PLEASE READ!! Does any duck experts read the emergencies and injuries section?

[MontanaDolphin]

I posted a few days ago about my mom's duckling who has an injured leg. I haven't had luck getting responses, so I'm trying to post here in the hopes SOMEONE can tell me what to do.

My mom got 6 ducklings about a month ago...2 are now 3 months old, the other 4 are about 2 months old. They are all Pekins.

Last week my step-dad's St. Bernard got hold of one of the 3 month old ducklings. My mom did not see the injury occur, just the aftermath...her tiny BishonPoo, Heidi, had herded all but this one duck into the pond to get them away from Lucy (the St. Bernard). Lucy had the duck cornered, and Mom said she ran and grabbed the duck and put her into the pond, then took Lucy in the house. She came back out and inspected the duck. There was no blood, no puncture wounds...but the duck was limping, so Lucy must have had her by the foot or leg.

The leg is getting worse. Although no obvious injuries, the duck is limping more, and the leg is swollen, but no discoloration. She isn't grooming her feathers, so she looks grungy. All she wants to do is float in the pond...she won't dive like the rest of the ducks, or go upside down foraging for goodies on the bottom of the pond. She can barely make it OUT of the pond due to her injured leg...mom usually has to help her out and carry her back to the duck house at dusk.

I know nothing about ducks and injuries. If one of my chicks has spraddle leg, I hobble it. Crooked toes...they get splinted. What in the world do I do for a duck's injured leg, when I don't even know what's wrong with it? I have VetRap, but will wrapping it up help? Will the VetRap just come off because the duck is in the water most of the day?

Thank you in advance for any advice/help given.

Edited to add pictures...you can see which one she is, the one with the dirty back end. When she swims, I don't think she's using the bad leg. She uses the good leg and her tail for steering










I want to give her (or him...still not sure on sex) antibiotics, but I don't know what kind, or where to get them. The only visible wounds at this point are from where the skin has cracked, and now there's bruising (the last three pics) that wasn't there two days ago. The swelling keeps getting worse, the duck is getting grungier, and I honestly don't know what to do. My first instinct is to cull since I know she's in pain, but it's my mom's duck, and she says no way...she is determined to try to fix her.

Can I give a duck aspirin for pain? What about Poly-vi-sol baby vitamins (like I give baby chicks that struggle after hatch)? If yes to EITHER of these, how much?

PLEASE someone help! Thank you!

 

[veronicasmom]

If you are not getting responses and the duck is in pain, please take it to a vet. If you call around for an avian vet, you should be able to get some help. No animal should suffer.
Good luck, hope things work out.

 

[MontanaDolphin]

Obviously if my mom would take her to a vet, I wouldn't be on here trying to find help.

 

[subhanalah]

@Miss Lydia@casportpony
Are the two people I believe would have advice for you.
It's entirely possible that she'll heal on her own. Ducks are incredibly resilient.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I'd say by looking at the leg and foot the dog must have had the duck by that part of her body. first of all as long as she is using it so much it will take longer to heal. She needs to be kept along with one other duck [duck] not drake in a small pen where she has limited exercise, but where a small pool can be put because water therapy is good for injuries and keep the muscles working but make sure she can get in and out with out having to jump, even a small cement mixing tub would work and be lower to the ground. 2X a day I'd soak her leg in warm Epsom salt water [never let them drink this water because ES is also a laxative.} I use an old dish pan mix up the epsom salt and water real good and plop the whole duck down into it they usually cover the top so you don't have to worry about them drinking the water, you have to hold them in though. you can also use a bucket and put both feet and legs down into it. keep her soaking for at least 5-10 min then put her back into hospital pen. make sure she has access to good feed and fresh water with poly vi sol w/o iron would be good, not sure how much to give though, I use Poultry Nurtri drench since it's made for poultry, I'd use 1 cup of ES to 1 gal of warm water ES really helps with sprains and swelling but these kinds of injuries take quite a bit of time to heal so you'll have to wait this out. Amiga uses Epsom salt water compress so that another option just soak clean cloths in the solution wring out till it isn't sopping and wrap her leg I'd do that a couple times a day too or switch back and forth. Aspirin isn't safe to use on water fowl can cause kidney damage, about the only safe drug is metacam. have to go to a vet for it. Ducks can come back from horrendous wounds but it's up to us to make sure they are safe always and then give them the chance to recover. Rest, water therapy and ES soaks may take care of it . Hope so please keep us updated..

 

[MontanaDolphin]

I'd say by looking at the leg and foot the dog must have had the duck by that part of her body. first of all as long as she is using it so much it will take longer to heal. She needs to be kept along with one other duck [duck] not drake in a small pen where she has limited exercise, but where a small pool can be put because water therapy is good for injuries and keep the muscles working but make sure she can get in and out with out having to jump, even a small cement mixing tub would work and be lower to the ground. 2X a day I'd soak her leg in warm Epsom salt water [never let them drink this water because ES is also a laxative.} I use an old dish pan mix up the epsom salt and water real good and plop the whole duck down into it they usually cover the top so you don't have to worry about them drinking the water, you have to hold them in though. you can also use a bucket and put both feet and legs down into it. keep her soaking for at least 5-10 min then put her back into hospital pen. make sure she has access to good feed and fresh water with poly vi sol w/o iron would be good, not sure how much to give though, I use Poultry Nurtri drench since it's made for poultry, I'd use 1 cup of ES to 1 gal of warm water ES really helps with sprains and swelling but these kinds of injuries take quite a bit of time to heal so you'll have to wait this out. Amiga uses Epsom salt water compress so that another option just soak clean cloths in the solution wring out till it isn't sopping and wrap her leg I'd do that a couple times a day too or switch back and forth. Aspirin isn't safe to use on water fowl can cause kidney damage, about the only safe drug is metacam. have to go to a vet for it. Ducks can come back from horrendous wounds but it's up to us to make sure they are safe always and then give them the chance to recover. Rest, water therapy and ES soaks may take care of it . Hope so please keep us updated..

THANK YOU!