Bumblefoot on duck?

[Trenton H]

Hi All, new duck owner here. a week ago one of my 9 month old mallard ducks was walking with a limp. Upon further inspection, I saw she had a swollen spot under her knuckle on her left foot. There was no black scab, just a little hole in the middle of the swollen area with a brownish "plug" coming out. I started doing the epsom salt soaks, as well as trying to get the "plug" out. I did not have any luck pulled at the brown "plug", because it is the consistency of wax, and only mushes when I try and grab it. Today the swelling was worse, and I decided to try and open up the hole a bit, and see if I could scrape out the brown, but when I got in there, the material had a similar consistency with the "plug". but seemed stuck to the surrounding flesh. I don't want to cut too deep and hit the knuckle. I am also not sure if this is bumble at all or not, since there was no black scab. Any help/suggestions would be appreciated! The black in the wound had no substance to it, and looked like discoloration, not a scab or anything.

 

[ruthhope]

That brownish tissue looks like fat cells to me. Its not cheesy infected tissue. The wound looks quite clean.

I think you need to do the epson salt routine,cover the wound with a non adhesive dressing and either a duckie boot or a homemade foot covering made with duct tape to keep the dressing in place and the wound clean and dry.

Some people would use an antibiotic spray once the wound is open. I would if it was infected but personally, I would hold off with the wound you are looking at. I think you will find other, experienced, duck keepers will say use antibiotic spray.

 

[CoriM]

If it were my duck I would spray vetericyn on the open wound or put triple antibiotic ointment (without pain reliever) in the wound, then gauze pad and wrap it, keeping it dry until it scabs over.

 

[Trenton H]

Thank you both for the advice! Sounds like I should just keep doing what I have been, and hopefully everything will clear up. I have her separated from the rest of the flock, do I need to do anything special when I go to put her back with them?

 

[Isadora]

Thank you both for the advice! Sounds like I should just keep doing what I have been, and hopefully everything will clear up. I have her separated from the rest of the flock, do I need to do anything special when I go to put her back with them?

It depends how long she ends up being separated for. If it's just a few days, likely they will all integrate with no issue. If it's a week or more, I would put her in a wired dog crate or something similar where they could all see her and get used to her again before letting her out, just to make sure there's no aggressive pecking order skirmishes.

 

[CoriM]

You don't have to keep her separated from the flock, unless that's the only way you can keep her foot clean and dry. I just bandage my duck's feet and put them right back in, keeping them out of ponds, and putting on a fresh bandage every day if it's damp.