Closed eye with possible discharge

[austroberta]

We just discovered that runner duck has one eye closed and is a bit off. The feathers around that eye look to be a bit matted, so there's probably discharge, although I can't see what the discharge actually is. I gave her a big bowl of water to dunk her head in, but from her standoffish behavior, I don't think it's just an eye problem, but a sign of possible sickness. She's hiding herself behind some bushes, so that's an extra clue that I think she is sick. Does anyone have advice?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Well first off you need to examine her up close hands on. Look close at eyes, do you hear anything off when she is breathing? You can wash her eyes out with a saline solution made for contact wearers Incase something might be under the eye lid. But I’d def place her where you can observe that she is eating and drinking.

 

[casportpony]

Do you have any antibiotics?

 

[austroberta]

She is standing by herself and when I gave her tomatoes and worms, she gobbled them up, but otherwise, I don't see her drinking much, although we have placed a bowl of water next to her. I didn't visibly see any breathing problems or hear any rattling. She seems sleepy and lethargic.

When she dips her head in the water, she opens her eyes and then closes it.

I don't have the saline solution, but I do have Vetracin. Would that work? And if so, how do I apply it.

She laid an egg this morning and otherwise seemed fine and happy. It's only in the last 1/2 hour that I see she is off.

 

[austroberta]

Do you have any antibiotics?

I might have some antibiotics from another duck that I had taken to a vet, but I don't know if they would be alright for her.

 

[casportpony]

What does her poop look like?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you have drakes? Sometimes a drake when latching on to mate can grab an eye. Yes Veterycin is fine just spray her eye. But you’ll probably have to do it often if she dunks her head right after.

 

[austroberta]

What does her poop look like?

Her poop looks like the lettuce she had recently. Doesn't look particularly strange.

 

[austroberta]

Do you have drakes? Sometimes a drake when latching on to mate can grab an eye. Yes Veterycin is fine just spray her eye. But you’ll probably have to do it often if she dunks her head right after.

We re-homed our drake as soon as we could. He was bullying one of my ducks and driving me crazy.

I'll try the oxine.

Doesn't anyone know what the discharge might indicate (apart from respiratory infection)?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Could be something under the eye lid that’s irritating the eye, or an infection . She could have poked the eye white foraging.