Huge sores on duck's back and wing.

[ccook06]

Hey all, I'm in need of some advice. I'll start by saying the only bird vet in my area is closed currently and I may have to wait until Monday. I just found my 1.5 year old pekin like this. These sores were not there when i was outside an hour ago!

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These pics are of her left wing and across her back above her tail.

I have 4 ducks total - one male and 3 females (this is one of the females). Up until 2 weeks ago i had a second male. He started getting aggressive and was picking on this girl alot. She lost most of her feathers on her back and wings. We removed him as soon as we could and she has been recovering well from the stress. Her feathers were growing back and as of an hour ago she had new growth in all the red areas. She went for a swim in her pond - i just changed the water today - and then i found her like this. She seems uncomfortable but she is still grooming and she ate as soon as i set her down.

Any ideas what could be going on with her and what can i do for her?? I will get her to a vet ASAP if needed but as i said that may not be possible until monday.

Any help is appreciated!

 

[pattyhen]

I would bring her inside you don't want flies to get to those sores. I would put neorsporin on it. Let me see what other people would suggest too.

@Miss Lydia
@Amiga


They can probably give you some answers too.

Patty

 

[ccook06]

We are setting up an area in the house for her. I'm wondering if I can/should try to bandage the areas. She keeps lifting her wings off like it hurts to have them touch her back.

 

[pattyhen]

As long as she is in the house I wouldn't bandage her. It might stick to the sores and you would have an awful time getting it off. Poor little thing I wish there was something I could tell you to do beside putting the neosporin without pain relief on her.


Patty

 

[Debs Flock]

Exactly what pattyhen said. Keeping her inside is most important so flies can't get to that sore. I'll tag some more people, too.

@ricebabyca
@jtn42248
@attimus

Oh and any time a duck is stressed and/or healing adding electrolytes to their water is a good idea.

 

[Amiga]

Actually, I would not put anything greasy on it right now . . . although I don't feel really strongly about that . . . if you have cream in stead of ointment, maybe, but if you only have ointment, a thin layer of that, after a good saline rinse or Vetericyn spray.

When you can, could you please get a photo from above her, showing her entire body? Could something have grabbed and broken her feathers? Are there any puncture wounds anywhere? Vent? Under the wings?

Are there any electric fences around? sharp objects? This is a real reach - was anyone weed-wacking?

Yes, keep her in, away from flies, let her play in the tub to rinse off, some vitamins and electrolytes in her water won't hurt. Those feathers look snapped or cut….

 

[jtn42248]

Ditto to all of the above. Keep her clean and the sores dry except for medicated ointment as suggested. Could she have been picked at by the others or could she be stressed and picking at her own feathers? Does it look like a sore (blister) as opposed to a wound (bite)? Electrolytes in her water to drink will help.

 

[ccook06]

Thanks everyone who has replied!

She is fully enclosed with good fences. We live in town and no predators. I have been home all day and have been in and out of the house talking to the ducks and chickens. She was alone in the pond, the other three had already had their swim. Their pond is a galvanized horse trough - smooth surfaces and I change the water every other day. No punture wounds. No weed whacking and no electric fences. I think she did this to herself. I watched her go in the pond about an hour before the pics were taken and there were no sores visible at that time. We did find another scabbed-over spot on her chest.
She is inside now and resting. We did put a very thin coat of neosporin on the sores and it seems to have made her a bit more comfortable.

Sorry for poor quality phone pics but here's what I have :

 

[ccook06]

Something I just thought of, we have had alot of wasps around lately and we've destroyed a few nests...could she have been stung and had a reaction maybe?

 

[Amiga]

Stung, and then plucked and snapped some of her feathers? Maybe. In that case, just a tiny, pea-sized drop of benadryl might be worth trying. I am not a vet, I don't know if she could have a reaction to benadryl - I know I put some on Zwei's foot after a sting and she was fine (a vet said it was okay to try it, but just a tiny dab).