Duck's bill and tongue injured in predator attack

[Ms_B]

I went out to my coop this morning to discover my ducks had been attacked. Three of my seven ducks were dead (heads ripped off - I suspect a raccoon) and one was badly injured. The badly injured one had half of her top bill ripped off and she's lost most of her tongue.

I have all my ducks in a pen in the garage right now. Two appear uninjured and one seems to have minor injuries (scab by her bill, minor abrasions on the top of her head, and limping with no sign of a leg wound). I disinfected all injuries and she's eating, drinking, and alert.

I'm very worried about my duck with the damaged bill and tongue. She's alert and appears to have no other injuries. She's trying to drink but I don't think she's getting anything. I have her in a large dog kennel next to the other ducks. They can see and hear each other. She still has her sinuses but, without her tongue, I'm not sure she can get any water.

She's one of my favourite ducks and I'd like to help her if possible. There is no avian vet where I live. There's a part time avian vet over an hour away but no guarantee they're working today or can see her (I've seen other exotic vets at this office but they didn't seem very knowledgable about ducks).

I do not want her to suffer. I will have her euthanized if her survival is unlikely.

 

[Ponypoor]

I went out to my coop this morning to discover my ducks had been attacked. Three of my seven ducks were dead (heads ripped off - I suspect a raccoon) and one was badly injured. The badly injured one had half of her top bill ripped off and she's lost most of her tongue.

I have all my ducks in a pen in the garage right now. Two appear uninjured and one seems to have minor injuries (scab by her bill, minor abrasions on the top of her head, and limping with no sign of a leg wound). I disinfected all injuries and she's eating, drinking, and alert.

I'm very worried about my duck with the damaged bill and tongue. She's alert and appears to have no other injuries. She's trying to drink but I don't think she's getting anything. I have her in a large dog kennel next to the other ducks. They can see and hear each other. She still has her sinuses but, without her tongue, I'm not sure she can get any water.

She's one of my favourite ducks and I'd like to help her if possible. There is no avian vet where I live. There's a part time avian vet over an hour away but no guarantee they're working today or can see her (I've seen other exotic vets at this office but they didn't seem very knowledgable about ducks).

I do not want her to suffer. I will have her euthanized if her survival is unlikely.

Not sure about ducks, but my old roo’s top beak broke off half ways up, it grew back, and pretty fast too.

If you had access to a feeding tube you could assist her in getting fluids and feed via the tube.

I would research how ducks bills grow to see if they grow back, not sure about the tongue situation…

@bgmathteach

I know it’s not geese but do you have any experience with ducks?


Edit:
Found this online
https://www.facebook.com/groups/603039547941396/posts/1212679843644027/

Good luck I’ll check in to see
How things are tomorrow.

 

[Ms_B]

On the recommendation of someone knowledgeable, I had her euthanized at the vet. Ducks need their tongues to manipulate their food and to swallow. Unfortunately, the raccoon got most of it in the attack. If it had just been the bill, I would have given it a chance to heal.

Thank you for the advice, though.

 

[Jenbirdee]

I’m so sorry for your loss