Duck vs Dog- Please help

[mommy2tanis]

My husband and I got home from town today to find 4 of our 5 ducks dead and one missing. We figured out a neighbor dog had come on our property and killed them. While hunting down the dogs my husband found our missing duck hiding under the bushes- alive but he has a huge hole in his back, kind of under his wing. It is about 1 inch deep and the size of my fist. We have no idea how to take care of it or treat it. Is there anything we need to look for to be able to tell if it is even something that he can be saved from? How do we being to treat it? We locked him in with the chickens tonight.

 

[BorderKelpie]

I would get him away from the chickens first and fast - they love to eat injured coop mates.

Then, I would just keep his wound as clean as possible (fresh water or better yet, saline rinses), apply neosporin - no steriods, and feed him the best quality foods you can find. You'll probably be pleasantly surprised to see how well birds can heal on their own.

Best wishes!!

 

[NancyP]

I agree, isolation and keep the wound clean and slather antibiotic ointment generously on it. We have doctored a couple of ducks with severe wounds and they healed very well.

 

[mommy2tanis]

Thank you for the replies. He made it through the night and we cleaned him out this morning and slathered Neosporin on him. He had a blast swimming around in our bathtub for an hour and drank lots of water. We still haven't seen him eat but he has plenty of food available to him. I *think* if we can keep the infection at bay he will make it. Are there any antibiotics we can give him to help that?

I really wish we could press charges against the owners of the dogs that did this. Unfortunately the state of Wyoming does not consider ducks (or chickens) livestock. We can shoot the dogs for running our horses (which these dogs did as well) but not for killing ducks.