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

[cymbaline]

I hope so too. I'm so nervous and scared.
All I have at the moment are 7 ducks and 2 cats, lol - I've been going to this vet for over 10 years. As lovely as ratties are, they just don't live long.

I got tired of the constant heartbreak.
We actually have a vet about 2 miles from my house, but I haven't found them to be knowledgeable about exotics (or even cats/dogs from what I've heard from other folks), and I find the attitude of the main vet to be quite horrible...very apathetic and rude. So I truck my critters to a much friendlier and helpful vet office about a 35 minute drive (one-way) away.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope so too. I'm so nervous and scared.
All I have at the moment are 7 ducks and 2 cats, lol - I've been going to this vet for over 10 years. As lovely as ratties are, they just don't live long.

I got tired of the constant heartbreak.
We actually have a vet about 2 miles from my house, but I haven't found them to be knowledgeable about exotics (or even cats/dogs from what I've heard from other folks), and I find the attitude of the main vet to be quite horrible...very apathetic and rude. So I truck my critters to a much friendlier and helpful vet office about a 35 minute drive (one-way) away.

When is your apt? Has he been acting pretty normal other wise though?

 

[cymbaline]

When is your apt? Has he been acting pretty normal other wise though?

I get off work at 5pm and will run home and get him and drive there, so between 5:45-6pm. They don't close until 7pm, thank goodness. He has been kind of hateful and bite-y sometimes, but now I know why - he's probably in pain, poor baby. He's been eating pretty well, and pooping well, and swimming all right. One day though, I was making dinner while he swam and heard some odd noises...when I went in to check on him it look like he was having trouble keeping his head out of the water because he kept tipping over on his side because he wouldn't (couldn't) use his bad leg. I've been running much shallower baths since then, just in case. He proved to me just the other day that he can still get out of the swim tub if he really wants to though, lol...flopped himself right out on the floor.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I get off work at 5pm and will run home and get him and drive there, so between 5:45-6pm. They don't close until 7pm, thank goodness. He has been kind of hateful and bite-y sometimes, but now I know why - he's probably in pain, poor baby. He's been eating pretty well, and pooping well, and swimming all right. One day though, I was making dinner while he swam and heard some odd noises...when I went in to check on him it look like he was having trouble keeping his head out of the water because he kept tipping over on his side because he wouldn't (couldn't) use his bad leg. I've been running much shallower baths since then, just in case. He proved to me just the other day that he can still get out of the swim tub if he really wants to though, lol...flopped himself right out on the floor.

LOL ,I bet that was a sight. Do you think he could have hurt himself then? Look forward to hearing what the vet says. Hopefully fixable.

 

[cymbaline]

Well, I was prepared for a lot of things, but not this. She says there's nothing they can do. He physically can't put his leg under him anymore...possibly a slipped tendon or something like that. The lump was all but gone this evening; she thinks it was his pelvis sticking out and maybe was swollen where he is pretty much laying on it now. He will never walk again...poor Bullwinkle.

 

[Amiga]

Well, I was prepared for a lot of things, but not this. She says there's nothing they can do. He physically can't put his leg under him anymore...possibly a slipped tendon or something like that. The lump was all but gone this evening; she thinks it was his pelvis sticking out and maybe was swollen where he is pretty much laying on it now. He will never walk again...poor Bullwinkle.

The Ultimate Pet Duck Guidebook has a section on how to make slings and things that can keep him mobile and may help. Not false hope, but thinking a little outside the box.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well, I was prepared for a lot of things, but not this. She says there's nothing they can do. He physically can't put his leg under him anymore...possibly a slipped tendon or something like that. The lump was all but gone this evening; she thinks it was his pelvis sticking out and maybe was swollen where he is pretty much laying on it now. He will never walk again...poor Bullwinkle.

I'm so sorry, did she say he was in pain? And what did she say about addressing that? You have a sling type thing for him to keep him up off of it don't you?

 

[cymbaline]

I'm so sorry, did she say he was in pain? And what did she say about addressing that? You have a sling type thing for him to keep him up off of it don't you?

She said he was probably really frustrated by not being able to move around, and that laying on his pelvis all the time is probably uncomfortable. I'm experimenting with different ways to lay a rolled up hand towel to make it easier on him. I do have his walker, which is pretty much a sling on wheels with leg holes, but he hates it. I only feel okay leaving him in it when I can supervise, because one day he tipped it over and threw himself out. I have no idea why he hates it so much - it gives him the ability to stand and flap and stretch his wings without falling over, and preen a lot of places easier, and he can actually still kick around with the one good leg. But he spends most of his time in it biting it.

Oh, and you asked earlier if I thought he hurt himself flopping out of the tub? No, it was definitely on the 11th - I noticed he was kicking that leg out behind him as soon as I brought him back inside that day after being out for many hours with me and the other ducks. He must've been trying so hard to get around the yard

 

[Miss Lydia]

She said he was probably really frustrated by not being able to move around, and that laying on his pelvis all the time is probably uncomfortable. I'm experimenting with different ways to lay a rolled up hand towel to make it easier on him. I do have his walker, which is pretty much a sling on wheels with leg holes, but he hates it. I only feel okay leaving him in it when I can supervise, because one day he tipped it over and threw himself out. I have no idea why he hates it so much - it gives him the ability to stand and flap and stretch his wings without falling over, and preen a lot of places easier, and he can actually still kick around with the one good leg. But he spends most of his time in it biting it.

Oh, and you asked earlier if I thought he hurt himself flopping out of the tub? No, it was definitely on the 11th - I noticed he was kicking that leg out behind him as soon as I brought him back inside that day after being out for many hours with me and the other ducks. He must've been trying so hard to get around the yard

I hope he'll get use to his sling that sounds like the ideal place for him. Maybe he won't be so rambunctious about trying to get out if he'd let himself get use to it. is there any way to stabilize it more so he'd couldn't get out of it? Poor guy must be so frustrating to not be able to get around like the rest of his flock. .

 

[cymbaline]

Amiga, I had a whole response typed up at home this morning and was waiting on the picture to upload while I got ready for work, and then walked off and didn't post it, lol.

I searched around for that book. It's not very easy to find, and when I do it's kind of pricey. Do you think anything in that chapter is better than the walker I made?
This isn't the best pic, as it's from August and I have since remodeled it some, but it's the only shot I can access at work (from my Facebook).