Peeling, scabby, sore duck feet! Advice very welcome please.

[Team PJ]

Hello everyone,

Posted a few times when we first got our little flock last year, having to deal with bumblefoot, and it's back!

So we're treating this bumble from what we learnt before. Epsom soaks, purple vet antiseptic spray, removed the scab and it has been reducing in size...

However... in the mean time her feet have become really sore & scabby, most of her nails have fallen off and when we handle her they often crack and bleed.

Initially I thought we needed to keep her feet dry, and that the Epsom soaks had caused her skin to do this. I've just read something that says duck feet peel when they're dehydrated! So I'm really confused as to what to do for the best!

She isn't eating or drinking much, and just sits in the crate in the house, even when she has a friend in with her. We've run just a plain water bath a couple of times to let her swim/clean herself and she drinks the water from there, so I chucked in a couple of meal worms/corn and she's eating bits of that, but not much.

She's getting stressed with all the handling and fussing, and they're obviously sore, so would love some advice if anyone has any experience of this.

Thank you

 

[PirateGirl]

Another alternative when you have necrotic tissue like that (any animal or human) is you can use raw honey as your salve and then bandage, doing daily bandage changes. There are lots of studies on this, but in a nutshell it changes the PH surrounding the wound (among other things) and promotes healing and is also antibacterial/antimicrobial. When my dog had a severe necrotic infection, this was the vet's preferred course of treatment. We did try some other medications that the vet had, but this proved most effective in conjunction with oral antibiotics to stop a systemic infection. Once you receive your vetwrap etc. in the mail and all your supplies I would recommend keeping the wound covered while it heals. Ducks poop on the ground and walk in their poop. Even in a relatively "clean" environment, nothing stays clean when ducks are involved. Fighting infection is your biggest concern at this point. Dead tissue will fall off, tissue will heal where there sill good blood supply.

 

[Jpat]

Poor duck, That looks incredibly painfull. And looks like frostbite

 

[PirateGirl]

It only has to be below freezing for frostbite to occur, not crazy extreme temps, so just below 32* F or 0* C. It does not necessarily take a long period of exposure and under the right conditions frostbite can occur in less than 20 minutes.

If not cold, then maybe a burn, from heat or chemicals could cause something like that. Either way, I'm thinking something environmental as opposed to disease.

 

[Jpat]

i was thinking abput common chemical around the yard and i thaught of two. A spilled bag of swimming pool chemicals, or a spilled bag of driveway De Icer

Ice-melting chemicals commonly contain sodium chloride or rock salt, calcium chloride, potassium chloride, magnesium chloride, and/or urea, also known as carbonyl diamide. If swallowed, they can be irritating and cause stomach distress. On the skin or paws, they can cause irritation and dryness

With any chemical its concentration + Exposure time

 

[Miss Lydia]

Hi your keeping her inside for now? Do you have bag balm? That might soothe and help with peeling. But please post pics of her feet.

 

[Eggcessive]

I am not a duck or frostbite expert, but it does look like frostbite that has happened some time ago. Chemical damage also would be something to consider. The OP says that it was 6C, but it got colder. Even inside with wet feet, animals get frostbite below freezing, or standing on metal. The most important thing is trying to salvage what is left of her feet once the necrotic (dead) tissue comes off. I would agree with the Epsom salts or salt water soaks daily followed by antiseptic or antibiotic ointment. The salt water would be 4 tsp table salt per gallon of water. Savlon, I believe, is chlorhexidene cream that may be available to use in the UK. Any antibiotic needed would need to come from a vet where the OP is located.

 

[Trimurtisan]

Hello everyone,

Posted a few times when we first got our little flock last year, having to deal with bumblefoot, and it's back!

So we're treating this bumble from what we learnt before. Epsom soaks, purple vet antiseptic spray, removed the scab and it has been reducing in size...

However... in the mean time her feet have become really sore & scabby, most of her nails have fallen off and when we handle her they often crack and bleed.

Initially I thought we needed to keep her feet dry, and that the Epsom soaks had caused her skin to do this. I've just read something that says duck feet peel when they're dehydrated! So I'm really confused as to what to do for the best!

She isn't eating or drinking much, and just sits in the crate in the house, even when she has a friend in with her. We've run just a plain water bath a couple of times to let her swim/clean herself and she drinks the water from there, so I chucked in a couple of meal worms/corn and she's eating bits of that, but not much.

She's getting stressed with all the handling and fussing, and they're obviously sore, so would love some advice if anyone has any experience of this.

Thank you

I won't be much help, but the people who would be are going to need some pictures. Multiple angels is best so they are able to see all the affected tissues. Best of luck with your feathered friend.

@Miss Lydia
@casportpony

 

[Miss Lydia]

Where are you located. Could this be frost bite?

 

[blackandtan]

I don’t know about duck feet particularly, but in terms of general wound care:
-no more swimming
- black tissue appears dead, will probably continue to fall off
-looks like there is some pink granulation tissue (healing) there, which is a good sign
- IF she was mine, I’d wash her feet in an antiseptic solution, pack with polysporin (or neosporin or other antibiotic ointment) then wrap her feet, keeping toes gently separate and change bandages daily
I don’t think webs will grow back, but I can’t see that being a problem for a pet duck’s swimming, I’m sure she’d manage a tub or little pool

Like I said, I’m no expert but I do know how soft their little feeties are and I think bandages and ointment will provide the best environment for healing
Best of luck!