...it must be why he's been so grouchy lately...so I can't ignore it.

What if he has to have surgery? Do ducks handle anesthesia well?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Nothing is hanging out - it's all under the skin. But it's a decent size bulge. I'm going to make sure the vet that is familiar with ducks is in today and take him over after work, I guess. I don't think we need an avian specialist...whatever this is looks pretty basic. Of course I can't afford it - I'm still paying off his last visit - but I know this is bothering him...it must be why he's been so grouchy lately...so I can't ignore it.

What if he has to have surgery? Do ducks handle anesthesia well?

I have read of members having to put their ducks under anesthesia, but hopefully the vet can answer all your questions and know the ones to use on water fowl. if it comes to surgery. Maybe what I was seeing is his vent Ernies looks like that too. just flesh. Have you asked about discount? sometimes vets will.

 

[cymbaline]

I really don't think it's his vent - it's quite off-center. The reasons I'm thinking hernia or something of that sort are 1) it would explain why he wants that leg stretched out - it probably compresses that bulge when he brings it up & hurts, and 2) he started doing it after I brought him in from being out in the yard all day, much longer than usual, and he had flopped and wiggled around a LOT and could have pulled something.
This vet is normally pretty reasonable in their pricing that I would almost feel bad asking them to discount. I mean, just because I'm poor doesn't mean their services are worth any less, right? On the other hand, I've been a good customer for many years, between the rats and ferret and cats and now duck, lol. They once removed a lump from one of my pet rats for $63 - anesthesia, surgery, antibiotics, and even a nail clipping. I thought that was great. The avian vet, however, was $70 just for the exam. :/

 

[Miss Lydia]

That price sounds very reasonable, I hope it's just a hernia and something that can be fixed. You have a zoo. lol