Duck Foot Issue - Assistance Please

[3bird]

Hi All and Happy Spring!

Our wonderful Goose (she's a duck named Goose) is lame, and given that this is our first lame duck, we're looking for some assistance in both diagnosis and treatment. I've scanned through a bunch of threads here on bumble foot and the like, and I've consulted the duck books on my bookshelf. I'm still not decided on a course of action, so I thought I'd turn to you guys. Here are the basics:

Yesterday morning (Friday), it appeared as if Goose was limping when I let her out in the morning. I inspected her left foot and took some pictures as best I could (I'm holding down the fort solo this week, so getting pictures was tricky). She is eating and preening and generally acting herself except for the limp. By the evening, however, it was worse. She is still doing all her usual duck stuff, but the limp was more pronounced. I carried her around behind the flock as they grubbed around the property. When I'd put her down, she'd quite happily grub and preen, but she didn't like to go far on her own. She either sat on the grass or tucked her one foot up. When the ducks moved on, she would wait for me to pick her up and carry her to wherever they had gone off to.

This morning, it is the same or worse. She does not want weight bear on it at all really, but she did burst out of the run to have her soup. I took her down to the little brook and she quite happily floated about while probing the banks and bottom for snacks. I inspected her foot again, and I didn't really see much difference, but we are new to ducks, and I certainly could be missing something. Here are some pictures:

Any thoughts would be very much appreciated. Thank you!

 

[Duck Lover88]

ok well this probably ain't the same thing but once one of mine was living so I kept her pend up for a day and then she was better… anyways other than that sorry but I don't know what to do… maybe some other folks will be here to help soon…

 

[beccaWA]

Hard to tell from the pic, but is it a bit swollen up it looks like? Might be an infection. Is it hot to the touch? She might need some antibiotics, and I agree with Duck Lover you should probably put her in a dog crate with clean shavings. Sometimes one of my ducks will just maybe get their foot caught in something or get a sprain somehow. I just put them in the dog crate for a while (make sure there's no infection/hotness) and they mend up pretty fast. Try that, but if it's worse you might want to take to a vet. If you can't afford that and you're pretty sure it's an infection (although it doesn't look bad), you can get fish antibiotics at a pet store. It's the only way I've found to buy antibiotics for animals without a script. Be sure to Google "duck antibiotics dosage" to get the right amount for ducks. Good luck!

 

[Epogee]

Have a look further up her leg. We had a drake which I noticed was limping slightly. He seemed ok apart from the limp. I picked him up, looked at his feet but there didn't seem to be anything wrong. Then I turned him upside down and saw the injury - I think he had been attacked by one of the peacocks (they're permanently separated now). Birds jump up with their claws outstretched when they attack (chickens too), and I guess this resulted in a tear in his skin on his body, just above where his leg joins. Had to go to the vet to get him stitched up, but he's ok now.

 

[3bird]

Here is a video of her this morning. I let her limp just a short distance so you could see how she is favoring it. I then carried her into the duckhouse, where she is resting comfortably now.

 

[3bird]

Hard to tell from the pic, but is it a bit swollen up it looks like? Might be an infection. Is it hot to the touch? She might need some antibiotics, and I agree with Duck Lover you should probably put her in a dog crate with clean shavings. Sometimes one of my ducks will just maybe get their foot caught in something or get a sprain somehow. I just put them in the dog crate for a while (make sure there's no infection/hotness) and they mend up pretty fast. Try that, but if it's worse you might want to take to a vet. If you can't afford that and you're pretty sure it's an infection (although it doesn't look bad), you can get fish antibiotics at a pet store. It's the only way I've found to buy antibiotics for animals without a script. Be sure to Google "duck antibiotics dosage" to get the right amount for ducks. Good luck!

Thanks so much! Regarding the swelling, tt's hard to say. It may be. It will be easier once my wife gets home and one of us can hold her while the other inspects. It feels warm/hot to the touch, but not significantly warmer to me than her other foot. Should I keep the dog crate in the run so she can see everyone else? What about food and water? I'm definitely going to take her to the vet Monday, but that's the earliest opportunity.

 

[3bird]

Have a look further up her leg. We had a drake which I noticed was limping slightly. He seemed ok apart from the limp. I picked him up, looked at his feet but there didn't seem to be anything wrong. Then I turned him upside down and saw the injury - I think he had been attacked by one of the peacocks (they're permanently separated now). Birds jump up with their claws outstretched when they attack (chickens too), and I guess this resulted in a tear in his skin on his body, just above where his leg joins. Had to go to the vet to get him stitched up, but he's ok now.

Thank you! I'll check again, but I didn't see any soft tissue injury when I inspected her yesterday. I'm glad your drake is okay!

 

[beccaWA]

Thanks so much! Regarding the swelling, tt's hard to say. It may be. It will be easier once my wife gets home and one of us can hold her while the other inspects. It feels warm/hot to the touch, but not significantly warmer to me than her other foot. Should I keep the dog crate in the run so she can see everyone else? What about food and water? I'm definitely going to take her to the vet Monday, but that's the earliest opportunity.

I'd keep the crate somewhere else, like in the garage so she's not trying to get out with the others. Keep her quiet. Sounds like an infection maybe if it's hot. I put the food and water in the crate. Just a tupperware attached to the crate so it won't tip over, or a heavy crock/dish. Yeah, it's messy and you'll have to clean it out often, but best to keep her quiet. Good luck at the vet!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Could one of your drakes be exceptionally loving to her? meaning is she getting too much attention for them. Drakes can injure the females and cause a leg injury like a sprain. It doesn't particularly look like bumble is starting. Rest inside the run with the others where the drakes can't mess with her would be fine. That way she won't be stressed.

 

[3bird]

Could one of your drakes be exceptionally loving to her? meaning is she getting too much attention for them. Drakes can injure the females and cause a leg injury like a sprain. It doesn't particularly look like bumble is starting. Rest inside the run with the others where the drakes can't mess with her would be fine. That way she won't be stressed.

Thanks, Miss Lydia! It's always so comforting to get your advice.

Are you saying to still put her in a dog crate inside the run?