HELP! Duck Black Vent, Painful, Runny Feces, Missing Feathers

[nuthatched]

https://www.raising-happy-chickens.com/apple-cider-vinegar-benefits-for-chickens.html

https://www.cambridge.org/core/jour...ry-nutrition/01D8DC8F03A296709438E07F6B2AB4E9

They will not help necrotic tissue, which is the most pressing concern. Oregano oil, the stuff that is actually good for infection, needs a carrier oil or it burns.

 

[Miss Lydia]

They will not help necrotic tissue, which is the most pressing concern. Oregano oil, the stuff that is actually good for infection, needs a carrier oil or it burns.

I use dried Greek oregano in my flocks feed.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@Tales from Duckingham do you have Veterycin. After bathing get some good pics but I’d also spray may help relieve some pain until you can decide how to treat.

 

[Tales from Duckingham]

@Tales from Duckingham do you have Veterycin. After bathing get some good pics but I’d also spray may help relieve some pain until you can decide how to treat.

Yes have tried gently flushing the area with a saline rinse, have also done vetricyn spray (did more this morning ) have tried Preparation H*(seemed to help her poops be easier the next day) and have also tried keeping the vent moist with an the triple antibiotic ointment.

 

[nuthatched]

I use dried Greek oregano in my flocks feed.

Then, unfortunately, at best, they're getting Italian flavored feed, the amounts of helpful components in dried oregano are little but can vary. At worst, all that is happening is continual feeding low, low doses of antibiotics. Natural or not, it's still antibiotics.
If you ever need to use real medical grade oregano oil (the stuff that you'd use for infection) it may not work since there's a possibility of resistance from exposure.
Though most feed anymore have oregano in it to satisfy the clamor, mine does.

 

[Tales from Duckingham]

Can you get any pictures of the wound? It sounds like it's going necrotic. Which is a fight, but heal able.

Thanks for the responses so far. She is still spiffy for what its worth. Got the best pics we could after her bath. No matter what I do I can't get down to the bare skin. She's picked her feathers off the belly area below the vent.

These are after the bath and a gentle dab with paper towels to see if any of that would come off which it didn't. After this I got her back into a fresh bed of straw with fresh food and water and sprayed her vent area with the vetricyn. I saw posts about possibly using coconut oil to keep the vent moist, any thoughts as to whether that would be a good move for today? I feel like the area looks better than it did two days ago but its far from normal or good.

 

[nuthatched]

Thanks for the responses so far. She is still spiffy for what its worth. Got the best pics we could after her bath. No matter what I do I can't get down to the bare skin. She's picked her feathers off the belly area below the vent.

These are after the bath and a gentle dab with paper towels to see if any of that would come off which it didn't. After this I got her back into a fresh bed of straw with fresh food and water and sprayed her vent area with the vetricyn. I saw posts about possibly using coconut oil to keep the vent moist, any thoughts as to whether that would be a good move for today? I feel like the area looks better than it did two days ago but its far from normal or good.

I've never seen one that crusty.
@Eggcessive

 

[Eggcessive]

I know more about ducks, but I will try to suggest a few things. Is she walking around or lying down a lot. What is the area or bedding like where she lies down? Was this the same location of her fly strike last summer? Damp and soil bedding can make this worse. How long have you done the Epsom salts soaks? I would do those daily for 15-20 minutes, and then at the end try to gently rub the area with a wash cloth which may debride it slightly. The apply a good coating of Neosporin triple antibiotic or the burn cream, Silvadene available here:
https://www.chewy.com/silver-sulfadiazine-cream-1/dp/379020?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Silver Sulfadiazine&utm_campaign=13247001801&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAuNGuBhAkEiwAGId4avxB7phFdpARMpNQB7aVRlGAQaV03jFubswgcxMO1e0wUAQMjxVR9RoCAuYQAvD_BwE

an alternative for the wound is Medi Honey or Manuka honey.

 

[Tales from Duckingham]

I know more about ducks, but I will try to suggest a few things. Is she walking around or lying down a lot. What is the area or bedding like where she lies down? Was this the same location of her fly strike last summer? Damp and soil bedding can make this worse. How long have you done the Epsom salts soaks? I would do those daily for 15-20 minutes, and then at the end try to gently rub the area with a wash cloth which may debride it slightly. The apply a good coating of Neosporin triple antibiotic or the burn cream, Silvadene available here:
https://www.chewy.com/silver-sulfadiazine-cream-1/dp/379020?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Silver Sulfadiazine&utm_campaign=13247001801&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAuNGuBhAkEiwAGId4avxB7phFdpARMpNQB7aVRlGAQaV03jFubswgcxMO1e0wUAQMjxVR9RoCAuYQAvD_BwE

an alternative for the wound is Medi Honey

Thank you. (This is a duck so I appreciate any and all info & your expertise.)

She moves around regularly and until yesterday when I brought her where it was warmer and realized she was getting worse, she is not confined to a specific area except at night when they are in their house. She is chipper, eating, bathes excitedly and is vocal and MAD as a wet hen to be back with the flock so she's still got fight let.) It gets really cold here in Maine so I try to put fresh bedding down regularly to remove the frozen poo and try not to let it stay wet due to the freezing temps. During the day they can choose if they leave their house and walk around or bed down due to temps.

I'm on day 3 of trying the epsom salt soaks and can really only do it once a day due to how cold it is (I wait for the warmest part of the day to put the warm bath in the sunniest spot then move her into my mudroom to let her warm up and help her dry off. She doesn't seem to be as oily as she should be so makes me think her oil gland isn't healthy this week but previously had been.)

I will continue doing the salt baths and will get the silvadene and/or Medi Honey since the neosporin doesn't seem to be making a difference in the crusting (have been trying that or other ointments for 4 or 5 days.) Do you think antibiotics should be given? If so, I need some creative ways around the fact my local vets do not treat ducks so I have to use OTC meds.

The other ducks are all fine and healthy and have been in the same environment eating the same food, etc. (They are all going on 4 years old this spring.)

 

[Tales from Duckingham]

I know more about ducks, but I will try to suggest a few things. Is she walking around or lying down a lot. What is the area or bedding like where she lies down? Was this the same location of her fly strike last summer? Damp and soil bedding can make this worse. How long have you done the Epsom salts soaks? I would do those daily for 15-20 minutes, and then at the end try to gently rub the area with a wash cloth which may debride it slightly. The apply a good coating of Neosporin triple antibiotic or the burn cream, Silvadene available here:
https://www.chewy.com/silver-sulfadiazine-cream-1/dp/379020?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_content=Silver Sulfadiazine&utm_campaign=13247001801&utm_term=&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAiAuNGuBhAkEiwAGId4avxB7phFdpARMpNQB7aVRlGAQaV03jFubswgcxMO1e0wUAQMjxVR9RoCAuYQAvD_BwE

an alternative for the wound is Medi Honey or Manuka honey.

Because I have no vet to provide a prescription, do you have an alternative suggestion that won't need one that is as effective as the Silvadene? Even from Chewy I have to input a vet and duck vets just aren't a thing where I am unfortunately.