Injured Pekin

[HarmonyB]

Ive read some threads, so before I begin, allow me to say that I freerange all my birds. My birds are put up safely every night, are well trained and pampered.. they stay in the fence. However, I live in a very rural area where wild animals are a way of life. My Pekin female had a close call yesterday. She was nabbed by a fox. My dog, protector of birds, jumped the fox, who in turn dropped the duck, and run off in fear. However... he ripped a big hole in my duckies back on each side up under the wings. Ducky is eating, drinking, and quacking... She is cleaning herself, and moving around, somewhat stiffly, but walking and swimming. I have her inside in the tub, giving her warm baths. I washed the wound with antibacterial soap, and soaked it with iodine solution. My question is, can I give her something for pain? tylenol, aspirin, lortab??? Of course I would adjust the dosage to her weight... also, is there an antibiotic that I may have in my cabinet that she could take... dosage adjusted to weight, of course. I am a trained vet tech, not working, but have never delt with birds medicinally, so I am clueless as to what is acceptable. Also, is there a website that I can referance for avian medical help? It is going to be important for me to learn as much as I can about the birds that I have begun to keep.. My family and I have started a sustainable lifestyle, and I expect my bird population will be growing with the warmer months... Thank you in advance for any information you could help me with. ~Harmony B

 

[Miss Lydia]

Ive read some threads, so before I begin, allow me to say that I freerange all my birds. My birds are put up safely every night, are well trained and pampered.. they stay in the fence. However, I live in a very rural area where wild animals are a way of life. My Pekin female had a close call yesterday. She was nabbed by a fox. My dog, protector of birds, jumped the fox, who in turn dropped the duck, and run off in fear. However... he ripped a big hole in my duckies back on each side up under the wings. Ducky is eating, drinking, and quacking... She is cleaning herself, and moving around, somewhat stiffly, but walking and swimming. I have her inside in the tub, giving her warm baths. I washed the wound with antibacterial soap, and soaked it with iodine solution. My question is, can I give her something for pain? tylenol, aspirin, lortab??? Of course I would adjust the dosage to her weight... also, is there an antibiotic that I may have in my cabinet that she could take... dosage adjusted to weight, of course. I am a trained vet tech, not working, but have never delt with birds medicinally, so I am clueless as to what is acceptable. Also, is there a website that I can referance for avian medical help? It is going to be important for me to learn as much as I can about the birds that I have begun to keep.. My family and I have started a sustainable lifestyle, and I expect my bird population will be growing with the warmer months... Thank you in advance for any information you could help me with. ~Harmony B

So sorry for the attack on your Pekin, glad your dog was able to intervene. as for pain meds. metacam from vet or baby aspirin, I give my old drake 2- 81 meg coated aspirin 2X a day wrapped in a small piece of bread. he weighs around 12 lbs. Ducks are amazing creatures and can come back for some of the worst wounds, i hope your girl makes it, sounds like you have done all the right things. My Twin city medicine chart rec. Penicillin for blood born infections, injectable or powder in water. Might want to get a good poultry vitamin to help support her during her healing time. And

 

[Amiga]

You seem to be doing all the best things for your duck. Prayers for a solid recovery.

 

[HarmonyB]

Ducky is hanging in there. I have started her on a dose of 250 mg of Cephalexin (for skin and soft tissue infection) 2x daily for 2 days then will drop off to 150 mg 2x a day for 5 days. From what I have read this is acceptable. I am treating her pain with Norco 10 sliced into 7 pieces.. one tiny piece at a time. it is doing the trick... she loosened up so much she laid her first egg! From what I have read, ASPRIN HAS THE POTENTIAL FOR KIDNEY DAMAGE IN DUCKS! There is such a minute amount of tylenol in the Norco vs Lortab, I opted for it instead. I continue to bath her wound and dress it with Iodine solution. She is currently swimming in a warm tub, drunkenly quacking away....I think she will be fine.

 

[HarmonyB]

I know these are dark.. and she was moving so much it was hard to catch a picture, but my intentions are for you to get a clear understanding of the size my little girls wounds! The other side is pretty bad too, but this is the worst.




This is my Ducky one week before the attack..

 

[Miss Lydia]

I know these are dark.. and she was moving so much it was hard to catch a picture, but my intentions are for you to get a clear understanding of the size my little girls wounds! The other side is pretty bad too, but this is the worst.




This is my Ducky one week before the attack..

Poor baby, looks like he had her right across the back. glad to hear she is doing so well. and I did not know about the aspirin do you have the info on it? Never heard of Norco.

 

[HarmonyB]

yes.. but I am on my way out the door. I will be back in a couple hours and I will post the link for you to read. Norco is just a brand name for hydrocodone and tylenol... it just has less of the tylenol than other brands of the same type of pain reliever.. I would not endorse administering this drug/narcotic to an animal unless you know the dose/ weight ratio..

 

[Miss Lydia]

yes.. but I am on my way out the door. I will be back in a couple hours and I will post the link for you to read. Norco is just a brand name for hydrocodone and tylenol... it just has less of the tylenol than other brands of the same type of pain reliever.. I would not endorse administering this drug/narcotic to an animal unless you know the dose/ weight ratio..

Thank you in the mean time I'll try to find some info.
Okay next time I will do more research instead of going by what i read here, since i have read several time that aspirin was okay to use for water fowl. "


http://www.duckrescuenetwork.org/DRNBoard/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=54&t=168

Much better to check out information and research.

 

[HarmonyB]

so sorry it took me so long to get back to you! I was just getting ready to post the very same link you have posted... yes! Always research! You can get some very useful info here, as I have all ready. but it is better to be safe and double or triple check before you administer any drug to an animal.... before I gave ducky her meds I researched the content of the drugs people listed on this forum and found a comparable drug in my medicine chest.

I am one of those screwball survival nuts, lol, so I have set back meds just in case..(ie: the end of the world, lack of insurance, lay off, strike, etc...) but, I keep an up to date pdr, and I google everything!!!

Glad to say that she is doing oh so much better! I put her in her creek yesterday, and she slept in the barn for the first time last night. Her wounds have shrunk conciderably and have a healthy hardened scab. She is even starting to regrow feathers! I still have not found the fox, but I imagine he will be back, and I have my rifle loaded and ready for his red butt! Wonder what fox tastes like? I know I have plans for the hide!

 

[Miss Lydia]

so sorry it took me so long to get back to you! I was just getting ready to post the very same link you have posted... yes! Always research! You can get some very useful info here, as I have all ready. but it is better to be safe and double or triple check before you administer any drug to an animal.... before I gave ducky her meds I researched the content of the drugs people listed on this forum and found a comparable drug in my medicine chest.

I am one of those screwball survival nuts, lol, so I have set back meds just in case..(ie: the end of the world, lack of insurance, lay off, strike, etc...) but, I keep an up to date pdr, and I google everything!!!

Glad to say that she is doing oh so much better! I put her in her creek yesterday, and she slept in the barn for the first time last night. Her wounds have shrunk conciderably and have a healthy hardened scab. She is even starting to regrow feathers! I still have not found the fox, but I imagine he will be back, and I have my rifle loaded and ready for his red butt! Wonder what fox tastes like? I know I have plans for the hide!

Thank you for the update and happy to hear she is well on the way to full recovery, Good luck on getting that fox. hopefully before it tries to get your duck again.