how serious is shell-less eggs

[Onimau619]

Heading home from the vet now. I don't remember what it's called but they told me the reason for the shell less eggs. They did x rays and it shows she has two blockages. Worried it could worsen the vet gave me two options, some kind of hormone medication shot every few months or to do surgery to prevent her from laying eggs.

I'm leaning towards the surgery because of the drive. The whole way up my poor girl threw up all over the back seat of the car. She threw up again heading home so I'm sitting in a Walmart parking lot before heading the rest of the way home. (Hour drive left)

Also as Lydia said, her foot wasn't bad. The vet cut out her bumblefoot and put her on antibiotics. She didn't wrap it and told me to just keep it clean. Should I go ahead and wrap her foot when I get home? The vet also suggested that I put Iodide on it for a few days. Would wrapping it interfere with that medicine?

Again, thank you everyone for helping me. I don't know much and need all the advice as possible.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am sorry about the reproductive problem that’s sad. Did they go over price recuperation an risks of each procedure? I am glad at least her foot was an easier fix. I like to wrap because it’s hard even inside to keep them clean they poop an stand in or walk in it. But always up to you.

 

[KaleIAm]

Have you thought about using boots to help with bumblefoot? My duck used to get bumblefoot all the time and the boots really helped her.

I changed her bedding to straw and she doesn't get bumbles anymore.

Also, this same duck had reproductive issues we were able to resolve by modifying her diet and environment. Spay surgery in a duck can be risky so make sure you get a lot of information about both sides.

Good luck with your sweetheart. I adore mine.

 

[KaleIAm]

This is where I got my boots. I got the closed toe kind because I needed to put medicine on her sores.

http://www.partyfowlpets.com/

 

[Onimau619]

Yes, it's about 400 for the surgery or around 600 for each shot. The vet also told me that she wouldn't be doing the surgery but another vet would be and he has already done serval successful but there's always a chance he could lose a patient and I need to keep that in mind.

I would like to wrap her foot. Seems like a better thing to do. Is there a post already on the site on how to wrap?

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My husband mentioned duck booties. Where did you buy yours or did you make your own?
I actually don't know where I could buy straw unless maybe TSC. It's where I buy their bedding. (Slow cell service, I see your link now. Thank you.)

I'm supposed to call the other vet in the morning and discuss more with him. The vet I saw today already got ahold of him after I left so he knows I'll be calling.

And thank you. I love my girls, just wish I knew more to help them before hand.

 

[KaleIAm]

I buy my straw at the hardware store in my little town. Hay works just as well, it's just more expensive. But they should have both at any feed store. My vet recommended it to me for helping with the bumblefoot. I had been using wood chips before. But I had almost constant bumblefoot before I switched. Since then I haven't had one bumble for over 3 years. So, substrate makes a huge difference. Outside my ducks are in grass or dirt only. No gravel or rocks - as my vet recommended.

400 for a duck spay is crazy cheap compared to what I was quoted... But my understanding is that she could still lay eggs internally because duck reproductive tissue branches out like grape vines and it is impossible to get all of it. (I'm NOT a vet-this is how my vet explained it to me) Then the eggs she lays internally wouldn't have a way to exit the body and would need surgery to be removed. Basically they told me that sometimes duck spays go well and resolve the condition, but often they need ongoing medical intervention like hormones or surgeries.

We were able to shorten Thimbleberry's daylight hours and feed her a limited amount of scratch only to trick her body into thinking it wasn't a good time to lay eggs. Her vet recommended it before trying surgery that could be fatal.

I don't know what's going with your sweetheart, maybe she needs more serious intervention. I'm not trying to discourage you from any form of treatment, just sharing what I've been told from my vet, why I didn't go that way, and what worked for what Thimbleberry was experiencing.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Following. Wishing all the best! I don't have ducks, but I know what it's like to care for a critter!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think before any decision is made you write down all questions you have including the ones mentioned above about being able to still lay internally. Etc that way you can have a candid conversation with the vet and hopefully get all your answers resolved.

 

[Onimau619]

We don't have much locally. Sadly the two closest towns are pretty much dead but I'll ask around and hopefully will find a place to buy some straw or hay.

We use to have grass but now it's mostly dirt. Vet told us we should turn the ground up so it would be softer on her bad foot until it heals. Any large rocks would be from the drive way. Are little mallard loves to steal them and I have to search the yard to put the gravel back in the road. Lol. She has her own grit pile next to their food so I don't know if she tries to eat any or wants them for her nest but can't carry the rocks all the way back.

And thank you, I did not know about the possibility of her still laying afterwards. I will definitely ask more questions when I call and make some notes tonight on what I want to ask.
Also no worries, I see my two ducks as pets and definitely want them to be around for as long as possible. So if there are other options, I like to hear them. Btw my two girls' names are Dewey and Louie. Taken from the Disney cartoon Duck Tales. I didn't know how to tell their gender at the time so they have male names. Lol. We had a Huey too but sadly she tried to fly and great me but landed wrong. (She was also a Pekin too) She developed arthritis in her hip and the vet suggested we had her put down. We had her on pain medication but the arthritis was to painful. That was back in July and I really don't think my heart can take another lost.

 

[Miss Lydia]

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