Emergency -- big white duck attacked by raccoon, how to care for her?

[Farmerbetsy]

The g-d, m-f, bloody stinking raccoon got into the pen again. My husband neglected to put the girls to bed and at 9:30 sent me out. The raccoon was in the tree so I had a satisfying moment of hurling invective and sticks at it, and then it was gone. The hens were in the coop, and the duck must have been as well. Her head is covered in blood and she is all bedraggled. She went deep into the pen where no one can reach her. If she is still alive in the morning, what do we do for her?

she did waddle into the pen all by herself with a slight detour behind the gate. not her usual self. Poor sweet thing.

 

[WriterofWords]

OMG Betsy I wish I could help, my baby duck got attacked by something tonight but I don't know what. My Pyrenees was going nuts and when I went out to check he was laying by the baby duck and it's back is just a mess. Mozart was growling into the dark areas and I have a feeling it might have been a coyote. It didn't bother anything else though. I'll be watching to see what everyone tells you to do, I've got my little one here in the office (home office) with me.
K

 

[silkiechicken]

The sooner you can get to her the better. Flush the wounds out with saline and if they are lare, antibiotics would be a good idea in this situation due to risk of infection. Try to post pics if you can so we can see the extent of the damage and go from there.

 

[dlhunicorn]

Quote:
I agree...separate her to a clean temp stable (warm) environment as soon as possible!

 

[Farmerbetsy]

She is floating calmly in the absolute middle of her pond, and she laid an egg! I think both of those are good signs.

HOW do I rinse her with saline, exactly?

What antibiotics do I give, and how? I thought maybe if I could catch her and rub neosporin on the wounds that might be sufficient, if the wounds are superficial.

I will post photos as soon as I can.


To his credit hubby went out at 2 am and scared off 4 more raccoons in and around the enclosure (outside the pen).

 

[DuckLady]

You need to get her off the pond and examine her.
The egg was in "transit" from yesterday, so that is no indication of all being well.
Waterfowl are very good at hiding injury. This is a survial instinct. A predator will go after the weakest first, so just that she is in the center of the pond means she is protecting herself.
Look at her wounds and clean them with warm saline. Take good clear well focussed pics if you can and post them so we can help further.

 

[d.k]

* FOUR MORE Racoons!!! GOOD GRIEF!! Sounds like you need to make a winter coat or Thin the herd somehow. . .Put birth control in the trash cans??????

 

[Farmerbetsy]

OK, well I tried to post the pictures and it didn't work. I followed the directions. Don't know what else to do.

here are the urls if you have the interest to go see, I'll be very grateful.

How do I make the saline? Do I pour it over her from a bucket, squirt it on her with a squirt bottle? What antibiotics do I use? or should I just take her to a vet?


http://www.flickr.com/photos/24798553@N03/2343650684/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/24798553@N03/2343650186/

 

[hypnofrogstevie]

Ouch! Poor girl. I hope someone will give you some advice. I hope she heals up soon

 

[Lunachick]

That poor duck, I wish I knew what to tell you about the saline, I'd like to know myself. Can you check under her feathers on the neck? I would go to the vet, I'd be too shaken to properly care for her.