Liquid diet for injured duck?

[DillTheDuck]

We haven't gotten to talk to the vet directly, just the receptionist who is relaying messages back and forth. They also prescribed Silver Sulfadiazine Cream to put on it but we haven't done that yet tonight. It seems like adding a barrier like that isn't going to help with healing until the maggots are all gone. But IDK!

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd think you'd also have to get rid of the maggots. I just reread that link I gave you did you read it? it has some good info on it. Are you using a syringe to get into the bill real good?

 

[DillTheDuck]

Yes it is such helpful information. Thank you. She is still kicking this morning, good appetite, energy, etc. She only eats when she is with her sister so my routine is to put her outside in a baby play pen with the other duck for 10 minutes to let them eat their fill. I watch to make sure no flies get at her during that time. Then we do maggot duty. We got maybe 10 more this morning, but there are definitely ones farther back we can't reach without damaging her bill. I might get some fly spray later, even though it is so toxic it might be our best bet at killing eggs and maggots internally without removing them by hand. I'm a little worried she might have some on her skin too, haven't done a full check, but I might do a salt water dunk with her next time I take her out to see if that reveals any. Poor baby is exhausted from fighting me and determined to live, I just hope we can keep the maggots down enough that she makes it through this.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Yes a salt water soak should help bring those nasty things out and if she puts her bill down into the water that may help too along with healing. It's not good for them to drink salty water can cause dehydration but I think if it helps get those nasty maggots out giving her fresh drinking water will help with hydrating her. Electrolytes in the drinking water.

So happy to hear she is still eating good and has energy.

 

[DillTheDuck]

Update-- salt soak didn't reveal any hidden maggots, and we have flushed her beak out twice now (last night and this morning) with no maggots found. So either we got them all/irritated them out, or they are too deep in there. I have optimism it's the first because her energy keeps improving. Yesterday based on the other post I decided to do one thorough flushing of hydrogen peroxide followed by betadine. I know it is controversial especially for a head wound but maybe it did the trick.

Last night we did:
-thorough flushing with saline solution (vets suggestion- keeps changing)
-thorough flushing with betadine
-coat wound with warmed coconut oil in a syringe (heard oil can be a good deterrent and antimicrobial, so figured why not
-packed wound with silver sulfadiazine cream

This morning we flushed with
-non saline warm water (seemed like she was enjoying swallowing the salt water a little too much yesterday!)
-betadyne solution
-packed with a beeswax based herbal salve, since she would be eating through the day and we don't want her eating the sulfadiazine cream

No real rhyme or reason, just trying what we can and seeing if that is enough!

I'm wondering if people have a sense of how long/often we should keep flushing her wound out if we since we are no longer finding maggots, and if packing it seems like the right choice or we should leave it open to air. We are still taking her outside with her sister for extended periods to eat and drink, so having something oil-based to pack the wound seems like a good way to keep any flies off when we do. I figure if there are maggots deep in her nasal cavity they will cause her to go downhill quickly in the next 48 hours, so if she is still improving I feel like we can make steps towards moving her back outside permanently.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Would you put her outside if the wounds isn't healed. That would be worrisome.

great to hear her energy is picking up and she is eating.