Injured muskovy/predator attack/any chance at saving her

[boxermizer]

My muskovies fly to the neighbor's pond every night and spend the night there. Tonight I noticed 2 showed up after I locked up the rest of my chickens and ducks and at 1am the dog was going crazy, so I looked out and 2 more had showed up. I went out to put them in the pen and noticed one was limping and a little blood on her foot. I pick her up to inspect and noticed a huge chunk of skin and feathers on her abdomen missing, organs exposed. No apparent injuries to her head, back, wings or legs, just the missing skin and feathers.

1) Any idea what could have caused this? I'm sure she was attacked at the pond. Its not deep at all, surrounded by reeds and such. Seems a coyote, fox, bobcat, owl would have attacked from above. Sounds like most snapping turtle attacks result in injured/amputated feet/legs. I live in Missouri, the only other predators I've encountered are raccoons, opossums and snakes (not that they are much of a predator to adult ducks). I have no idea if we have mink or similar closeby or how they might attack, but I know they live in MO.

2) Is there any chance of saving her? If so, how could I cover her organs to prevent them from drying out? I healed a duck with similar injuries, but on her back, so organs weren't exposed. This seems far more severe, but she managed to fly home and other than a small limp, she doesn't act in pain, but I understand they don't usually show it. In all honesty, if there hadn't been that tiny bit of blood on the top of her foot, dripped from her abdomen, and the fact they'd come home in the middle of the night, I wouldn't have noticed anything wrong. Part of me feels I should have put her down, and before anyone berates me for not doing so, I wanted to be sure there aren't options before I do so. Plus, its 1am, I should have been asleep, if it weren't for the dog I wouldn't have looked out, if she hadn't been near the pen or if I'd been asleep, I wouldn't have even known she was injured. I worry she may even be gone by morning.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Hi, one of my dogs chewed on a hens neck and removed most of the skin exposing the spine. I went to the local pharmacist and they recommended: no-stick sterile pads (3"*3"), gauze on top of that and surgical tape to hold the gauze in place without sticking to the feathers right by the wound. The surgical tape was wrapped around her body and under her wings. I believe I also sprayed the area with iodine. I separated her and she healed within a few weeks. I think her feathers even grew back the next molt. If you have access to penicillin or amoxicillin, oral administration might help to prevent infection as well.

 

[goats-n-oats]

Edit: wrap the gauze roll around her a few times, around the abdomen, and over and under the wings, to hold the no-stick pad in place. Use the tape to secure the gauze in place. Tbh the tape tended to fall off, so I imagine a sticky roll like this might work as well: https://www.amazon.com/Ever-Ready-First-Aid-Adherent/dp/B01LXXCK5K/
The important thing is not to place anything sticky directly on the wound or the feathers. The gauze roll will create a buffer between the no-stick pad and the outer adhesive roll. You can get all these things from your local 24 hr pharmacy.

 

[Jenbirdee]

do you have someone to help you hold her so you can take pictures of the wound and post them here?

also Do you have some thing like a large dog crate you can keep her in while she’s healing ?

I would gently rinse the wound with a saline solution, or a mixture With about 10% of povidone iodine, and 90% water, carefully clip away any feathers that are close to the woundand might get inside it while healing, and then rinse again, and then apply an antibacterial ointment like Neosporin, but without any pain relief added. Keep her clean and dry. Hopefully she will be eating and drinking., you may have to treat her for shock if she still not eating and drinking yet. which would mean electrolyte water and a dark quiet room.

Ducks are notorious for tearing off their bandages. Perhaps it may stay on if it’s wrapped all the way around her just as @goats-n-oats has suggested.
and also start her on an antibiotic like Baytril you can get online from a bird products store.
@Miss Lydia

 

[Miss Lydia]

It sure sounds like a snapping turtle got hold of her they have nasty bites. You definitely want to place her where she can't get dirt and debris inside that wound.
If at all possible post pictures. I hope she is still with you this morning.
Is a vet an option?

 

[goats-n-oats]

My muskovies fly to the neighbor's pond every night and spend the night there. Tonight I noticed 2 showed up after I locked up the rest of my chickens and ducks and at 1am the dog was going crazy, so I looked out and 2 more had showed up. I went out to put them in the pen and noticed one was limping and a little blood on her foot. I pick her up to inspect and noticed a huge chunk of skin and feathers on her abdomen missing, organs exposed. No apparent injuries to her head, back, wings or legs, just the missing skin and feathers.

1) Any idea what could have caused this? I'm sure she was attacked at the pond. Its not deep at all, surrounded by reeds and such. Seems a coyote, fox, bobcat, owl would have attacked from above. Sounds like most snapping turtle attacks result in injured/amputated feet/legs. I live in Missouri, the only other predators I've encountered are raccoons, opossums and snakes (not that they are much of a predator to adult ducks). I have no idea if we have mink or similar closeby or how they might attack, but I know they live in MO.

2) Is there any chance of saving her? If so, how could I cover her organs to prevent them from drying out? I healed a duck with similar injuries, but on her back, so organs weren't exposed. This seems far more severe, but she managed to fly home and other than a small limp, she doesn't act in pain, but I understand they don't usually show it. In all honesty, if there hadn't been that tiny bit of blood on the top of her foot, dripped from her abdomen, and the fact they'd come home in the middle of the night, I wouldn't have noticed anything wrong. Part of me feels I should have put her down, and before anyone berates me for not doing so, I wanted to be sure there aren't options before I do so. Plus, its 1am, I should have been asleep, if it weren't for the dog I wouldn't have looked out, if she hadn't been near the pen or if I'd been asleep, I wouldn't have even known she was injured. I worry she may even be gone by morning.

You might also look into getting rid of the snapper turtle.