Help eye problem in duck

[bubbyduck]

Still treating the eye and now instead of a hole its rounded like an eye.. today I noticed its bulging out a bit.. I'm really not sure if this is better or worse than what it was looking like at the start. I can't get into a good vet until next Tuesday it's very wet so in a sense the topicals are just washing off..

 

[Miss Lydia]

Any way you can keep him in inside so it doesn’t stay wet?

 

[bubbyduck]

Any way you can keep him in foods so it doesn’t stay wet?

Sorry I'm not sure what that means?


Vet is now tomorrow. I'm honestly really scared she's going to say to PTS.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sorry spell check! I’d say that eye will have to come out. I’d think they would be a sympathize being he is a dumptee and do the surgery very reasonable or even free.

 

[cheekychick3]

Hi, sorry to hear, what you are going through. You are brilliant, taking her on, but
what stands out, is the love you have for her. You are trying your hardest, many would
have let the vet, put her to sleep. however they annoy me, have not got the funds.
But if you had the cash, they would do it straight away. Grrrr Even though i only have
chickens, i want you to know, we have a 7yr Shitzu, and 2 Bichone frise. Well Tom +
Snowy, Bichone 9yr are best of buddies. Then one afternoon they were playing, as they
always do. Then Tom, Shitzu gave a yelp, Snowy, (not on purpose) caught Toms eye with his tooth. Tom was pulling his paw on it. Then when we looked, his eye was nearly out.
We were lucky, as RSPCA were open, took him straight there. The vet saw to him, there
and then, and said he has lost his eye. Wow what a shock, we knew it was bad, but then
he said i will take him in now, and remove it. But not until he knew we had the money.
It was £490.00 in which we did not have. We were pensioners, the vet said the eye has
to come out, and will a payment plan help you. And that is why i am telling you, i am sure you mentioned RSPCA, why don"t you ask them. We paid £25.00 every month with
bank standing order. Yes, it took a while but we did not care, as long as Tom was sorted.
I am not kidding the vet was less than 20 mins taking his eye. Then he just stitched it.
And home he came. Truth is the way he acts is like he still has both eyes. lol Thought
i would let you know. Good luck, you deserve a medal.

 

[MomJones]

@bubbyduck You're doing a great job. You're keeping it clean while his body struggles to heal itself and/or have surgery.

 

[Boskat]

I just had my ducklings eye surgically removed. I bought her at 5 days old and recognized on the 6 th she was blind. It appeared to be genetic, but I noticed she suffered further damage to other chics pecking at her while at the store. ( she didn’t close her eyes a d the others tried to pick the dust off her eyes. One eye was sealed closed and matted the other swollen and matted. I’m no vet, by any stretch of the imagination, but I’m a paramedic and went to college for Zoology. Still ornithology was not my specialty, I opted for EMS knowledge to help me out. I immediately removed her from my other baby chics and ducks. I removed all pine shavings and used towels and cheap blankets & got discontinued carpet sample squares (free @ most carpet stores) for bedding. I used rubber kitchen drawer liner to place her food and water on and set up Bittys apartment in my home. Now for the eye. I knew the swollen one was never going to have sight. Not only was it ulcerated and bulging, it seemed to have no pupil and at times oozed what I feared most, pus. I didn’t want infection to set in, go systemic and her to die a painful death from secondary infection. She needed antibiotics. I happened to have the human version of what she needed and used the entire tube in 2 wks. She improved greatly as far as infection, still NO sight in either eye. It was also obvious the ulcerated bulging eye caused her a degree of pain and anxiety. Two days off antibiotics, both eyes were matted and her infection was worse than ever in the really bad eye. I called the vet and HAD to see him for another prescription. $110 later, I had a refill and cross your fingers, the swelling reduces, infection runs it’s course and you just have an otherwise healthy, blind duck. No such luck. Her eye kept getting bigger and more painful. She screamed when I applied the antibiotic. She was terrified to move as she couldn’t see and didn’t want to bump it. I gave her 3 tub baths a day w a light shower running to bring her relief. She looked up and let the shower rinse the eye for 30 min a shower. She’d fall asleep in w me holding her up. The day before her vet apt she got spooked while I was gone, some how jumped up & squeezed her lil head into the heat lamp despite the guard that prevents that. I came home to a burnt eyeball. Part still attached to the bulb fluid and blood leaking. Scheduled an eye removal the next day. The vet was a farm vet. He took heart to my compassion and wanted to do the surgery for $100. It Ende up costing me $300 due to anesthesia difficulties that kept arising and a 8 hr vs 1 hr stay at the vet. I’m not complaining. I love her like I would love a puppy. I’m move mountains for her. This is only the day after the surgery. It has NOT been easy. Bitty scratched her sutures on the ride home. Blood was running when I got her home. I called the vet. He said bring her back, you and I will figure it out together. I decided NOT to. She was already traumatized and in shock. Instead I applaud general pressure and got it to clot at home. She stopped eating and drinking and was super an by night. I gave her a tub shower and let her lay in my hand so she could rest. That immediately bought her to life. She cleared ALL the old blood from her bill and eyes. Afterward, she ate drank and preened herself chirped around and slept thru the night. The next morning, eye drainage again and she was lethargic. Another shower bought her to life again.Thats how I’ve been treating her the last 39 hrs. She’s lost some weight, but still eats and drinks. She is exhausted, but has enough energy to fight me when I pick her up, (blind ducks panic) the minute I put her down she runs to my lap puts her head on me and tells me all about the big bad thing that picked her up. I’m playing it by ear and watching her closely. I’ll call the vet if she gets too lethargic or if infection sets in or she rips a suture and I can’t stop the bleeding. Right now, if I can manage her at home with out traumatizing her by taking her to the vet,..that’s what I feel is best. She needs security right now. The stress is really messing with her and at times my biggest concern. All backyard duck and chicken owners know how stress can be the end of a bird. Eye Removal Is the humane thing to do if there’s pain. If they’re just blind with NO PAIN or infection, leave it be. If it’s infected or ruptured, removal is necessary to prevent death from secondary systemic infection. I love my lil duckling. I never imagined I’d have a house duck, but that’s her only option or she’ll fall to a predator. The other ducks like her, but picked at her eye. That will change now. She’ll be able to spend sometime with them. Yes they do look after her, but in reality, if a predator is a threat... they won’t stay behind and guide her slowly to safety. She’ll be taken. It’s a definite commitment. It costly. However, as I said, when you really understand how personable , loving and goofy they are, it’s like having a dog... that talks back with the same amount of syllables, knows their name, commands, had favorite stuffed animals (knows their names, and gives you nite nite kisses! They also get exited when you come home and greet you with happy “beeps”. It seems costly and it is, but people do it for their dogs and cats and ducks are no different. Don’t let the amount you spent on the duck determine how much you spend to give them a life free from pain. Plenty of cats and dogs were free. They are just as worth it. They will warm your heart!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thank you for sharing! I hope Bitty makes a good recovery now from her surgery. Sure sounds like she’s in good hands an getting the best of care.