Duck Emergency - Attack Wounds (Graffic Pics)

[Goddessmother]

I had a tenant with a dog for a year. The dog took care of all the predators. They moved away. This skunk is probably the baby of the skunk that attacked Horace. I wish it would have gotten trapped in the smaller cage. At least it has a full belly. Skunks are so cute!

Now I will have to dispose of it. I have a dedicated set of clothes just for dealing with skunks. The odor never comes out!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can't relocate?

 

[Bamabexchicks]

I gave Horace a bath today and discovered further damage. The lumbar wound extends down her left flank. And there is also a deep shoulder wound that looks very much like a fang mark. That convinced me that a mammal predator got in my fence and attacked her during daylight. Time to set the traps!

Today, the wound smells a little foul but is dry and healing. A lot of it is just skin having been plucked clean. After washing her scabbed over wounds and inspecting them carefully, I applied iodine. Then, I applied an ointment called Smile's PRID, which I usually use after bumblefoot surgery to pack the wound. It is a drawing salve, but it also has wonderful healing properties.

Horace has energy and isn't lethargic, but I forgot to check her temperature. The temperature of the beak tells me if there is a fever or not. A normal beak is cool to tepid. Warm or hot beak means a fever. I think she's going to pull though this assault.

 

[Bamabexchicks]

Just a note; if you chose to treat wounds with honey it needs to be raw honey. Pasteurized honey will not work.

 

[Goddessmother]

Just a note; if you chose to treat wounds with honey it needs to be raw honey. Pasteurized honey will not work.

Thank you. I used honey from my own hive. I didn't pasteurize it. It just slowly dripped out of the comb.

 

[Goddessmother]

Can't relocate?

Yes. I have a method. I cover the cage with an old blanket. Once the skunk calms down, I return and wrap the cage in the blanket. The skunk isn't so scared if it can't see me. Then I put the cage into a large black plastic bag (unsealed) and tie the cage to the top of my car. The bag serves to protect the animal from the high wind of riding on top of the car. Then I drive to a location with a year-around stream more than 10 miles away from my house. By the time we arrive, the scent gland has been exhausted. Then I untie the cage, release the wild animal, and throw away the blanket and plastic bag.

One year, I caught skunks as fast as I could clean the trap and reset it. Since I worked all week, I'd set the trap on Saturday. Then, every Sunday, I had a skunk to get rid of. I used to call it Skunkday.

It is illegal to relocate wild animals in California. So far, no one has caught me.

 

[Bamabexchicks]

Yes. I have a method. I cover the cage with an old blanket. Once the skunk calms down, I return and wrap the cage in the blanket. The skunk isn't so scared if it can't see me. Then I put the cage into a large black plastic bag (unsealed) and tie the cage to the top of my car. The bag serves to protect the animal from the high wind of riding on top of the car. Then I drive to a location with a year-around stream more than 10 miles away from my house. By the time we arrive, the scent gland has been exhausted. Then I untie the cage, release the wild animal, and throw away the blanket and plastic bag.

One year, I caught skunks as fast as I could clean the trap and reset it. Since I worked all week, I'd set the trap on Saturday. Then, every Sunday, I had a skunk to get rid of. I used to call it Skunkday.

It is illegal to relocate wild animals in California. So far, no one has caught me.

OMG!!! I'm totally cracking up as I imagine driving behind you and wondering how many skunks I have driven past...only to realize I never drove past even 1!!!

 

[Jpat]

ahaha i thaught u were gonna throw the cage in the creek

 

[Goddessmother]

Arriving on the ridge above wild animal heaven, after some miles on the Interstate.

 

[Burkhead Holler Ranch]

I know this looks bad, but you'd be surprised what a duck can handle. You can handle this too. I had my ducks get attacked by a loose dog. He took baseball size chunks out of the backs of my birds. I thought they were goners, but they pulled through!
What happened to your beauty? Please describe further to get best treatment advice. It looks like some skin and feathers missing?
Here's what to do. Get BLUE KOTE. Wash off the area with warm saline water and pat dry. Clean area thoroughly and clip off any hanging skin that won't reattach. Spray the affected area with bluekote. The stuff is amazing, it's an antibiotic spray. Only problem with it is that it will dye everything, including the feathers. My ducks were blue/purple until their next molt but at least they were alive and well.
The patient needs to be kept in clean warm environment until healed and fed lots of peas.
Broken wings or legs I'm afraid I don't know how to help.

I have been looking for advice on my injured duck and I think your post has helped so much because I understand the simple steps. I am also a believer in Blue Kote and am not sure why I didn't think to use it because we usually use it on our dogs. Thank you for posting!