Concerned Parent

[Fabfur]

So on Friday night I left my younger duck out with the other older ones fir a few hrs. She normally doesn’t stay out with them for too long because I felt like she’s just gotten big enough to not get hurt by them also she’s completely bonded to me & prefers to be with me. Well when I got gone she was indeed hurt. She’s been very lame on her right leg & im starting to worry. I’m posting what little video I can get of her up & trying to use it. Mainly she just stays sitting. I’m not certain how to upload video

 

[azygous]

Post your vid to YouTube first. Copy the URL and paste it here. It auto-embeds.

 

[Isaac 0]

I'm very sorry to hear about your duck @Fabfur . To let us help YOU, could you provide us with some additional information regarding the bird?

How old is she? What is she being fed? Do you have any pictures of her setup? Have you picked her up and inspected her legs to ensure they bend at the joints correctly? Is there any swelling, on the leg? If unsure you can use a caliper to measure compared to the good leg. Any discoloration, lesions, or warm spots? Is she currently eating, and drinking? What kind of substrate is she being kept on? Did the leg problems appear slowly over a few days, or overnight?

The video will be helpful. I see azygous was kind enough to explain how to post a video.

 

[Fabfur]

 

[Fabfur]

 

[Fabfur]

It’s taken me a few days to get some video but normally she lives inside in a dig crate but she got hurt on Saturday night while I left her out in the enclosure with the other larger ducks. I don’t know what else to do it’s still not working so great. She can stand for a bit on in & take a step or two before falling but it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. The video I took yesterday of her swimming was my attempt to see how’d she my try to use it if not having to support her weight

 

[Fabfur]

I'm very sorry to hear about your duck @Fabfur . To let us help YOU, could you provide us with some additional information regarding the bird?

How old is she? What is she being fed? Do you have any pictures of her setup? Have you picked her up and inspected her legs to ensure they bend at the joints correctly? Is there any swelling, on the leg? If unsure you can use a caliper to measure compared to the good leg. Any discoloration, lesions, or warm spots? Is she currently eating, and drinking? What kind of substrate is she being kept on? Did the leg problems appear slowly over a few days, or overnight?

The video will be helpful. I see azygous was kind enough to explain how to post a video.

She’s being feed duck food & meal worms & scratch grains & scrambled eggs . Yes this happened in the matter of a few hrs while out with my larger ducks. She’s almost never out with them because I was worried about her because of how big they are & they aren’t very people oriented & she’s totally bonded to me & prefers to be with me. In the house she stays in a dog crate that always has either a blanket, towel or dos bed in it otherwise she’s on my lap

 

[Isaac 0]

It’s taken me a few days to get some video but normally she lives inside in a dig crate but she got hurt on Saturday night while I left her out in the enclosure with the other larger ducks. I don’t know what else to do it’s still not working so great. She can stand for a bit on in & take a step or two before falling but it doesn’t seem to be getting any better. The video I took yesterday of her swimming was my attempt to see how’d she my try to use it if not having to support her weight

She’s being feed duck food & meal worms & scratch grains & scrambled eggs . Yes this happened in the matter of a few hrs while out with my larger ducks. She’s almost never out with them because I was worried about her because of how big they are & they aren’t very people oriented & she’s totally bonded to me & prefers to be with me. In the house she stays in a dog crate that always has either a blanket, towel or dos bed in it otherwise she’s on my lap

Thanks for providing us with additional information.

In regards to what might have caused her leg problems, I would have to agree with you that it's injury-related due to the sudden onset.

This is nothing uncommon in ducks, especially with heavier weight breeds like Pekins. While ducks are good swimmers, they are poor walkers on land, and often easily trip, and injure themselves getting minor strains, or soft tissue damage to their legs.

Ultimately, rest will be the best medicine here. That does not mean locking her away in a small pen, but you'll want to keep her in a soft padded area, that reduces her movement. A few times a day I would suggest letting her swim in cool water, possibly with Epsom salts added. If you add Epsom salts, discourage her from drinking the water as it has laxative effects. This whole process will help reduce any swelling going on, and will relieve the weight off her legs, but at the same time letting her exercise them.

In addition to that, I would suggest starting her on B vitamins, specifically niacin (B3) which is an important vitamin in ducks to support healthy leg growth, and structure. What we use most often here is Cattle B Complex Injectable, simply take 1ml out, and sprinkle it over her favorite treats, or give it orally once a day. Link below regarding how to give birds medication orally,

Give her a week or two of supportive care and she should start feeling better soon. Keep us posted on her condition.

 

[Fabfur]

I forgot yes she is eating and drinking just fine and she has and is still spend all day with me at work in an X pen near my grooming station

 

[Fabfur]

Thanks for providing us with additional information.

In regards to what might have caused her leg problems, I would have to agree with you that it's injury-related due to the sudden onset.

This is nothing uncommon in ducks, especially with heavier weight breeds like Pekins. While ducks are good swimmers, they are poor walkers on land, and often easily trip, and injure themselves getting minor strains, or soft tissue damage to their legs.

Ultimately, rest will be the best medicine here. That does not mean locking her away in a small pen, but you'll want to keep her in a soft padded area, that reduces her movement. A few times a day I would suggest letting her swim in cool water, possibly with Epsom salts added. If you add Epsom salts, discourage her from drinking the water as it has laxative effects. This whole process will help reduce any swelling going on, and will relieve the weight off her legs, but at the same time letting her exercise them.

In addition to that, I would suggest starting her on B vitamins, specifically niacin (B3) which is an important vitamin in ducks to support healthy leg growth, and structure. What we use most often here is Cattle B Complex Injectable, simply take 1ml out, and sprinkle it over her favorite treats, or give it orally once a day. Link below regarding how to give birds medication orally,

Give her a week or two of supportive care and she should start feeling better soon. Keep us posted on her condition.

Oh my gosh thank you so much I have been so worried. yeah I have her under constant supervision and always have her on some sort of a padded surface to potentially avoid any slip and more injury. Yes when I put her in the tub last night I thought that it would be good potential physical therapy Epson salt great idea thank you