Duck limping

[Jparsons]

I have a 5 year old duck. That i noticed struggling to walk yesterday so I brought her inside, she can't walk at all and when she tries she has to support her legs with her wing. Her right leg she refuses to put weight on. While shes in the bath tub soaking she uses it to scratch her head, still eating, drinking, pooping like normal.

How do I tell if its a slipped tendon or a sprain. She doesn't act like it bothers her when I mess with it, she just refuses to use it.

 

[oldhenlikesdogs]

I would assume it's an injury or even the start of arthritis. A slipped tendon is usually from a vitamin deficiency, and is seen in young growing birds. I would check the bottom and make sure you don't see any wounds or bumblefoot.

 

[Jparsons]

I would assume it's an injury or even the start of arthritis. A slipped tendon is usually from a vitamin deficiency, and is seen in young growing birds. I would check the bottom and make sure you don't see any wounds or bumblefoot.

Okay, yeah I have checked her all over and didnt see a wound. I didnt think it could be a slipped tendon its just weird how she was locked up and then the next morning upon unlocking I noticed it.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Does she lay eggs? Sometimes a hen who lays eggs gets an egg stuck inside that presses against the nerve that makes them temporarily lame until they pass the egg. I would go ahead and give her one ML of calcium gluconate every 24 hours until you see that she lays an egg, but not if she is not of egg laying age.
If it is a sprain, it will help to let her soak in some warm Epson salt water, but don’t let her drink it. What I do is hold my duck in a dish pan tub for 20 minutes soak. You can also keep her in a small area or a crate where she can rest away from the other Ducks, but where she can still see them.

 

[Jparsons]

Does she lay eggs? Sometimes a hen who lays eggs gets an egg stuck inside that presses against the nerve that makes them temporarily lame until they pass the egg. I would go ahead and give her one ML of calcium gluconate every 24 hours until you see that she lays an egg, but not if she is not of egg laying age.
If it is a sprain, it will help to let her soak in some warm Epson salt water, but don’t let her drink it. What I do is hold my duck in a dish pan tub for 20 minutes soak. You can also keep her in a small area or a crate where she can rest away from the other Ducks, but where she can still see them.

Yeah we were concerned about the egg thing as well but she did lay a egg this morning. I am assuming it's a sprain and keeping her isolated until improvement.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Yeah we were concerned about the egg thing as well but she did lay a egg this morning. I am assuming it's a sprain and keeping her isolated until improvement.

Poor thing, I hope she feels better. I had a duck who slipped on the ice last winter and did a bad sprain to her leg, which, even after months of rest and pain medicine ended up infected in the joint. I had to give antibiotics. It helped a little, but she eventually succumbed to it and died. She was 10 years old though so it was expected she would die soon anyway but still very sad for me. I really hope your duck heals