*cry* one of my beautiful anconas was attacked this morning (WARNING: PICS)

[jdywntr]

Well I just spent the grossest hour in the history of time. I used the shower sprayer again to rinse Freckles off... then I used a pair of tweezers to pluck a bunch of the little buggars out of the bite wounds... then I poured very warm salt water over the wounds... then I plucked away again with tweezers... then I rinsed off with the shower sprayer again.

I'm assuming I'm going to have to do this many times throughout the day today... and the next couple days...

I've also read that ivermectin kills maggots. I'll get to Tractor Supply Co. tomorrow to see if they have any over the counter ivermectin that will work on ducks.

I'm so itchy and disgusted by this, it's not even funny... I know it's no picnic for him, either, though, so I'm plugging along...

Thanks for a place to come and rant/cry/get help...

Good for you. The things we do for our ducks. There is nothing worse than maggots in a wound.

 

[cskotek]

Good for you. The things we do for our ducks. There is nothing worse than maggots in a wound.

I cant agree more. Maggots are horrible. But they are also used with humans to clean wounds, werid and odd. So I hope that the ducky gets better soon and that nothing like this will ever happen again!

 

[PeanutnCashew]

Been trying to dig up some info.. maggots and flies, what a read!

this woman had success with treatment on a bird:

http://www.pigeons.biz/forums/f6/maggots-and-fly-strike-21043.html

 

[PeanutnCashew]

another remedy:

http://familycow.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=chickens&action=display&thread=45394

 

[LilyAshley11]

Cats!....

my magpie duck, Clementine, was injured foot, that was a lot of blood, i use to cure oxygenated water and mertodol, and in 2 days she was ok.

 

[Valntyn]

Update:

I thought I'd let you know how things went today, so if it happens to anyone else, they'll have one more experience to use...

My husband was able to get out early from work again, hurrah! Our vet doesn't see livestock/ducks/etc., but they gave us a recommendation for a place fairly nearby who does. They were able to see us right away and take care of Freckles.

First off, the vet said I did perfect with the shower sprayer/salt water/tweezer routine I did this morning, so thank you to everyone who gave those recommendations! Then he said he got all the maggots he was able to see, rinsed with hydrogen peroxide, and sprayed with SWAT (?). Our toddler got a kick out of the fact that Freckles was a pretty pink, just like her pants she's wearing.

The vet also gave us Baytril to give Freckles twice daily. We're to keep him inside for 2-3 weeks; supplement his diet with milk powder, eggs, yogurt and greens; and check for more critters daily, flushing with hydrogen peroxide if needed. Apparently the SWAT will continue to kill maggots for a few days, and then after that few days we can wash off the SWAT and give him a tub to swim around in.

This wasn't something we thought to ask while we were at the vet, but we're thinking of buying some Neosporin to put on his wounds later, after the SWAT has done its thing and is washed off. That was something else I'd seen through here and it makes sense to both of us.

Sooo that's where we are right now.

Thanks yet again to everyone who offered help.

Oh, and the vet visit ended on a really nice note, where both the vet and two different clients in the waiting room thought Freckles was such a beautiful duck.

All I could do was agree... and THEN thank them.

 

[CelticOaksFarm]

S glad you have a good vet to help out and things are going well.

 

[Wulfandwyn]

The neosporin really helped my drake, just don't use the pain free neosporin. did the vet recommend straight hydrogen peroxide or diluted? I didn't know about salt water but had been told to dilute hydrogen peroxide by people on the forum. Just curious for any future injuries. It is incredible how much healing power ducks have! Keep us updated.

 

[jdywntr]

Good for you. Very nice to take him to the vet too.

 

[Valntyn]

The neosporin really helped my drake, just don't use the pain free neosporin. did the vet recommend straight hydrogen peroxide or diluted? I didn't know about salt water but had been told to dilute hydrogen peroxide by people on the forum. Just curious for any future injuries. It is incredible how much healing power ducks have! Keep us updated.

The vet didn't mention diluting the hydrogen peroxide. It will only be used once a day for a couple days max. I thought I remembered reading if it were to be used more than that, then it should be diluted... now I'll have to go back and read some more. Better safe than sorry!!

I can't tell how much of his crumbles he ate (because he knocked the dish over), but he ate all the peas I put in 'his room' earlier, plus his water had food in it, evidence he drank today. He seems perky and wanting to thrive, so.. yay!