Help :(. Snapping turtle injuries.

[Ducklala]

Sounds like you're on the right track. I've seen worse on here mend. Poor baby...

Imma tag some folks, though, to see if they have any input.

@Miss Lydia
@Quatie
@ruthhope

Thank you!!!

My biggest worry is the infection part. The ducks feet/beak seem very hot. I'm worried he has a fever. I'm wondering whether I should be doing more for the wound... I see that some apply neosporin.

Anyways thanks again for the hope.

 

[Ducklala]

I think you are doing great with the wound.

Rather than using purified water to bathe the wound I suggest you use salt water as it is mildly antiseptic. Use 2 teaspoons table salt in 1 cup of boiled and cooled water. Alternatively use 2 sachets of salts sold in pharmacies for sinus wash outs using a neti pot, also in 1 cup of boiled and cooled water.

One suggestion for keeping the wound clean now would be to spray it with liquid skin. One brand sold in pharmacies is https://newskinproducts.com/

If there are any broken bones, the duck needs prescription antibiotics as there is great risk of bone infection. The only way to be certain regarding broken bones is by Xray. If there is any chance you can get a vet appointment, I woudl do so. Snapping turtles of break ducks legs -- our local rehabbers get them every year,

Keeping your duck quiet in the home is a great idea. If she has not needed pain killers until now, don't worry about pain killers.

Do let her swim frequently in water deep enough to swim not just move around. That is good physiotherapy without weight bearing.

If you can't get an Xray, wait until the swelling has gone down and see if there is obvious deformity. As others have said, its possible to feel a bad fracture but be careful as its possible to displace a fracture with palpation. If there is no obvious deformity, and no acutely painful place indicative of a fracture when you gently feek the leg and foot, let the duck begin to move and weight-bear when it is ready: that could be in 2 or 3 weeks.

I would be relucant to spint the leg unless a fracture is obvious, as it is possibel to do more harm than good with a splint

Thanks so much for this.

Unfortunately I can't get an xray. I work at a farm and I volunteered to take him home and try to heal him in a quiet place. Nor I or the farmer can afford that at the moment.

I think I will wait until the swelling goes down as you mentioned to see if there are deformities. If I try to bring the leg back to its normal position, it tweets. Probably in a lot of pain, there's an open wound so I don't want to stress it more. I'm also afraid to make it worse. I took him only today and cleaned him thoroughly (the attack happened yesterday). His wound was filled with dirt and dried blood. Now it's clean as in the photo which is how I saw how much the flesh is ripped.

I do fill my tub and let him float. He does great in the tub, full of energy. I also noticed he tried to reach his wound in attempts at trying to heal it maybe? I will add the salt. I also saw Epson salts as a good remedy.

Also, I put oregano flakes in his water. He seems to gobble it down easily. I hear it helps a little with inflammation.

Let me know if you feel like I could be doing something else. Thanks so much again.

 

[Ducklala]

The baby says thank you for the help we've received so far. He's so cute he enjoys being around. Please let me know if there's anything else you think I should be doing

 

[Ducklala]

Does the entire leg feel OK, like even in the hip area? I've got a wild goose that comes to me with a snapping turtle injury to his foot. This goose lost most of the webbing and some of the outside toe and a year later he's still here but he has trouble getting around. His joint clicks and I suspect he possibly dislocated something in the struggle to free himself. That's why I ask about your ducks entire leg.

Apart from being swollen, he seems to be lifting it due to pain, maybe? I try to stretch it out and it moves to and fro. He does chirp though I'd I pull too hard. I'm so nervous about hurting him more I don't try often.

Yes there is a large gash along the leg where some flesh is missing. This is why I'm using the solutions (cleanse and veterycyn) to prevent infection.

Anything I should be looking for specifically? Thanks in advance.

 

[ruthhope]

Thanks so much for this.

Unfortunately I can't get an xray. I work at a farm and I volunteered to take him home and try to heal him in a quiet place. Nor I or the farmer can afford that at the moment.

I think I will wait until the swelling goes down as you mentioned to see if there are deformities. If I try to bring the leg back to its normal position, it tweets. Probably in a lot of pain, there's an open wound so I don't want to stress it more. I'm also afraid to make it worse. I took him only today and cleaned him thoroughly (the attack happened yesterday). His wound was filled with dirt and dried blood. Now it's clean as in the photo which is how I saw how much the flesh is ripped.

I do fill my tub and let him float. He does great in the tub, full of energy. I also noticed he tried to reach his wound in attempts at trying to heal it maybe? I will add the salt. I also saw Epson salts as a good remedy.

Also, I put oregano flakes in his water. He seems to gobble it down easily. I hear it helps a little with inflammation.

Let me know if you feel like I could be doing something else. Thanks so much again.

You have done a great job on a dirty wound.
epson salt soaks can be soothing for painful limbs but that wound realy doesn't want to be soaked. It needs to heal at this stage. Can you get the spray on liquid skin tomorrow? Its not expensive.

Can your farmer get antibiotics? enrofloxacin is broad-spectrum antibiotic, useful for a wide variety of infections available in a 3.23% solution for poultry that can be administered orally. This would be my antibiotic of choice. If you are going to use antibiotics, start them tomorrow: do not wait for signs of a bone infection to show. In the USA its an off label prescription for pet ducks, and cannot be prescribed for commerically farmed poultry.

The good signs are that your duck has energy and is eating OK. Plus you got that wound cleaned up and are able to keep her quiet at your home.

 

[Ducklala]

How many wounds are you seeing? From the picture, it looks like the webbing is missing but there's another injury up further right below the joint and swelling has begun. How long ago did this happen?
Edited to add, it actually looks like a huge slice or wounds all the way up his leg.
I wouldn't allow this duck or any others in the area until all snapping turtles are gone. I'm so sorry this happened. I know this is hurting your heart ♥

Yeah all up the leg. This happened 2 days ago. I was only able to get him into my home today about 6 hours ago. I filled my tub, cleaned him nicely, and used the product.

He can't stand he falls over. I'm thinking it needs time to heal. I'm just worried about infection spreading.

Oh yeah the pond is off limits!!

 

[Anime2lover]

Theres one in our pond at the farm . The farmers have been trying to catch it all day.

Oh. He's lucky he has his life still. Snapping turtles can kill ducks that young. Wish he heals well.

 

[Ducklala]

You have done a great job on a dirty wound.
epson salt soaks can be soothing for painful limbs but that wound realy doesn't want to be soaked. It needs to heal at this stage. Can you get the spray on liquid skin tomorrow? Its not expensive.

Can your farmer get antibiotics? enrofloxacin is broad-spectrum antibiotic, useful for a wide variety of infections available in a 3.23% solution for poultry that can be administered orally. This would be my antibiotic of choice. If you are goign to use antibiotics, start them tomorrow: do not wait for signs of a bone infection to show.

The good signs are that your duk has energy and is eating OK. Plus you got that wound cleaned up and are able to keep her quiet at your home.

Ok I will speak with him about that antibiotic. And I'll try to find that product. Things are different here in Canada and getting some of these antibiotic products is a whole process. Even vetericyn is hard to find...

Do you recommend I use salt to flush only and then just a regular bath full of just water?

 

[Ducklala]

Oh. He's lucky he has his life still. Snapping turtles can kill ducks that young. Wish he heals well.

Yes...took the life of 2 others (older ducks) earlier this month because the infection got so bad. We were very confused about what was happening but it's now clear it's a snapping turtle. We saw it attack this duckling with our own eyes. I truly hope we get this thing out of there asap!!

 

[Quatie]

You can order enrofloxicin online here.
https://allbirdproducts.com/products/enrofloxacin-10

The dosage is 0.05ml per lb twice a day for 5-7 days.

I would recommend using bacitracin on the wound to help prevent an infection. I would recommend it over vetericyn, because it won't really do anything against an infection. You can also use hydrocortisone ointment to help with inflammation as well. Both of these are likely in your medicine cabinet.

A sling may also help your duck take wait off it's leg. Here is a thread showing how to make one.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/how-to-sling-a-ducks-leg.1450307/