Duckling has swollen feet webbings

[Habub]

Hi I have been raising two little ducklings for a almost a month now and a few days ago I have decided to let them out in the garden for less than an hour so they can have fun and walk around. After a while watching them I have noticed that one of the ducklings isn’t walking anymore so I decided to take them back into the house and he was very exhausted and couldn’t walk at all so I thought nothing about it and just told myself that he is exhausted but the next day it appeared that he hurt his feet somehow and for the last few days I have been treating him to my best abilities and his condition has improved massively and he is beginning to walk a bit again but I just noticed this newly appeared bubble filled with yellow liquid between his feet’s and I don’t know what it can be and researching didn’t help me. My initial thought was to disinfect it and burst the bubbles so the leg gets relieved and the liquid can get out but i don’t know what to do and there isn’t any vets near us like at all. She doesn’t react when I lightly press on it. I am going to attach a picture below thanks!

 

[Habub]

@Eggcessive @Wyorp Rock @azygous

 

[azygous]

Yes, you may go ahead and drain the blisters. Use a sterilized needle and insert it at the base of each blister. Or you can use a needle syringe to withdraw the fluid. Disinfect the feet after the procedure.

But something must be causing this edema. There is a virus called Micoplasma synoviae that causes an initial respiratory infection but a secondary effect is edema of the tissue of the feet. Ducks don't often show the same symptoms of this virus infection as chickens do, but this virus can infect them all the same. The problem with this virus is that you can't really get rid of it. It can continue to produce edema long after the initial infection. Periodic draining of the tissue is the only treatment.

If after draining, the swelling doesn't return, it's a good sign that M. synoviae isn't likely the cause.

 

[Eggcessive]

Was there any hot pavement or metal where the duckling had been walking around? I am not very helpful with ducks only chickens, but blisters can develop with burns. Mycoplasma synoviae is a mycoplasma, similar to a bacteria, and usually causes bacterial arthritis where yellow fluid is found in the joints. This seems like something else, but I am not a vet.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Was there any hot pavement or metal where the duckling had been walking around? I am not very helpful with ducks only chickens, but blisters can develop with burns. Mycoplasma synoviae is a mycoplasma, similar to a bacteria, and usually causes bacterial arthritis where yellow fluid is found in the joints. This seems like something else, but I am not a vet.

I was wondering if the Duckling was on something hot.

Perhaps a brooder plate?

It would be good to know.

 

[Habub]

Was there any hot pavement or metal where the duckling had been walking around? I am not very helpful with ducks only chickens, but blisters can develop with burns. Mycoplasma synoviae is a mycoplasma, similar to a bacteria, and usually causes bacterial arthritis where yellow fluid is found in the joints. This seems like something else, but I am not a vet.

To my knowledge there stepped on nothing hot because I was looking over them for the period they were in the garden and they were only walking on grass and I am sure they couldn’t have stepped on any hot metal or similar stuff because I newly redid the grass of mine. Thanks for all the responses I will drain the blisters today and will report back if it comes back again.

 

[Eggcessive]

I usually leave blisters alone, since they can be a barrier for bacteria to enter the skin, but others disagree. Blisters will usually break on their own. Apply some antibiotic ointment or disinfectant to the feet. If you could get a prescription for silvadene burn cream from your vet, that would be good. See link below. Let us know how your duck gets along. I hope the feet heal.
https://www.allivet.com/product/silver-sulfadiazine-1-cream-50-gm/25729-1.html