Mink Attack Help

[Bailey1204]

So, normally I wouldn't be asking for help... even with an attack. However, 2 ducks badly injured with bone showing. Here's the rundown:
Day 1-Thursday discovered there had been an attack. Ducks covered with blood, 2 dead. We cleaned the wounds with water, but that's it.
Day 2- Friday cleaned all wounds thoroughly. Discovered that male Welsh Harlequin and female Blue Swedish have deep head wounds. We cleaned them but since it's so deep we don't want it getting infected. We can't go to the vet, too expensive.

On Friday(today) we took the Welsh and Blue Swed home. We put them in a warm bath to wash them off. They drank some water. They won't eat yet. They are resting, not sure if sleeping exactly. All the other ducks have small superficial cuts that have already scabbed, some of them already eating and drinking. 2 others not hurt. We have 9 left, we started with 11. It was a mink attack, dead ones had necks eaten out, also we killed the mink.
What should we do about the wounds? Don't want to put ointment or anything on because its so deep. Should we just keep it clean. We are trying to give them electrolyte water. If we can we are going to get the that save-a-chick stuff. Is there any human antibiotics that are safe for them to eat? If it gets infected they'll die! Help!
Thank you,
Abby

 

[ChicKat]

So, normally I wouldn't be asking for help... even with an attack. However, 2 ducks badly injured with bone showing. Here's the rundown:
Day 1-Thursday discovered there had been an attack. Ducks covered with blood, 2 dead. We cleaned the wounds with water, but that's it.
Day 2- Friday cleaned all wounds thoroughly. Discovered that male Welsh Harlequin and female Blue Swedish have deep head wounds. We cleaned them but since it's so deep we don't want it getting infected. We can't go to the vet, too expensive.

On Friday(today) we took the Welsh and Blue Swed home. We put them in a warm bath to wash them off. They drank some water. They won't eat yet. They are resting, not sure if sleeping exactly. All the other ducks have small superficial cuts that have already scabbed, some of them already eating and drinking. 2 others not hurt. We have 9 left, we started with 11. It was a mink attack, dead ones had necks eaten out, also we killed the mink.
What should we do about the wounds? Don't want to put ointment or anything on because its so deep. Should we just keep it clean. We are trying to give them electrolyte water. If we can we are going to get the that save-a-chick stuff. Is there any human antibiotics that are safe for them to eat? If it gets infected they'll die! Help!
Thank you,
Abby

Abby - so very sorry to hear about the wounds.

You may want to try to talk to 'the chicken doctor' -- although it is $25.00 I think if you buy something from them - they apply the fee to the product. One extraordinary antibiotic is veterycin. It is a spray on -- spray on gel.
You may also want to consider vitamins for them Poultry Cell -- sometimes at TSC or a feed store is a good one. -- It contains iron for blood building -- and you and other duck experts could know if that is good or not -- I saw marked improvement in one of my cockerels when he had had some -- in just the gloss of his feathers.

A couple of things for you to consider anyway while you rea getting more advice from the forum. Hope that they will fully recover.

This is how to contact the chicken doctor
http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/store2/

 

[Bailey1204]

Thanks, I'll try to get vitamins. Not sure about talking to vet though?... As I said, we don't want to sped a lot of money. Also, any antibiotics you know of that can be bought at feed store or human ones that are safe, just in case it gets infected?

 

[ChicKat]

Thanks, I'll try to get vitamins. Not sure about talking to vet though?... As I said, we don't want to sped a lot of money. Also, any antibiotics you know of that can be bought at feed store or human ones that are safe, just in case it gets infected?

I think some feed stores may carry Veterycin.

http://www.amazon.com/Vetericyn-Plus-Poultry-Care-Spray/dp/B00UTDXBX6

It's expensive but it is good. For chickens some people use neosporin with no pain killers. and some people use vetericyn on themselves. Depending on how far from the feedstore you live -- sometimes a mail order Vet catalog like Jeffers - or like the Amazon comes out to be as cheap or cheaper. I keep it on hand -- and if I did have a wound... I would put in on before there even was infection to help with healing. I think it almost has a cooling or soothing effect. (based on the behavior of some of my chickens that had wet-pox it seemed that their pain was eased with a spray of Veterycin. -- The seemed to relax and be very calm in response to the application.

 

[Bailey1204]

Thanks. Until I can get that, do you know if like children gummy vits are safe? Or like food high in vitamins and minerals that are safe for ducks> Greek Yogurt maybe?

 

[ChicKat]

Thanks. Until I can get that, do you know if like children gummy vits are safe? Or like food high in vitamins and minerals that are safe for ducks> Greek Yogurt maybe?

Sorry - that I don't know the answers to those questions. For chicks -- 'polyvisol' is recommended, and I have given that to my chicks -- the kind without iron for babies.... keep asking in the forums -- and maybe do a search on vitamins - safe for poultry.

 

[Bailey1204]

Okay, yeah. I did some research and Greek Yogurt boost immunity an is all natural... seen posts that other people use that. I'm going to try it. Maybe some cooked egg as well. I did post another question about duck safe meds.

 

[Amiga]

Sad to hear about the attack, glad you're trying to help the survivors.

Storey's Guide recommends clipping the feathers that are around the edges of the wounds.

You probably already have looked very closely around the vent and under the wings, but I will mention that.

A lukewarm bath helps - it helps the ducks feel better, often, and it lets them wash off, and it gives you a chance to watch how they move, lets you scan for signs of injury you may have missed.

Saline solution is a pretty good antibacterial, you can make it yourself, and it doesn't cost that much.

Keeping the wounds away from flies but well aired should help.

If they get an infection, then probably Duramycin would be an antibiotic I would consider having on hand.

Here is a post I have saved with some good details.

Post raccoon attack advice from Captain Cluck BYC DF 20120617

When my duck, Lucy, was attacked by a raccoon, I had head wounds to deal with, too. No jaw damage but she had a bite taken from the edge of her bill.

I put her on homeopathic for bites and vitamins at first, but homeopathics take a long time to work, so after a week on that (and an infection starting in the leg wound that I had missed) I switched her to Duramycin (got at Tractor Supply). Add 1/4 teaspoon to 20 oz of water (2 1/2 CUPS). Only mix up what you will use immediately and store the rest of the powder in a clean, dry jar. You will want to keep a measuring spoon in the jar just for the Duramycin. If you won't be using the entire 20 oz right away, put the extra in the refrigerator until you need it, but do not keep it for longer than 1 day. I have seen funk grow in it if kept longer than that. Lucy got her water in a 20 oz travel mug 2x a day.

After her first day of not eating, she only wanted cooked, mashed peas for 2 weeks. She refused anything else, so keep tempting your duck with things she loves to eat. You may have to use a syringe and squirt some liquified food into her bill to get her to eat. which means you will have to take some food and puree it in the blender and add enough water to make it liquidy. Lucy's bill was very sore and I had to mash her peas so she could eat them.

Examine your duck carefully to locate all the wounds you can find. Trim away feathers from the wounds so you can treat them effectively. Don't be afraid to trim away all her feathers if you think you need to to examine her. You can dress her in newborn t-shirts until her feathers grow back. If you keep her in a dim, quiet room, she will heal faster, and eventually start to molt. At least, that's what Lucy did.

Use saline to rinse out the wounds every day. Use a q-tip to pack the open wounds with antibiotic ointment.

If there is a puncture wound (which includes bites), you will need to debride it daily with a gauze pad. That means put peroxide on a gauze pad and scrub the scab off the puncture wound and scrub it enough to keep it open so it can drain. Punctures must heal from the inside out, or they get infected. Pack the punctures with antibiotic ointment, too.

Since you can't wrap a head wound on a duck, just let her wash her head at will. The only wound I wrapped on Lucy was her leg wound while it had Ichthammol on it to pull out the infection.


Let her rest and check on her every few hours. Change her towels at least 2x a day, or get those incontinence pads you put in a patient's bed and put one of those on top of the towel. Easy cleanup and less laundry. I got mine at Wal Mart.

I did not have the money for a vet visit, but if you do, I highly suggest taking her in.

 

[Bailey1204]

I did give them a bath. It seemed to perk them up quite a bit and cleaned them off. How do you make saline solution?

 

[Amiga]

https://patienteducation.osumc.edu/Documents/makenor.pdf