Please help! Duck with limpy leg, bumble foot, wet feather

[hayleyasaurus]

I’m not keeping it wrapped anymore. I noticed her limp got worse and she stopped walking around when I had it wrapped. She has improved with her leg on the antibiotic, but she never got totally better. Before going on it at her worse she would only walk to eat then lay down. When she was on it /since then she can walk around but still sits a lot more than before this issue. She also walks bow legged which she didn’t used to. Her other symptoms are the wet feather and the skin on both her legs is peeling. I’ve been putting green goo on them but it keeps happening. The legs feel the same the one is just very swollen. I don’t notice temperature or soft/hardness differences.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

If wet feather, take a warm cloth and rub over the preening gland it will dislodge any debris and stimulate the oil.
Do this twice a day. Keep her out of bathing water for at least a week or even two. Have you seen her preening? Sometimes ducks aren't able to preen due to other issues.
@KaleIAm has had a duck with arthritis that want able to preen and prone to wet feather.

 

[hayleyasaurus]

If wet feather, take a warm cloth and rub over the preening gland it will dislodge any debris and stimulate the oil.
Do this twice a day. Keep her out of bathing water for at least a week or even two. Have you seen her preening? Sometimes ducks aren't able to preen due to other issues.
@KaleIAm has had a duck with arthritis that want able to preen and prone to wet feather.

Okay! Will do! I’ll just give her a big bowl so she can dunk her head without totally bathing. Yes I’ve seen her preening. She actually overdid it in some areas and pulled out some of her feathers. Oh wow that’s rough I hope they were able to keep them oily! Thanks!

 

[HeatherKellyB]

I’m not keeping it wrapped anymore. I noticed her limp got worse and she stopped walking around when I had it wrapped. She has improved with her leg on the antibiotic, but she never got totally better. Before going on it at her worse she would only walk to eat then lay down. When she was on it /since then she can walk around but still sits a lot more than before this issue. She also walks bow legged which she didn’t used to. Her other symptoms are the wet feather and the skin on both her legs is peeling. I’ve been putting green goo on them but it keeps happening. The legs feel the same the one is just very swollen. I don’t notice temperature or soft/hardness differences.

I wonder if she started walking like that because she was in a lot of pain with both sides? In my experience, that bumblefoot needs to be wrapped up at all times. If you don't keep it wrapped, germs are constantly being introduced to the wound. It might take a little while for her to learn to walk with her foot wrapped up and it may take a few variations of wrapping to find what works best for you and her. Have you tried removing the scab? What is the ground like where she spends the majority of her daylight hours? Are you confining her at all? Is there any way that you can confine her to a small area, with a soft dry cushiony ground, right beside her flockmate?

 

[KaleIAm]

Okay! Will do! I’ll just give her a big bowl so she can dunk her head without totally bathing. Yes I’ve seen her preening. She actually overdid it in some areas and pulled out some of her feathers. Oh wow that’s rough I hope they were able to keep them oily! Thanks!

My duck with wet feather and arthritis preened, but mostly on her chest and easily to reach areas. She wasn't effective at preening her wings/tail. My vet diagnosed her arthritis with xrays, and pain relievers/ a thick layer of soft substrate/ a clean warm environment helped her a lot.

I hope your duck is feeling better soon.

 

[hayleyasaurus]

I wonder if she started walking like that because she was in a lot of pain with both sides? In my experience, that bumblefoot needs to be wrapped up at all times. If you don't keep it wrapped, germs are constantly being introduced to the wound. It might take a little while for her to learn to walk with her foot wrapped up and it may take a few variations of wrapping to find what works best for you and her. Have you tried removing the scab? What is the ground like where she spends the majority of her daylight hours? Are you confining her at all? Is there any way that you can confine her to a small area, with a soft dry cushiony ground, right beside her flockmate?

Yes totally I can try again. She walks ok with a wrap but it always ends up soaked no matter what I do which I felt was more gross than nothing. The shoe worked better to keep dry but that’s the one she walked horribly with. I want to see how the tricide neo works first as apparently you don’t need to wrap for that treatment. I have removed the scab a few times it’s definitely flatter and less bulbous but looks very strange/different than previous bumble I’ve dealt with. She’s mostly either in her pen, or outside under a tree they love. The pen currently has a repticarpet like mat covering. She has 2 areas with straw in there too. I kept leaves under their tree so they’ve been sitting in that. She has been confined first after the surgery in a playpen with straw inside our house then to her pen. At this point I’ve been letting her out for an hour or two at a time as she’s been having these health issues since November and was acting depressed being stuck in. I’ll definitely make sure not to overdo it with the outdoor time anymore. At least with the winter they haven’t really gone around the whole yard like they typically do in the summer. Thank you!

 

[hayleyasaurus]

My duck with wet feather and arthritis preened, but mostly on her chest and easily to reach areas. She wasn't effective at preening her wings/tail. My vet diagnosed her arthritis with xrays, and pain relievers/ a thick layer of soft substrate/ a clean warm environment helped her a lot.

I hope your duck is feeling better soon.

Thanks so much! I’m glad your duck is feeling better with treatment! What substrate did you use? I’m currently using the compressed straw which seems to be the best so far. With the large pine shavings she got it all stuck in her nose so I have to flush it with saline. Still happens with the straw but less often.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I sure hope the Tricide neo helps to heal. I need to order some to have on hand.

 

[KaleIAm]

Thanks so much! I’m glad your duck is feeling better with treatment! What substrate did you use? I’m currently using the compressed straw which seems to be the best so far. With the large pine shavings she got it all stuck in her nose so I have to flush it with saline. Still happens with the straw but less often.

My vet recommended that I used straw (or even hay, but I found straw easier to work with). So that's what we used for outside in the barn. In the aviary our vet recommended grass, so we grew that. And when we had her inside we kept her on layers of 3-4 towels that I changed frequently. She was prone to bumble foot as well, and the thick soft substrate helped keep her warm and it prevented her from ever getting a bumble again. It does seem that substrate is not the cause of bumble foot in all ducks - but in mine it was.

When it was really cold out she just lived in our bathroom on the towels. Then I bought her a sweeter heater so she could go back out with her friends in the barn sometimes. It's really hard when they aren't water proof.

 

[hayleyasaurus]

I sure hope the Tricide neo helps to heal. I need to order some to have on hand.

I’ll let you know how it goes! Thanks!