Arthritis in duck

[ali04]

Hey i Thought my ducks hip might be dislocated but it is not. He still has quite the waddle and it is from his leg. I am not sure if it is an old injury that healed wrong or arthritis. Here are two videos of him walking. Now that winter is over they are running around more and he seems active and happy but also lays downs fairly often. I do not know how to tell if he is in pain or not. If anyone has any ideas on how to help him please let me know.

 

[KaleIAm]

My duck had arthritis, also cartilage degeneration. I had x-rays reviewed by radiologists, and after she passed away I also had a necropsy done by an avian vet. The x-rays showed the arthritis.

Having both conditions myself, in my wrist, I understand that they are very painful. Ducks hide their pain, and the only time they can stop using their feet is if they are flying or floating. Domestic ducks are almost always on their feet, and much heavier than wild ducks.

This is what I did to help my duck. I increased her bedding thickness to 4-6 inches of straw in the barn. I fluffed it up with a pitch fork daily. It molds easily so you have to change it all out weekly. I bought her a sweeter heater for inside the barn so she could stay warm. When I brought her inside I had her on thick layers, about 4, of towels. I let her float on water as often as possible. In a large kid pool outside (I made a ramp) or in my large tub inside in the winter. I reduced her movement, and made the rest of the flock stay with her. We used to take many hour long foraging walks, but when Thimbleberry wasn't well I limited them to 15 minutes. I also gave her anti-inflammatory medication prescribed by a veterinarian.

If your duck is walking slowly, stopping frequently, foraging while sitting, or keeping his neck pulled in, he could be in pain. An x-ray is a good idea. Very soft thick substrate and less movement is where I would start. My duck was already an appropriate weight, but you might want to look into that, too. I recommend feeling his keel bone.