Need Help/Answers for my ❤️ (Duck) Please!!!

[aLoyd]

I’m still a new duckmom & Ill try & make this as short as I can. I rescued a duckling from a bad to getting worse by the day situation in May. He’s always walked kind of “limpy”, like not right but not really like his foot is hurt if that makes sense. One morning 2 weeks ago he was running around playing & 20mins later abt 10:30 he was limping Really bad he would walk a little bit maybe 15’ then sit down for few mins get bk up do the same thing. So I brought him in & kept him up the rest of that day&night. The next morning when i let him out he had no limp so i let him spend a lil time outside & bk in that evening & night. Next morning he seemed completely fine so I let him go bk to normal activities. So end of last week he has another bad limping episode like the first, we do the same thing keeping him up cppl days. Forgot to say that I looked over his feet n legs & there are no bumbles or anything that I can find n know to look for, ankle & leg were a lil swollen & I have soaked his legs & feet in warm epsom salt water, & have tried to let him swim in the tub but he didn’t really like it & I was afraid he’d hurt himself more. I have electrolytes, vetRx, B12 liquid vitamin supplement, nutritional brewers yeast, probiotics & vetermycin, oyster shells & grit. I’ve sprinkled the yeast on his food, the b12 liquid I poured over mealworms he didn’t even touch em, probiotics I mixed in water he didn’t drink it & I don’t much blame him it looked horrible & im guessing tasted worse. I’ve called him a “he” this entire time bc that’s what I was told & just got use to sayin he but I have a “She” bc end of October she laid her first egg, & has only laid at the most 10 since then, but I figured since it’s first time laying & time of year that was ok. So anyway bk to her limping, so after that 2nd episode I called a vet, the only one I have anywhere close to me that sees ducks & he was in another town but we loaded up & went. They X-rayed him & while they did that I was paying, so Idk if they examined him or What they kdid, if anything. The only time I got to see the vet was when he was closing the door to the room they xrayed him in. They had me have a seat in waiting area when they were done xraying & a girl that just works there at the desk has chickens so she came in waiting area & looked at his feet. I’m so upset bc I Want to help my Duck I love him (her) VERY much, he’s helped me with depression Tremendously & I can’t stand seeing him hurt or feel bad & not doing anything. All they told me at the vet was that they saw no breaks & only thing they knew was to research to see if there was a pain med to give him but for me to give em over the weekend & call bk Monday& keep him up for 2 weeks. So I called bk Monday & the girl said she had looked some stuff up online over weekend & said she found where they cld give him meticam (think that’s right), but told me to think abt it cppl days & then call n let them know. Thing is I really didn’t have the extra $ to take him to vet when I did but didn’t want him to be in pain, & in order for them to give him the shot it will be close to $200, this time too. I thght maybe they’d just let me come in & them inject him since they didn’t know what to give first time I was there, but nope. Also, seems like the past cppl days I can sometimes hear her breathing & kinda seems like sometimes she’s straining her tail. I’m sure hoping this makes sense & someone can understand what I’m trying to say bc I’m sure not the best at describing & dont know a lot to begin with. Is there anything that I can give her or do for her for pain & inflammation?? Please Help bc idk what to do & I can’t stand seeing anything in pain. I rescued lil fella to help him & have a better life & seems like I can’t help him at all with this he’s still eating, pooping, sleeping everything the same. If he hadn’t limped I’d never known anything was wrong. I’m so sorry if this is all over the place & long but tried to make sure I mentioned everything which I’m sure I’ve not, but if u need to know something else, just ask I’ll be happy to answer. Thanks in advance for any help u can give me.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'm sorry your duck is having problems, it's sounding like the vet really doesn't know much about treating poultry especially if they didn't know Meloxicam is safe to use.

Could he have sprained his leg running or stepped into a hole? Ducks can sprain their legs pretty easily. And it can take a good while for it to heal. So rest and support like Liquid B Complex can help. Pain meds like aspirin or I'll give you this link also https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ibuprofen-for-controlling-pain-in-poultry.1250629/
If they didn't see any broken bones then hopefully with rest and water therapy he'll be good as new.
You can also give meds by mouth and not over feed or treats if he won't take then that way, https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
I'd also think about calling the vet back and asking if you can pick up the meloxicam . It can be given by mouth.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/using-aspirin-on-chickens.840411/

 

[Quatie]

I can sometimes hear her breathing & kinda seems like sometimes she’s straining her tail.

Are you providing any calcium supplement? The behavior you describe sounds like a duck being egg bound, which can also sometimes effect their ability to walk as well.

I would give it 1ml of calcium gluconate, which you can get at TSC. Soaking in a luke warm bath for at least 30 minutes, preferably more, helps pass eggs.

Here is how to orally administer drugs. I personally prefer this method to putting drugs on treats. I know the duck gets its full dosage then. You can do this with the calcium gluconate and the vitamin B if you are comfortable with it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[aLoyd]

I'm sorry your duck is having problems, it's sounding like the vet really doesn't know much about treating poultry especially if they didn't know Meloxicam is safe to use.

Could he have sprained his leg running or stepped into a hole? Ducks can sprain their legs pretty easily. And it can take a good while for it to heal. So rest and support like Liquid B Complex can help. Pain meds like aspirin or I'll give you this link also https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ibuprofen-for-controlling-pain-in-poultry.1250629/
If they didn't see any broken bones then hopefully with rest and water therapy he'll be good as new.
You can also give meds by mouth and not over feed or treats if he won't take then that way, https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
I'd also think about calling the vet back and asking if you can pick up the meloxicam . It can be given by mouth.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/using-aspirin-on-chickens.840411/

Thank you so very much for your quick response. I wasn’t impressed with the vets knowledge, if any of poultry. Idk everything but I feel that All of em should at least Know what bumblefoot is, ya know? Ive read everything I could find about raising ducks bk in May & since, so I cld try to give em the best life possible. I had NO idea How much joy, love & entertainment that I’d get out of it. I’d thought maybe he’d sprained his ankle\hip joint, (idk what all they can sprain) & I asked abt a sprain while at the vet, they just said could be. There are a cppl lil holes that he cld have stepped in that morning, or climbed on something, he loves to climb lol. I also have another question & I may just be paranoid My Daughter & My Mother think so

but seems like since yesterday morning I can kinda hear him breathe sometimes & shakes his tail & kinda like his backend is breathing hard if that makes sense to you. I just made a video of him breathing while he was in the tub. I brought him in bathroom with me & turned water on he seemed like he wanted to get in so I put him in. How do I post the video so u can see it? If you wouldn’t mind to look at it please

 

[aLoyd]

Are you providing any calcium supplement? The behavior you describe sounds like a duck being egg bound, which can also sometimes effect their ability to walk as well.

I would give it 1ml of calcium gluconate, which you can get at TSC. Soaking in a luke warm bath for at least 30 minutes, preferably more, helps pass eggs.

Here is how to orally administer drugs. I personally prefer this method to putting drugs on treats. I know the duck gets its full dosage then. You can do this with the calcium gluconate and the vitamin B if you are comfortable with it.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

I am providing oyster shells which I thought was for calcium, is it not? I’m honestly scared & not confident in my skills to give the meds oral, & don’t want to chance anything. If I was confident at all giving it oral, I’d try but now I wldnt mind at all to give him a shot, if I can do that at all, I’ve given horses, dogs, & ppl shots & had phlebotomist training. Is there anything I can get like that to give him? Or can I inject liquid into his bananas

 

[aLoyd]

I'm sorry your duck is having problems, it's sounding like the vet really doesn't know much about treating poultry especially if they didn't know Meloxicam is safe to use.

Could he have sprained his leg running or stepped into a hole? Ducks can sprain their legs pretty easily. And it can take a good while for it to heal. So rest and support like Liquid B Complex can help. Pain meds like aspirin or I'll give you this link also https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/ibuprofen-for-controlling-pain-in-poultry.1250629/
If they didn't see any broken bones then hopefully with rest and water therapy he'll be good as new.
You can also give meds by mouth and not over feed or treats if he won't take then that way, https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/
I'd also think about calling the vet back and asking if you can pick up the meloxicam . It can be given by mouth.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/using-aspirin-on-chickens.840411/

 

[Miss Lydia]

if this has been going on for a week or more most likely not egg bound. But since you have a female I would get the calcium gluconate to have on hand in case she ever had a egg-laying issue,
I wish I could say I could hear Loyd breathing but my ears must be bad I couldn't.
Loyd sure looks happy in the tub. If she'll eat bananas then of course give her meds that way.

 

[ruthhope]

I understand exactly how you feel about your duck bringing you joy. Mine lift my spirits every morning. I can understand your fear and frustration now -- having taken Lloyd to a vet and not got satisfactory treatment and advice. Lloyd is a handsome duck. I have a duck that I thought was female and still behaves like a female but now sounds and increasingly looks male. So no eggs for me but eggs for you! Lloyd is happy in water so please give her lots of hydrotherapy to keep her joints moving. Those on this forum with lots of experience have advised you on medication. So my advice is simple: lots of love and hydrotherapy

 

[aLoyd]

if this has been going on for a week or more most likely not egg bound. But since you have a female I would get the calcium gluconate to have on hand in case she ever had a egg-laying issue,
I wish I could say I could hear Loyd breathing but my ears must be bad I couldn't.
Loyd sure looks happy in the tub. If she'll eat bananas then of course give her meds that way.

I will definitely get it I have a TSC near me, if they were to not have it what do u recommend that I order? I’ve had my lil Gramma start praying for him, so that & Your help he’s bound to get better!! You have no idea how much I appreciate Someone to talk, ask questions & actually get answers from. One last question please, do I not need to let him walk at all, like keep him in his playplen? Or can he be laying where I’m working & when hungry walk about 8ft to eat & back? Thank you again for your help!! Hope u have a Blessed Weekend & Hopefully You will get rid of me, lol Thanks again

 

[Miss Lydia]

We definitely don't want to get rid of you. That's what BYC is for to get help and share pics and share stories of our birds. If you can't find Calcium gluconate around you, you can order online.
She can walk you just don't want her going far 8 ft to eat is okay maybe 6 ft would be even better. You just don't want her overdoing or running.
I'd make sure she gets water therapy everyday so she keep her legs moving and the water takes the pressure off of her legs.
Are you feeding her a good quality feed?
keep us updated on how she is doing.
Hopefully rest water therapy and good nutrition and B complex will get her good as new. I would also recommend Liquid B Complex TSC has it also. The B complex will help with strengthing her legs. 1 ml in her banana if she will eat bananas. Do this every day until she is recovered and walking real good.
Sounds to me like Loyd is in good hands and much loved.
These ducks sure do bring joy into our lives everyday.
That's so sweet your Gramma is praying for Loyd I do believe in the power of prayer.