Duck Vent Prolapse

[Jersmom09]

Hey there- I have a female Indian Runner duck (unsure of age, she was a rescue) who has a vent prolapse that developed yesterday. We’ve let her soak in warmish epsom water, used vetericyn to keep it clean, kept her in a quiet dark area, and tried putting the prolapse back in. We get it back in, but she pushes it back out again. Today, we also noticed white calcium-like crystals around her vent and there is also a small solid mass hanging out (about the size of a large grape). I’m not sure what to do. I want so badly to save her but I know she’s in pain. Please any advice on what to do or how to keep everything in or what this mass could be, would be appreciated. Thank you

Attached photo is from yesterday before any treatment. The amount she pushes back out now is much smaller…and pretty much only the mass.

 

[Quatie]

For a prolapse, they take a long time to cure. It is going to take about a month.

You will want to keep the tissue clean. I recommend bringing her indoors, where you can keep her clean and treat her easily multiple times a day. You will need hydrocortisone ointment. Preferably ointment, because the creme is not as effective. You will want to apply this all over the effected tissue when you go push the prolapse in. You will need to do this 4 times a day to be really effective. This is key to reducing the inflammation and help heal. If she has any laceration to the tissue, you can also apply bacitracin.

Secondly you will want to give her extra calcium during this time to encourage proper contractions of her vent muscles. Calcium citrate can be found at a pharmacy. You can give her one 500 mg pill a day. Or calcium gluconate will also work, which can be found at TSC. The calcium gluconate says it is injectable, but I just use a syringe and give it orally. Once open it will need to be refrigerated. It is 0.2ml/ lb of duck per day.

Also, you will need to stop her from laying eggs. It is recommended to put them in the dark. I couldn't get that to work with my duck, but I was able to encourage her to go broody. That stopped mine from laying eggs.

I would give her a like warm bath twice a day. This will help with proper contractions, cleaning the tissue and maintaining hydration of the tissue. I also found, with my duck, as she continued to heal a bath would cause the tissue to go back in on its own.

Lastly, you can give her crumble or wet food to make it easier to digest and softer when it comes out.

 

[Quatie]

Forgot one more thing. You can give her an anti-inflammatory as well. I use infant or children's ibuprofen. Dosage is 5-10 mg/kg 2-3 times a day. Just make sure you don't use grape flavored, because something in the grape flavor is toxic to ducks.

 

[Jersmom09]

Forgot one more thing. You can give her an anti-inflammatory as well. I use infant or children's ibuprofen. Dosage is 5-10 mg/kg 2-3 times a day. Just make sure you don't use grape flavored, because something in the grape flavor is toxic to ducks.

Thank you! I’ll try these suggestions today. I’m just not sure about the white calcium-like substance around her vent and the small hard-ish mass.

 

[Quatie]

Thank you! I’ll try these suggestions today. I’m just not sure about the white calcium-like substance around her vent and the small hard-ish mass.

I believe the white stuff is the calcium produced for coating the eggs. Mine had essentially a calcified cyst. The tissue around it eventually fell off and found it in the tub one day. That didn't fall off till the vent was staying in, which was close to a month after it started.

 

[Jersmom09]

I believe the white stuff is the calcium produced for coating the eggs. Mine had essentially a calcified cyst. The tissue around it eventually fell off and found it in the tub one day. That didn't fall off till the vent was staying in, which was close to a month after it started.

Thank you so much for your advice. Most of the prolapse is staying in, except for the piece with the mass. I don’t see any exit opening on the piece with the mass. We’re trying hard to save her, so I’m hopeful she’ll pull through.

 

[Jersmom09]

Thank you so much for your advice. Most of the prolapse is staying in, except for the piece with the mass. I don’t see any exit opening on the piece with the mass. We’re trying hard to save her, so I’m hopeful she’ll pull through.

We noticed this evening, that she had a very large egg stuck inside her. We didn’t notice it previously. We were able to help her deliver it in the warm bath. The shell was very soft.

 

[Quatie]

We noticed this evening, that she had a very large egg stuck inside her. We didn’t notice it previously. We were able to help her deliver it in the warm bath. The shell was very soft.

Soft shelled eggs can be really hard to detect sometimes. That is great she was able to pass it. The soft shelled egg can cause vent prolapses. Giving her more calcium will help improve her egg shell quality.

Thank you so much for your advice. Most of the prolapse is staying in, except for the piece with the mass. I don’t see any exit opening on the piece with the mass. We’re trying hard to save her, so I’m hopeful she’ll pull through.

Hopefully the mass will go in now that the egg has passed. As long as she is eating and seems healthy otherwise, I would take those as good signs. I hope she pulls through too. I completely understand your worry, I felt the same when my girl had her prolapse.

 

[Jersmom09]

She’s been in much better spirits today. Still won’t hold in the mass, but she seems to have more energy. She’s eating and drinking more, preening herself, more vocal, and I even took her outside (in a safe, contained area) for just a little bit while I was doing chores for the other animals. She seemed to really love that little break from being inside. Thanks again for all of your help. I’ll keep you posted.

 

[Jersmom09]

She’s been in much better spirits today. Still won’t hold in the mass, but she seems to have more energy. She’s eating and drinking more, preening herself, more vocal, and I even took her outside (in a safe, contained area) for just a little bit while I was doing chores for the other animals. She seemed to really love that little break from being inside. Thanks again for all of your help. I’ll keep you posted.