Duck hen suffering terribly--bumble foot plus (Update: NOW PICS)

[English Chick]

Before you cut her.... ducks and geese can suffer from calluses on their feet... that picture you posted was exactly the same condition one of my big old ducks had.... I washed the foot clean.. then I used "Bazuka that Veruca" ointment on her...the calluse came off after a week.. duck walk fine afterwards.....calluses are very common in ducks, especially if they are walking on hard ground all the time....

In the "olden days" of long long ago. when farmers where walking their flocks of geese to market... (before motorcars).. they would fashion little shoes made of leather for the geese to wear so they would not get calluses, it stopped them losing weight as their feet did not hurt..... just a little bit of info for you...

 

[jmc]

ugh......................

 

[cocosandy]

Worth a try...thanks so much for that info...I am reading my storey's duck book which I hadnt gotten to yet!
Let me knwo if that ointment works...worth a try certainly...

 

[jmc]

I am set for cutting this pm, and at this point, I don't want to order something from the UK.

thanks anyway.

 

[ruth]

From the pics it definitely looks like an infection that may have abcessed. I would still follow the steps listed on my Bumble Foot thread, meaning soak in warm salt water and try to dig out the infection then pack the wound with neosporin. Only problem with ducks is there's not a way to wrap the toes like you can a chicken so you may have to make a cardboard shoe to fit under the foot and wrap the whole thing.

It looks like she has injured the foot at the joints, maybe even broken the bones? Start with gently cleaning out and see what else is there. I'm not sure it's bumblefoot meaning may not have the "plug" or "kernel" that needs to come out - it may just be an injury that got infected.

In either case, I'm not sure why she would stop eating - that doesn't sound good. May have something else going on.

 

[cocosandy]

I know you dont want to, but perhaps you might want to get some antibiotics onboard...just some in the water...and some vitamin electrolyte pack as well.
English chick, can you tell us whats in the ointment you used...it may be something simple.

OK...I searched it...its salicylic acid as in clearasil and other acne meds and dry skin meds that slough off outter skin, and from what I can tell it has aspirin in it.
They say that it makes a waterproof seal over the wart or callus.

Im not sure if you can get it in the us, but there are topical aspirin and topical salicylic acid creams and also band aids that seal out water...of course you'd have to make a shoe out of something if you were to let her free range rather than stay in a box.
But if you want to avoid cutting, this may be a way.

There are some proponents of a bumblefoot treatment where you put cottonballs soaked with bactine on the bumble and wrap it in a ball wrap and leave it for hours. The bactine sloughs off the bad skin and begins the process of getting the infection out. This seems sort of the same in the line of eating away the hard top....I would probably go crazy and open it myself, just cause the bird is so weak...but if you think she can take more time in her condition, maybe a half step for today would be in order, and then cut it tonight....just sayin'...
good luck!

 

[cocosandy]

here ya go...ingredients...its is awfully strong...apparently makes the thing turn white and fall off. It also is said to burn....
its an idea, but its aimed to virus type warts, and if its an infection, you probably have to get the thing out and put some antibiotic in there.
But this is interesting stuff...good to know about:
ctive ingredients:
Salicylic Acid (12%) and Lactic Acid (4%).

Other ingredients:
Camphor, Pyroxylin, Ethanol and Ethyl Acetate.

 

[jmc]

Thank you all again.

I might just put her down.

She is in bad shape and is getting light as a feather................

 

[cocosandy]

well, you know your bird better than anyone...but do try to see if there is infection under that even if you do put her down...if you can stand it...it would be good to know for duck owners.
so sorry about your girl.

 

[jmc]

Marissa has been put down.

She was too far gone in my pain filled judgement.

Sorry folks

Thanks for your loving concern