Pekin limping

[Sunshineliz]

My almost 3 month old Pekin is limping. I noticed it yesterday morning though she was hiding it well and wasn't too noticeable. I almost thought I was imagining it. But by evening it was more noticeable and her leg looked swollen compared to the other. This morning it seemed better than last night but definitely is worse now. She's even holding it close when she's in the water.
I've checked and it doesn't feel any warmer than the other leg. I heldher while my daughter took a picture of the bottom of her foot. Is there anything you can see wrong? I don't know. Perhaps she sprained ? She's generally clumsy compared to my other two ducks that are mallards and sometimes stumbles to keep up with them.
I've called the vet but they can't see her until Monday morning. She's got a good appetite and seems like her usual self in all other ways.

 

[All4Eggz]

@DucksAreBest might know whats going on...

 

[Miss Lydia]

That place on her toe did you run your hand over to feel for a splinter or something else. It looks like it could be the start of bumble.
Are you supplementing any form of niacin since this is a Pekin and known to have leg problems?

 

[Sunshineliz]

I'm just giving her regular duck food and no supplements. But they forage around the yard all day. How would I supplement niacin?

I felt it, there doesn't seem to be splinters. Perhaps scabbed? But it seems closed...? And the other spots on the other foot just look like darker skin spots or dirt or something.
Anyway I'm attaching two pictures of both feet together for comparison. It's her right leg she's favoring.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Just to be on the safe side since this is a Pekin I'd start her on some Liquid B complex to make sure she is getting a good dose of the B's especially niacin. Here is the info on niacin def plus where to buy and how much to give.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/niacin-deficiency-in-waterfowl.1367557/

For the swelling, it would be good to soak in warm Epsom salt water and limit her walking or running around so much and see how she is on Monday if no better I'd have the vet check her out. If it's a sprain the Epsom salt soaks will help if it's the beginning of bumblefoot it will help with that too.

 

[Sunshineliz]

Wait...we get niacin meant to be injected into cattle and put it on their treats? Is that right? I'd hate to misunderstand that.

And I do have Epsom salts. Do I need to bring her inside or would it be ok to just keep her in the run instead of letting her roam the yard? She's been keeping closer to the run today anyway.

 

[Sunshineliz]

She's limping worse today. She's mostly just sitting. I closed off the run and periodically I've put her in the baby pool.
I soaked her foot three times now but she'll only tolerate it for five minutes maybe. I got nutritional yeast for the niacin and I mixed it in to tomatoes. She's definitely still hungry.
Should I give her aspirin for the swelling? I was reading here somewhere that baby aspirin can help.

 

[Galaxyfalcon]

Wait...we get niacin meant to be injected into cattle and put it on their treats? Is that right? I'd hate to misunderstand that.

That's what I would do. You could try putting it in her drinking water too if she doesn't like the taste on her treats.

I would see if you could fence her off in a little infirmary area within the run so she can still see and chat to her friends but is in a controlled environment. Definitely keep soaking her feet in the ebsom salt water. My ducks tend to not like it either, I have a big Pekin who would get restless. After a few days he started to get used to the routine, though. I found holding is wings firmly by his side and chatting to him calmed him down a bit.

Something else that might be handy to have around is some Banixx or Vetericyn. I would spray her feet down 2-3 times a day, just a few spritz' after her epsom salt bath. My Pekin recently had a nasty bumblefoot infection come out of nowhere, and we treated it topically and in about 5 days it was almost entirely gone.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Nutritional yeast is a great product but when they are already having issues the Liquid B complex works faster and better. If she likes chopped tomatoes putting the liquid on it may mask the taste.

Also if bumble isn't treated and the infection not got out it can spread to bone and eventually blood so bumble foot needs to be taken care of.

 

[Sunshineliz]

She's at the vet as I write. They won't let me in because of covid so I'm just sitting here nervously. (I'm stressed about her, but I'm also stressed about numerous other things, including my niece's funeral later today.)