Duck with swollen, painful, ankle pics post 4 PLEASE LOOK!

WriterofWords

Has Fainting Chickens
14 Years
Dec 25, 2007
13,212
86
476
Chaparral, New Mexico
Baby Duck, my White Pekin that hatched in class last year has an injury I'm not sure how she got or what exactly happened. When I left for work Friday she was fine, when I got home she could hardly walk. The way she had her left leg stretched out I was afraid she was trying to lay her first egg and got bound, that is what killed my other White Pekin, Whitey. When I picked her up I saw her left ankle area was slightly swollen and she wouldn't put weight on it. I thought it was just pulled maybe, so I put her and Quack in the small dog pen so she wouldn't try and move around a lot on it. Over the weekend she didn't move around a lot and it looked like it was going back down, but this morning it's a lot bigger. I checked the bottom of her foot for any signs of thorns or anything, and I noticed the rounded area on the bottom is swollen some too but it doesn't seem to have an infection in it like bumblefoot or a core or thorn, etc. She was hatched approx. June 1 - 3, so she just turned 6 months old. She is huge by the way. I've never had to treat any of my birds for anything physical like this so I'm not sure how to handle it or if I just hold on and see what happens.

1) What type of bird , age and weight Duck, White Pekin, 6 months, 12 pounds approx.
2) What is the behavior, exactly. Swollen ankle area, swollen on the bottom of the foot too, directly under the ankle area
3) How long has the bird been exhibiting symptoms? Since Friday Dec. 2.
4) Are other birds exhibiting the same symptoms? No
5) Is there any bleeding, injury, broken bones or other sign of trauma. No
6) What happened, if anything that you know of, that may have caused the situation. Happened while I was at work, no idea
7) What has the bird been eating and drinking, if at all. Eats and drinks just fine
8) How does the poop look? Normal? Bloody? Runny? etc. Normal
9) What has been the treatment you have administered so far? Confined to a smaller area so she wouldn't walk on it. Tried to clean it up to look for injuries, no sign of damage other than swelling.
10 ) What is your intent as far as treatment? For example, do you want to treat completely yourself, or do you need help in stabilizing the bird til you can get to a vet? I'm not sure about a vet, the visiting vet only comes on weekends, the El Paso vets don't treat ducks...
11) If you have a picture of the wound or condition, please post it. It may help. Trying to get that
12) Describe the housing/bedding in use. Small pen, Dogloo, straw and shavings, dirt.
 
Last edited:
Top angle:
5415_baby_duck_swollen_lumps.jpg

Side View of odd squishy lumps:
5415_close_up_of_lumps.jpg

Bottom of injured foot:
5415_bottom_of_injured_foot.jpg

Top of good foot for comparison:
5415_top_of_good_foot.jpg

Bottom of good for comparison:
5415_bottom_of_good_foot.jpg
 
Last edited:
She is developing odd calluses on her bad foot from walking crooked on it. There is no sign of infection on the bottom, the ankle was looking so much better then the swelling came back but is more at the bottom of the ankle and the top of the foot. there are two distinct lumps that are soft but with a hard center. The swelling is warm to the touch, but she doesn't fight me poking and probing and looking at it.
 
I'm no expert on ducks, but I do have one with a bum leg. She had a run in with an eager 2 year old when she was about 3 months old. Being that yours is 6 months old and already a big girl I would think that any time she walks on it she is doing more damage. Maybe splint/imobilize it somehow and if its an option find an avian vet.

When you test her range of motion do you heard any poping or grinding?
 
No popping or grinding, and not having a lot of luck around El Paso in getting a vet to look at a duck either. She's doing good about staying put and not moving a lot, but I'm going to try and wrap it tonight.
 
How very odd. Let me quote my Granny on this one. "Git urself some epsom salt and some warm water and you soak dat thang ever day til it ain't swole no more."

Seriously, try warm water with epsom salts and let her soak for a bit.
 
I brought that up elsewhere and was reminded that epsom salts are laxatives,,, Baby doesn't need one of those lol!

ETA: that is what I thought of too though!
 
Last edited:

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom