EMERGENCY! Ducks leg ripped off

[orrlux]

I’m currently scrambling to find a vet, as well as slowing the bleeding.

I walked out to let my ducks out of the cage this morning and one has a leg ripped clean off. She seems pretty calm and quiet. However, the skin and muscle is exposed and bleeding. What can I do? I want to save her, but all the vets in my town are turning me away.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I’m currently scrambling to find a vet, as well as slowing the bleeding.

I walked out to let my ducks out of the cage this morning and one has a leg ripped clean off. She seems pretty calm and quiet. However, the skin and muscle is exposed and bleeding. What can I do? I want to save her, but all the vets in my town are turning me away.

My goodness, the poor girl. Try to stop the bleeding, keep gentle pressure on the wound, when it slows, cover it with cornstarch which will help to stop the blood

I know you want to save her, and I'll help you until someone more knowledgeable comes online. But I have to ask, are you confident in culling?
Even if you successfully stop the bleed and clean the wound, even if she survives, her quality of life may not be good with only one leg.
Is the entire leg gone? All the way up to her body?

 

[BelovedBirds]

I’m currently scrambling to find a vet, as well as slowing the bleeding.

I walked out to let my ducks out of the cage this morning and one has a leg ripped clean off. She seems pretty calm and quiet. However, the skin and muscle is exposed and bleeding. What can I do? I want to save her, but all the vets in my town are turning me away.

Once you've stopped the bleed, put her in a warm dark space to treat her for shock. Try to get her to sip some sugar water which she will desperately need.
I'll call in some knowledgeable people.
@Miss Lydia @HollowOfWisps @casportpony

 

[casportpony]

Can you post some pictures of it?

 

[orrlux]

@BelovedBirds , @casportpony:

Thank you for y’all’s responses! I’m thankful for a community like this in a time of need. I should’ve took pictures of the wound, but i was so frazzled i didn’t take the time to.

Yes the leg was ripped clean off the body, there’s no remnants left.

Here’s the current update: all vets turned me away, apparently none “do farm animals or poultry”. Miraculously, as a last attempt, i stopped by my local farm supply and feed store and asked if they knew anyone that could help. The sweet girl working said they didn’t know anyone, but she went to vet tech school and had some supplies to bandage my bird up. Bandit is all wrapped and cleaned up, and she sent us home with some of her supplies and some vitamin mix to put in her water to help after the blood loss. We were very grateful for her help!!

As of right now we’re unclear as of how we’re going to move forward with the one-leg issue, but she’s wrapped up and resting for now.

 

[BelovedBirds]

@BelovedBirds , @casportpony:

Thank you for y’all’s responses! I’m thankful for a community like this in a time of need. I should’ve took pictures of the wound, but i was so frazzled i didn’t take the time to.

Yes the leg was ripped clean off the body, there’s no remnants left.

Here’s the current update: all vets turned me away, apparently none “do farm animals or poultry”. Miraculously, as a last attempt, i stopped by my local farm supply and feed store and asked if they knew anyone that could help. The sweet girl working said they didn’t know anyone, but she went to vet tech school and had some supplies to bandage my bird up. Bandit is all wrapped and cleaned up, and she sent us home with some of her supplies and some vitamin mix to put in her water to help after the blood loss. We were very grateful for her help!!

As of right now we’re unclear as of how we’re going to move forward with the one-leg issue, but she’s wrapped up and resting for now.

Poor baby. She must be in a lot of pain... I'd search for an avian or exotics vet, if you can find one, they should be able to prescribe pain killers for now.
Honestly, the only way she's going to survive as a one legged duck, is indoors, likely with a wheelchair type thing. I've seen folks do this with disabled ducks. But honestly, most won't have a good enough quality of life like that... so for now, try to get a vet who can prescribe pain meds, if you can- or you may want to check the dose and get some aspirin for her. Long term, I think you really need to consider euthanasia

How did this happen? Did a predator get her through the cage? Was her leg found?

 

[Callender Girl]

A couple of things that have worked for me: 1) the vet who takes care of my dogs and cats has, in emergencies, provided pain meds -- usually Meloxicam, which is an anti-inflammatory that can be used for ducks; 2) before I found my avian vet, I've called on Iowa State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital when I desperately needed help,

I've never had a duck lose a leg. I have had a duck who suffered severe nerve damage and who dragged her leg behind her for the rest of her life. I don't know how your duck could or would function with one leg.

Best wishes for your girl. Keep us posted, please.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'll leave this emergency to @casportpony she has much more knowledge about this sort of injury. I hope she survives

Some predator must have reached in and tried to pull your duck through fencing? Is this correct @orrlux? most likely a Raccoon. They are notorious for this type of injury.

 

[orrlux]

I'll leave this emergency to @casportpony she has much more knowledge about this sort of injury. I hope she survives

Some predator must have reached in and tried to pull your duck through fencing? Is this correct @orrlux? most likely a Raccoon. They are notorious for this type of injury.

Yes, I’m not sure what kind of animal but I’m sure it’s a raccoon. We’ve had our bad luck with them We thought we fool-proofed the cage but when i checked the cage it looks like they snagged her leg from a little hole underneath the cage. She managed to drag herself away because she was sitting in the middle of the cage this morning.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Completely wrapped in hardware cloth is the only thing that will keep predators out. That is so sad I sure hope she can recover. There used to be a member from another country that was here on BYC she talked about a one legged wild mallard that was at the canal where she lived, so it is possible your duck can still have a good life even handicapped. You may just have to rework some living arrangements for her once she recovers.

Ths isn't a very strong pain reliever but it may help if you can't get Meloxicam
you might check with friends that have pets and may have had one on Meloxicam and would share with you.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ibuprofen-dose-for-ducks.1308956/#post-21335983
ths gives the dose for aspirin https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...n-relief-options.1350473/page-6#post-22264185