Lame leg

[RJKnott]

So I took in a rescue duck last year, a female pekin named Sparkles.

sparkles has always had a lame right leg. Her foot clenches up and she drags it along or limps on it. They live in a big pen and don’t free range so she is safe as possible from predators but I noticed the past couple days, instead of fopping the leg along like she normally does she has been walking on her “knuckles”

I don’t want to have her leg get worse or be painful for her. Any ideas as to what can be done? There isn’t really an avian vet near bye that I have found. My vet will see my ducks but is admittedly not a duck expert and usually has to reach out to people he knows that know ducks

sparkles was uncooperative with trying to take a picture of her foot but these are the best I could get as to how she is walking

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can you place ber foot in a normal position? If you can make her a shoe, you can use any plastic container cut the shape of her foot wrap with tape to cover all sharp edges, then place her foot on it the use vet wrap or some other type of tape that won't stick to her skin, snug but not cutting off circulation. wrap up around the ankle a ways for support. See how that works to keep her from walking on her foot like she is and hopefully will help keep sores from coming up then you'll be having bacteria inside an open wound which won't be good at all. You'll just have to unwrap and rewrap when letting her swim. Bless her heart that has to be painful.

 

[RJKnott]

Can you place ber foot in a normal position? If you can make her a shoe, you can use any plastic container cut the shape of her foot wrap with tape to cover all sharp edges, then place her foot on it the use vet wrap or some other type of tape that won't stick to her skin, snug but not cutting off circulation. wrap up around the ankle a ways for support. See how that works to keep her from walking on her foot like she is and hopefully will help keep sores from coming up then you'll be having bacteria inside an open wound which won't be good at all. You'll just have to unwrap and rewrap when letting her swim. Bless her heart that has to be painful.

I will look into that.

yeah I think whoever had her originally, sparkles got hurt and they didn’t know how to handle it so they left her in a park in town. She couldn’t get out of the water and almost drowned from exhaustion and overmating

she’s so sweet and hate seeing her in pain as she struggles walking. I will check her feet and get some measurement and look into getting or making a shoe for her

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Your best bet at this point if she has seen a vet and they cannot do much for her might be to try a splint like Miss Lydia said. I know on Etsy (I love Etsy) if you look up "Duck Splints" there are people who can custom make splints to your ducks measurements.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I will look into that.

yeah I think whoever had her originally, sparkles got hurt and they didn’t know how to handle it so they left her in a park in town. She couldn’t get out of the water and almost drowned from exhaustion and overmating

she’s so sweet and hate seeing her in pain as she struggles walking. I will check her feet and get some measurement and look into getting or making a shoe for her

Good idea what @AstroDuck rec about Etsy You can also buy duck shoes online. Bless her heart I am so glad to rescued her. You just want to give support to her ankle. When I use the duck shoes I also ver wrap the ankle area for support.

 

[RJKnott]

I ordered a few duck splints off Etsy and will get some vet wrap and try it out when they get here next week

 

[HollowOfWisps]

I ordered a few duck splints off Etsy and will get some vet wrap and try it out when they get here next week

Be sure to keep us updated on how she does!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd keep her on soft bedding till you can get the splints and wrap to keep the skin from opening and causing more problems.

 

[KaleIAm]

I think the duck shoes/splints/supports and soft bedding are great ideas. My duck had foot issues, not the same foot issues. Soft bedding, restricting her movement when her arthritis got too bad and Nsaids (metacam from a vet) helped a lot.

I'm so happy that Sparkles has a compassionate caregiver like you.

 

[Miss Lydia]

@RJKnott how's your duck doing were you able to help her?