Duck with fish hook in it's beak.

[Blondiega1]

So I've gotten word that at a local park there is a mallard mix hen that has a fish hook in her bill.
She will come up to people for food, so I'm going to try and catch her and help remove the hook.

Is there any treatment I should do for the wound??


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[chickensioux]

I would clip the barb off the hook and pull it out. If you have a syringe, shoot an iodine/water mixture on and into the hole. Then coat it with neosporin (without pain medication in it). Keep the duck isolated for at least a few days to watch for infection.

 

[JP101010]

Here is a list of wildlife rehabbers in GA. please consider the fact the the duck needs more than you can offer unless you are willing to pay for it to go to a vet . All licensed rehabbers have multiple daytime and night time vets on hand for just this type of situation..
Most likely they will sedate the duck due to the the high risk of stress induced cardiac arrhythmia & arrest. Also there will be one to two weeks of certain antibiotics and possibly some injections given while sedated. Please trust me , you arent doing this duck much good by trapping it , holding it down and trying to cut, pull ,push this hook out.
Thank you for caring so much about wildlife, I know you will do the right thing.

Atlanta
Melanie Haire - licensed wildlife rehabilitator - all species
orphans or injuries. [email protected] or call 770-918-8811

Atlanta
Sandy Mitchell, licensed wildlife rehabilitator - squirrels. [email protected]

Canton
Hawk Talk Raptors Only. 501(c)3 non-profit organization rehabilitating injured/displaced raptors and utilizing non-releasable birds to teach the importance of things wild. 770.720.1847

Cataula
Charles and Dolores Quirk, licensed wildlife rehabilitators -
706-628-5459

Columbus
Columbus Squirrel Rescue - Squirrels
706-322-5012

Ellijay
Wildlife Rehabilitation Sanctuary rehab all wild animals (including large mammals and birds of prey) 706-276-2980

Hamilton
Columbus Squirrel Rescue orphaned or injured small mammals (spec. flying squirrels), and hummingbirds. 706-645-2490

Richmond Hill
Survivors of the Wild deer, otter, beaver, small birds, and squirrels 912-727-3517

 

[Blondiega1]

Thanks!
I'm going Monday to try to help her!

 

[desertdarlene]

I recently had to pull a hook out of a duckling's bill a few days ago. An older duckling tried to eat a shiny lure that was attached to the hook and got hung up on the hook and line and couldn't break free. I couldn't cut it, so I had pull it out the way it came it. Fortunately, the barb hadn't fully pierced the outside of the bill, though it probably was very painful when I pulled it because part of the barb did pierce the inside of the bill and the point pierced a small hole on the outside. She is OK and the hole healed up very quickly. Within hours, all that was left was something that looked like a blister and some lines crossing where the outside of the bill was pierced. Within a few days, you couldn't tell that anything had happened to her. But, in her case, I got to her probably within about 10 or 15 minutes of it happening.

But, if you can cut the barb and pull it out, that would be better. Bring a cloth to cover her head if you plan to remove it on the spot. Also, bring some kind of carrier with you in case it's really bad and needs a doctor. If you can't remove it cleanly in less than a minute, then it has to be removed surgically. Then, take it to a wildlife rehabber to have it cared for.

 

[Blondiega1]

Went today to scope out the situation.

She's feeding fine and it doesn't look infected and it doesn't seem to bother her.

Going to just keep my eye on her and leave her be for now.