Help! Need some duck in splints advice

[amanda_rimo]

We have two ducks, Dewey and Stanley. Stanley is unable to walk. when we had just gotten her, we noticed she was stepping on her feet a lot and it looked like her hips were bulging out. As she got older and full grown, she is now unable to hold herself up anymore. we thought it was a niacin deficiency, but we have been supplementing more niacin into her diet, and the vet said we are giving her the best feed out there. we brought her to the Vet and they told us we can put splints on her or put her down. Because we bought them from Tractor Supply, there is no tracking of their parents, so she wasnt able to tell us if it was genetics or not. She isnt giving up, so why should we? we ordered her splints and work with her everyday, doing water therapy everyday and putting the splints back on after the pool. She uses her beak and wings to get around on her belly, so i found someone made a duck walker, not sure if i make it if it will work or help her at all. the other issues we are running into is we believe she has bumblefoot now and i also believe she has wet feather. when we put her in the pool to swim the last couple times, she is slowly sinking and struggling to swim. I think she is struggling to swim because she is having trouble preening and reaching all her feathers. i checked her preening gland, and it seems to be producing enough oil, so the only thing I can think of is that she is not able to preen all her feathers because she cant reach them. If anyone has any suggestions on wet feather, bumblefoot, or advice on helping Stanley learn how to walk again, it would be greatly appreciated! Stanley is the sweetest duck and just wants to cuddle and sit on your lap, and we are trying to do anything to give her the best life. We believe we got her for a reason and dont want to give up on her.

 

[Miss Lydia]

When she is wearing the splints it doesn't give enough support that she can stand?
What niacin are you using?
This looks like it would help her. https://www.handicappedpets.com/walkin-wheels-duck-wheelchair/
She sounds very special.
We can help with the bumble if you want to post pictures.

 

[amanda_rimo]

When she is wearing the splints it doesn't give enough support that she can stand?
What niacin are you using?
This looks like it would help her. https://www.handicappedpets.com/walkin-wheels-duck-wheelchair/
She sounds very special.
We can help with the bumble if you want to post pictures.

No. It seems like she doesn’t have the strength to use her legs. She doesn’t lift her chest off the ground. And just wiggles her way around. I will attach a picture of the way she sits all the time with her splints on. And that’s basically how she moves. Just loves one foot forward then the next leaving her chest on the ground.
We are using brewers yeast in their food, and we are also giving her the Durvet high B complex orally every morning and night. When I get out of work, I’ll take pictures of her feet so maybe you can help with the bumble foot as well. I’m sure it’s because she has her feet in the splints most of the time and doesn’t move them. I bought the microcyn to spray on the sores bc that’s what I saw on another post…thank you again! Anybody have any suggestion for wet feather when a duck can’t seem to reach all her feathers to preen?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Usually wet feather is treated by giving the duck a bath in dawn dish detergent rinse really well after that keep them out of water for a few days once they can get back in the water they should begin preening and spreading the oils back over their feathers to make them water proof

 

[amanda_rimo]

Usually wet feather is treated by giving the duck a bath in dawn dish detergent rinse really well after that keep them out of water for a few days once they can get back in the water they should begin preening and spreading the oils back over their feathers to make them water proof

Even if she isn’t able to reach all her feathers? Would that be counterproductive for her? I just don’t want her to go more backwards than she already is. Also, here is the picture of how she sits in her splints all the time

 

[Miss Lydia]

Do you let her go without them? how does she lay when they aren't on?

It probably won't help much if she isn't to do a lot of preening Maybe best to just keep her out of the weather and when you put her in the pool or tub dry her with a towel then use the blow dryer on low to finish drying her.

 

[amanda_rimo]

We take the splints off when she goes in the water which is usually once a day. Or 2-3 on the weekends. When she doesn’t have the splints on her one foot is more under her, but her right foot ends up behind her when they aren’t on.

 

[Miss Lydia]

That just doesn't look comfortable the way she is laying with the splints on. Do you think they are helping?

 

[amanda_rimo]

She is able to move around better with them on and they keep her feet facing the correct way. Without them on her one left goes behind her. When she doesn’t hBe the splints on, she walks on her whole leg, not her foot.

 

[amanda_rimo]

Here is the pictures of the bottom of her feet for bumblefoot