Need SOS help for Pekin Ducks

[roxyduck]

I have 3 adult Pekin Ducks... raised as pets and are very loved... the first 2 were purchased at a feed store as hatchlings.... one male one female... following year we incubated an egg and hatched Roxy. Roxy lived in the house as the Pebbles and Bam Bam didn't want anything to do with her until she was around 8 mos old.

Long story short...

Roxy - Yr 1 - had an infection in middle right toe which was amputated by Cornell Veterinary Hospital (we live in Ithaca home of Cornell).... she did great for a year... Yr 2 - she developed acute arthritis in the left ankle joint because she favored the right toe... no surprise there. She has been in treatment for pain and antibiotics since April 2015. We also kept her from the Bam Bam - the drake. We knew we would have to put her to a heavenly sleep but wanted to let her enjoy the summer. After all, winters in upstate NY are brutal and she was cooped up for many months. Not to mention, a year ago, she watched Bill O'Reilly with us in bed.

We have accepted this ater $2000 in vet bills and Cornell telling us there is nothing else they can do.

3 weeks ago, the mother, Pebbles, who has never ever had an issue with anything... she has always been the one to fight, bite whatever started holding her left leg up and hopping around. I took her to Cornell 3 days after the hopping (earliest I can get - it was a weekend)... but started her on the pain meds that Roxy was on... We joked that she was showing empathy pains for Roxy as it was the same leg... I also joked that maybe it was her way to say she had an "headache"... after all, without the other female she was getting double slammed..

Xrays showed no broken bones or dislocation.... must be a strained muscle or tendon... antibiotics and pain pills.

A long story not so short.... Pebs is no better.... her leg is very swollen and developing many pigmented black spots. Cornell says that there is nothing more to do. Its more plaintive care ... I just dont understand how a healthy duck can go to euthanize in 3 weeks. ***

Please - is there anyone that can give me an idea of what happened.

PS - don't get me wrong... Cornell has been really helpful and are very caring with the ducks but Pebbles - she can only hop. I just would like an answer.... the main vet at Cornell says that ducks breed as meat birds (such as Pekins and Muscovy) are very prone to leg problems and once they get them it escalates quickly

I am just very sad at this point and I am very concerned when the 2 females take their long eternal nap that the drake, BamBam will be very sad.

What do I do?

 

[GitaBooks]

I'm really sorry to hear about that.

If your duck can still get around and isn't in pain, you might not have to euthanize her.
If you do have to do this, then I would suggest getting some buddies for your boy. Pekins are bred for quick growth and large size, not health or longevity, so they don't make the best pets (not because they are mean or anything, just because of poor health). I would suggest your new girls be of a different breed.

Best of luck!

 

[ryanhodapp]

I just got my first ducks and they are Pekin mixes. I will watch out for this. I adopted mine from the humane society, you maybe able to do the same