Cat Attack resulted in ruptured eyeball -- HELP!

[Layzedee]

My sweet Sweedish duck, Donna, was attacked by a stray cat. Luckily my husband happened to see the attack and let's just say that cat is no longer a problem. I checked Donna and her eyeball is obviously ruptured. I could find no other injuries on her. I slathered it with neosporin. I feel so bad for her; she is obviously in pain. I have separated her and put her in a cage in my brooder shed. We don't have a vet in the area that treats poultry or waterfowl. I have veteracyn but wasn't sure if I should use it on her eye. Is there anything I can do for the pain? Won't the eyeball get infected if it isn't removed?

 

[gander007]

wow do you have any pictures as removing the eye will leave a open hole for foren objects to enter but a good thing to do is put her in a container with water about 3 to 4 inches deep and let her clean her self off ....

 

[Miss Lydia]

My sweet Sweedish duck, Donna, was attacked by a stray cat. Luckily my husband happened to see the attack and let's just say that cat is no longer a problem. I checked Donna and her eyeball is obviously ruptured. I could find no other injuries on her. I slathered it with neosporin. I feel so bad for her; she is obviously in pain. I have separated her and put her in a cage in my brooder shed. We don't have a vet in the area that treats poultry or waterfowl. I have veteracyn but wasn't sure if I should use it on her eye. Is there anything I can do for the pain? Won't the eyeball get infected if it isn't removed?

Use the Vetericyn spray in the eye I have used it many times in the eyes and around the face it's the best for wounds and infections. Can you post a pic when you say ruptured what exactly do you mean, explain please.

 

[Layzedee]

Thank you. She is resting and up for the night. I will take a pic tomorrow and post. I examined her very well after the incident and the eyeball looks like it was definitely clawed or punctured.

 

[Amiga]

I read on a page by the Twycross Zoo that surgery may not be needed . . . I have no direct experience with this but wanted to share what I found

http://wildpro.twycrosszoo.org/S/00dis/PhysicalTraumatic/Eye_Injuries.htm

You are right - avoiding infection is the primary job here. It may heal. Not perfectly, but it may close up, if infection can be prevented.

Here is another article that includes mention of serious eye injury and loss

http://www.majesticwaterfowl.org/mmissue32.htm

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hows the patient this morning?

 

[Layzedee]

Hi, Miss Lydia,

She is about the same. I posted a pic. Called my vet. He said what I am doing is appropriate as far as he knew and suggested I might want to take her to the exotic pet vet in Raleigh (about an hour away).

I noticed this morning that the side of her face is a little swollen. She is also hissing a little bit - so she may have injuries other than the eye. It's difficult to not rush her off to Raleigh, but the balance between economics and emotion must be maintained. Right now she seems to be comfortable. If she gets to the point that she is suffering, I will have to make the difficult decision to put her down.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi, Miss Lydia,

She is about the same. I posted a pic. Called my vet. He said what I am doing is appropriate as far as he knew and suggested I might want to take her to the exotic pet vet in Raleigh (about an hour away).

I noticed this morning that the side of her face is a little swollen. She is also hissing a little bit - so she may have injuries other than the eye. It's difficult to not rush her off to Raleigh, but the balance between economics and emotion must be maintained. Right now she seems to be comfortable. If she gets to the point that she is suffering, I will have to make the difficult decision to put her down.

The pic didn't post. why not start her on some antibiotics by water, for blood born infections it's recc that penicillin be used and you can get it at TSC. and keep using the Vetericyn too.

 

[Layzedee]

Well it looks like all my duck problems are happening all at once. My little mallard male showed up to check on Donna and I noticed his bill is chipped on one side and had been bleeding. I caught him and checked it out - he protested mightily because he is not used to being handled. It appears it is just chipped on the edge. I sprayed it with veteracyn. I'm beginning to think I need to stick to chickens. Anything else I need to do for him?

 

[Carcajou]

Well it looks like all my duck problems are happening all at once. My little mallard male showed up to check on Donna and I noticed his bill is chipped on one side and had been bleeding. I caught him and checked it out - he protested mightily because he is not used to being handled. It appears it is just chipped on the edge. I sprayed it with veteracyn. I'm beginning to think I need to stick to chickens. Anything else I need to do for him?

Hang in there! Though our ducks can sure make us wonder and fret they have an amazing ability to recover especially when we give all the TLC we possibly can. You are being guided by two of the best here at BYC (Miss Lydia and Amiga). Blessings to you.

And