Need help for my duckling... Slipped tendon

[fuzziecreatures]

2 weeks ago I noted that one of the ducklings was starting to have a hard time walking. I started putting electrolytes in the water again and then went out and got NutriDrench for their water. In the day it took me to get the NutriDrench, 3 more ducklings started and the first duckling was pretty much immobile. Within a few days 2 ducklings recovered quickly, 2 of the ducklings were still having problems. When I checked their hocks, I discovered their Achilles tendon had slipped to the inside.

I wrapped their legs for 2 nights to straighten that tendon again. During the day I would flex the leg while holding the tendon in place to stretch the tendon and muscle in the right way again.


I had the 2 in a separate cage for about a week



Here is today's pic of his/her hocks today. They are thicker and I think twisted making it hard for her to stand


Left leg, not straightening anymore than this



Right leg, same



I have a video but it will be on my facebook page soon as it loads. I can post the link later.

I took her to work with me yesterday and used our therapeutic laser on her joints and muscles to see if that helped. She gets tub time but has a hard time floating because she doesn't swim right.

Apparently my husband is planning on having him/her as a house duck because I am concerned they won't be able to run from hawks or other predators outside with the rest of the ducks when the others go outside. I was talking about putting her down but he doesn't see why we should if we can get her moving a little better.

Any tips or help? I'm doing gentle stretching and flexing with her several times a day so she is very friendly. I've been trying to figure out some sort of diaper that works for now.

Edit: They are 3 weeks old

 

[Amiga]

This has some helpful information https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

But if there are leg problems, B vitamins are often included in the treatment plan. So far, what you have given them doesn't sound like they are getting extra B vitamins.

Can you get them to a vet?

@casportpony may have some ideas.

 

[fuzziecreatures]

Uploaded video to my facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Fuzziecreatures Micro-Farm

I couldn't find the correct Niacin tablet form. So I went with the Poultry Nutri Drench and fresh food

 

[Miss Lydia]

Uploaded video to my facebook page
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/?q=Fuzziecreatures Micro-Farm

I couldn't find the correct Niacin tablet form. So I went with the Poultry Nutri Drench and fresh food

What about after using the Therapeutic laser on her?

Your right they won't stand a chance outside unless in an completely enclosed run. How do they get around inside? I know there is surgery not sure but seems I read on Poultry pedia that this has to be done close to when it happens.

And Brewers yeast or Nutritional yeast gives B vitamins.

 

[Amiga]

You can add a tablespoon of brewer's yeast per cup of food and that has loads of B vitamins.

Not baking yeast, brewer's yeast. It's a nutritional supplement.

She looks like a happy duck aside from the leg problems. I would plan to make accommodations for her - and in the meantime, try to give her as much lukewarm tub time as possible, keep an eye out for creative treatment and mobility assistance, and add the B vitamins to her diet.

 

[fuzziecreatures]

I wonder if there is brewers yeast at the supplement store they put in, in town.
We have an old kids sock cut right now and trying to exercise her. She's chasing a "green worm" knotted end of a balloon for cookie stretches. She won't stand on her feet yet but we'll see.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I wonder if there is brewers yeast at the supplement store they put in, in town.
We have an old kids sock cut right now and trying to exercise her. She's chasing a "green worm" knotted end of a balloon for cookie stretches. She won't stand on her feet yet but we'll see.

Be worth a try. Sounds like your determined to help her get as far as she can. I hope it all works. I'm sure a natural health food store will carry Nutritional yeast and brewers yeast.

She sure is a cutie. Please keep us updated.

 

[JanetMarie]

The slipped tendon will not get better unless the tendon is put back into the correct position. The enlarged hock will not hold the tendon there on it's own any longer, so veterinary intervention is necessary. Finding a vet. who is willing to do the tendon surgery will be a challenge, and the surgery only works if done within a few days after the tendon has slipped out. I've dealt with this before. Definitely keep up the straightening an stretching therapies.

 

[Miss Lydia]

The slipped tendon will not get better unless the tendon is put back into the correct position. The enlarged hock will not hold the tendon there on it's own any longer, so veterinary intervention is necessary. Finding a vet. who is willing to do the tendon surgery will be a challenge, and the surgery only works if done within a few days after the tendon has slipped out. I've dealt with this before. Definitely keep up the straightening an stretching therapies.

What was the out come from your experience?

 

[Orca5094]

JanetMarie is correct, the surgery seems to be the only way to treat it when it's this bad and won't stay in place even with wrapping. They stitch the tendon in place, but after a certain point the tendon becomes too short and tight to be put back into position successfully. We had this happen with two ducklings back when I was an Avian Keeper (they had bad genetics). We tried moving the tendons back into place and wrapping, but it just didn't work. They never stayed in place when unwrapped. Our vet staff was going to attempt the surgery, but by then their tendons were too tight to make the surgery plausible. We had to humanely euthanize the ducklings. :/

Now, you seem to be very willing to give this duck the special care she will need for life though, so if she stays an indoor duck and her quality of life doesn't suffer, she might be ok with her slipped tendons so long as there is a way for her to get around. It will get harder as she grows older and gets bigger, though. Maybe you could build her some sort of sling/cart that she could get around in that would take the pressure off her legs, but still allow her to push around with her feet?