Duckling Leg Injury DIAGNOSIS: Slipped Tendons

[3bird]

How did the vet apt go?
thinking about you all.

Thank you! The vet appointment went okay. We were able to get a full physical (on both ducklings) and start charts for them both. Not much new on the legs. Keep doing what we're doing and report back after the consult with the surgeon on Tuesday.

Sorry I have not updated. We had a family reunion scheduled in CT this past week. We were planning to bring the ducklings, but with the heat wave, we decided one of us would go and one of us would stay home and tend the farm. I went, so Karen has been doing all the PT with Duckling #1.

 

[WannaBeHillBilly]

You are some of the most dedicated duck parents that i know!

Good luck little duckling i wish you all the best!

I will have 10 new duckies next week, Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on USPS…

 

[3bird]

Yesterday we met with the vet who does the surgery for slipped tendons in birds, and she said she could do the surgery for us next week. After examining Duckling #1, she thinks that there is only about a 25% chance of the surgery being successful on both legs (one leg looks better than the other). The surgery is surprisingly affordable, and there are no real downsides in terms of making it worse (there are, of course, the usual risks associated with an invasive procedure and anesthesia). The recovery would be a couple weeks of bandaging and splinting, and she could remain with her sister (separating them is an absolute nightmare scenario).

Tufts is also willing to look at the duck, and according to the vet we saw yesterday, Tufts has some more advanced surgical procedures that may have a better outcome (I'm sure there is more advanced pricing too!). We're waiting for the vet who saw Duckling #1 yesterday to call and consult with Tufts before we make a final decision. We welcome any thoughts or suggestions.

Oh! And we named Duckling #1 Rosie! ;-)

 

[Miss Lydia]

Rosie is a sweet name. I sure hope who ever ends up doing surgery can get her better. Bless her heart she needs to be able to run and play with her sis.

 

[3bird]

Today's Update: The more advanced surgical procedure is called Arthrodesis, which, as I understand it, is the fusion of the bones in a joint. There is no further motion in the joint, but the joint is stabilized and any pain is eliminated. Anyway, after talking to Tufts, they said they do not do that surgery, and it sounds like the procedure they might do would be the same as the vet here is able to do. So, we've asked to have the surgery scheduled for next week.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Let us know the day and time please.
My goodness how they have grown

 

[3bird]

Let us know the day and time please.
My goodness how they have grown

We will drop Rosie off at the vet's on Tuesday at 8:30 am and hopefully pick her up at 4:30. We have no idea what we are going to do with Ellie all day...she's going to be a wreck.

 

[Miss Lydia]

You could put a mirror in with Ellie it won't be the same as having Rosie but it might help.

 

[3bird]

Rosie had her surgery yesterday for her slipped tendons. The vet was able to realign the tendon on the right leg but not on the left. Hopefully this will give us (and Rosie!) options for mobility. She is now splinted and bandaged and will remain that way for the next two weeks. She's on Trimethoprim (0.7 mL 1x/day) and Meloxicam (0.3 mL 2x/day). We have her in a crate inside the brooder so she can be with her sister Ella but Ella can't step on her. We are not to remove the bandage nor let her get it wet. We are scheduled for a follow-up in two weeks.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That's wonderful that part is over. Sorry both couldn't be fixed. What was the diagnoses for having the other one still slipped?
I bet Ella and Rosie were happy to see each other.