Is this Bumblefoot? Help! No weight-bearing after injury

[hhurrell]

Dawn recovered pretty good. She never regained full mobility of her leg and foot but was able to stumble around pretty good with the rest of the flock. We even tried some DIY prosthetic models, non of which she really liked. Had some discharge from her eyes that we treated with an antibiotic gel, but she never fully recovered from that so we were constantly cleaning her eyes. She was very happy, alert, and very sassy after recovery. Dawn unfortunately just passed last week after a bobcat dug into our duck house. We now have another duck, named Puppy, who now is exhibiting the exact same symptoms as Dawn did. Leg injury, loss of appetite, diarrhea, weakness, occasional gasping. We initially disinfected all wounds (minor compared to Dawn, just some then foot pads), treated with antibiotic, gave electrolytes, wrapped and stabilized her hurt leg. She still has some movement of the leg, and we now have to force feed her. We unwrap daily for baths and some PT (we cut some holes in a reusable shopping bag for her legs to go through so we can hold her up to help her walk around). She has no interest in standing or eating, and refuses to move her leg (about 4 days after injury). The gasping is new compared to Dawn. Read an article on Botulism in ducks and she seems to present with many of the symptoms: loss of appetite, diarrhea, weakness in the legs, paralysis of leg with trauma, respiratory distress. Another symptom mentioned was the eye discharge, which Dawn exhibited. Does this look like botulism? I know this toxin acts fast so I figure Puppy would be deteriorating faster than she is by now, but it is so strange that they both exhibited the exact same symptoms like this. I'm so clueless here: two ducks, exact same injury and symptoms 1 year apart, and still no definite or clear diagnosis.

 

[gtaus]

Thanks for the update. Too bad after all that work that you lose your duck to a bobcat. Does not seem fair. If your new duck is starting to display the concerns of the previous (Dawn) duck, then I might suggest you start rechecking your setup. Whenever I see the same problems reoccurring with my small animals, I take some time to look at how I care for my animals and the pens/cages/housing that they live in. Live and learn.