Duck with broken leg

[OwnedByHarlequins]

Yep......already made an appointment for 4:30PM today........vet will take x-rays and will talk about options. How bad the break may determine my course of action....if it's a hairline I might not pin, but if it's a compound fracture then I will most likely get him operated on.

 

[FenDruadin]

I agree about taking him, and discuss the options. Since it's been so long since the injury, pinning may not be the best possible choice, though. Anaesthesia and surgery carry their own risks, and if the bone is already partially healed it would have to be re-broken in order to set properly and... in the long run the safest and best option MAY be to just let it go on and finish healing, assuming it looks like he'll be able to walk, even if it is with a limp.

But a GOOD vet will be able to talk you through all of that and help you make an educated and humane choice. I'm glad you're giving the guy a chance. I don't take my ducks to the vet

(though I totally understand that for people who raise them as PETS rather than livestock, this makes a lot of sense), but I do try to give them an opportunity to recover from illness and injury rather than just calling them a "dead duck" (bleah).

Good luck, and I hope the solutions ends up good for him and good for your wallet.

 

[OwnedByHarlequins]

Good thing the vet is only 2 miles from my house....bad thing is I just bought a new sports car with leather seats.....hope Pudge doesn't poop thru the towel

 

[desertdarlene]

Good luck. It sounds like Pudge is going to do fine either way.

 

[OwnedByHarlequins]

Vet just called, had to cancel today, rescheduled for tomorrow

 

[OwnedByHarlequins]

Well, got to the vet this evening......was thrilled to find out who the vet was.......his name is Dale Helmbree and he used to be our vet for about 5 years....he now visits several clinics instead of running his own......a truly great guy. I have taken many of my pets to him, from our epileptic dachshund to my bearded dragon to my Senegal parrrot.....anyway, he asked who the first vet was for Pudge.....when I told him, he just started shaking his head (his assistant did also).....I told him what the first vet said and he got really mad but wasn't surprised at all. Anyway, he took xrays and then came and talked to me. Pudge broke the femur in 3 places......Dr Helmbree told me he could pin it but strongly recommended healing on its own....he said it had already started healing anyway. He said the risk of infection from surgery and the fact that it was fractured in 3 places would make it difficult. I took his advice and will let Pudge heal on his own. Dr Helmbree also strongly suggested further limitation of Pudge's movement, so I put about 6" of shavings down in the Dogloo (from the pics I posted earlier), put him some food and water in there, fenced in the front, and that will be his new home for the next 5 weeks. I will take him out every day when I get home and let him swim in the big pond with his brothers......I also had Dr. Helmbree pinion his wings so he can't fly out of the pond and re-injure himself. I took the divider out of their enclosure since it is not needed anymore.

Here is a pic of his xray:

I appreciate everyone's input and will post Pudge's progress periodically.

 

[FenDruadin]

Wow. Ouch. Sounds like you've got an awesome vet on your side, though. Congrats.

And good job on doing the best thing by your ducky. Lucky duck.

 

[duckyfromoz]

Thanks for the update- and for posting the Xray. Really interesting to see. Poor Pudge- broken in 3 places- that must have been some fall. Great to hear you have found your old vet again- sure sounds like he knows what he is doing.

Best wishes for Pudge's recovery

 

[OwnedByHarlequins]

There were 3 female assistants at the vet, and they were just ooohing and ahhhing over how handsome Pudge was, one of them even took a picture of him. And right about the time all 3 of them were crowding around and bragging about him, he dropped a HUGE poop thru the towel and onto the floor. Guess he couldn't handle all the praise.

 

[love_a_duck]

Oh, my that is some kinda break there.
But I am so glad Pudge will be okay.
Gosh ducks are tough.
I can't wait to have my own!