Duck with a swollen leg

[Amiga]

What Miss Lydia said. I would give the duck a chance.

hennible reports that for pain it is okay to give a duck Advil .


For ducks 6-8 lbs 25-40mg twice daily adult tablets cut up or children's liquid Advil 1.5ml twice daily, orally.

 

[paulandashia]

I have been allowing her to swim in the tub full of warm water and epsom salt for 10 days. No improvement. I Stopped bringing her in to swim a few days ago, because she was getting stressed out each time, and I was worried she would hurt herself even more.
I administered antibiotics (both Penicilin and Biomycin, both injectable) for 8 consective days, and also no change. There are no wounds on the skin, no broken bones that I can feel. She is STILL not using that leg at all, and it is still swollen.
I am in Alaska, and the weather has been really, REALLY cold for the past few weeks, and the ducks were moved into the garage for warmth. She was fine when they first came in, and started limping once in the garage. She is eating and drinking fine, just cant get around. I still have her separated in a little pen, though she can see all the other ducks and mingle with them thru the fence...
Not sure what happened to her. Maybe she twisted something somehow, but how long does something like that take to heal??? When do I make the decision to put her down? How long do I wait to see improvement before making the call to end her suffering?

 

[Amiga]

I have been allowing her to swim in the tub full of warm water and epsom salt for 10 days. No improvement. I Stopped bringing her in to swim a few days ago, because she was getting stressed out each time, and I was worried she would hurt herself even more.
I administered antibiotics (both Penicilin and Biomycin, both injectable) for 8 consective days, and also no change. There are no wounds on the skin, no broken bones that I can feel. She is STILL not using that leg at all, and it is still swollen.
I am in Alaska, and the weather has been really, REALLY cold for the past few weeks, and the ducks were moved into the garage for warmth. She was fine when they first came in, and started limping once in the garage. She is eating and drinking fine, just cant get around. I still have her separated in a little pen, though she can see all the other ducks and mingle with them thru the fence...
Not sure what happened to her. Maybe she twisted something somehow, but how long does something like that take to heal??? When do I make the decision to put her down? How long do I wait to see improvement before making the call to end her suffering?

Have you tried something as simple as giving her Advil? (4 to 5 mg per pound of duck) The Ultimate Pet Duck Guide Book has some references to leg swelling, I think. I will look at that tomorrow and see if I can dig anything up. She may have something like arthritis in which case getting some turmeric into her food would help.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Wonder if some extra Vitamin in the form Poultry Nutri Drench or some calcium maybe she needs extra calcium being in Alaska and possibly lack of sunshine? don't know your situation there but some ducks just have higher nutritional needs that others just like us humans, I know calcium citrate is good to help during egg laying so maybe add some to her diet I beleive Amiga recc 500-800 meg a day try it for maybe a week or 2 and see if it makes nay difference. Amiga can tweak the dosage.

 

[Amiga]

I am currently giving 50 to 80 mg per duck per day of the calcium citrate. And I have read that there is an important connection between Vitamin K, Vitamin D, and calcium. The Vitamin K part is from human studies… but it may apply to ducks as well. I aim to start getting some more Kale (and similar greens) into my ducks. Biochemistry is fascinating and poorly understood by - probably many of - us.

So I would try finely chopped kale free choice, a couple tablespoons dry cat kibble with Vitamin D in the ingredients, and 50 to 80 mg of calcium, either citrate or gluconate, at least every other day. This is not peer-reviewed science, it's my best guess based on reading research and what I have seen with my flock.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am currently giving 50 to 80 mg per duck per day of the calcium citrate. And I have read that there is an important connection between Vitamin K, Vitamin D, and calcium. The Vitamin K part is from human studies… but it may apply to ducks as well. I aim to start getting some more Kale (and similar greens) into my ducks. Biochemistry is fascinating and poorly understood by - probably many of - us.

So I would try finely chopped kale free choice, a couple tablespoons dry cat kibble with Vitamin D in the ingredients, and 50 to 80 mg of calcium, either citrate or gluconate, at least every other day. This is not peer-reviewed science, it's my best guess based on reading research and what I have seen with my flock.

Gosh thanks A I have written down 500-800 meg a day don't know how I got that written down wrong. I just started this week incorporating Organic Spirulina into my flocks feed doing this every other day. which is rick in Vit K. also putting a teas into my morning smoothie. My flock love chopped kale I just got them some chopped mustard green from gro.

 

[paulandashia]

It's been a while. The weather here has been REALLY cold, so the water fowl have been temporarily confined to a large shed...
I've had Danielle isolated from the flock in her own little enclosure. She can socialize with them thru the fence, but no one runs over her... (I was worried she would hurt herself even more)

GOOD NEWS: Today, when I went out to feed, I noticed she was putting her leg on the ground!!! She is still limping really badly, but no longer hopping on one leg. The swelling appears to have gone down as well. And the leg no longer feels hot to the touch... Hopefully she will continue uphill...

BAD NEWS: She has now developed bumblefoot on her good leg. Soooo looking forward to dealing with THAT..!!! One foot heals, and now she will have to have the bumblefoot kernel removed on her other foot...

Will the wonders never seize???
I swear, it's one thing after another lately! Grrrrr

 

[Amiga]

It's been a while.  The weather here has been REALLY cold, so the water fowl have been temporarily confined to a large shed...
I've had Danielle isolated from the flock in her own little enclosure.  She can socialize with them thru the fence, but no one runs over her... (I was worried she would hurt herself even more)

GOOD NEWS:  Today, when I went out to feed, I noticed she was putting her leg on the ground!!!  She is still limping really badly, but no longer hopping on one leg.  The swelling appears to have gone down as well.  And the leg no longer feels hot to the touch...  Hopefully she will continue uphill...

BAD NEWS:  She has now developed bumblefoot on her good leg.  Soooo looking forward to dealing with THAT..!!!  One foot heals, and now she will have to have the bumblefoot kernel removed on her other foot...

Will the wonders never seize???
I swear, it's one thing after another lately!  Grrrrr

You can treat bumblefoot without cutting. Soak the foot in Epsom salt solution (don't let her drink it - laxative), then apply a few drops of clear iodine on the bumble. In about five days soak the foot again - there should be a dark spot that can gently be pulled off, taking the pus off with it.

Clear iodine.

 

[paulandashia]

That would be great if I had some clear iodine.... Where would I search for it?

 

[Miss Lydia]

That would be great if I had some clear iodine.... Where would I search for it?

Not sure what all you have in Alaska but Walmart's here carry it and some pharmacies. CVS here.

Great news about Danielle, get going on the bumble you can't let them go for long it's staff

Always seems when the weather is the worst is when things go wrong.

Keep us updated.