Prolapsed vent and phallus? Next steps please! (Pictures)

[balak]

Drake runner duck has a prolapsed phallus and vent - looking for confirmation and assistance on next steps for treatment (if any). No avian vet available to treat but prepared to amputate (with assistance) or dispatch at home.

He has been inside for 5 days in isolation from the girls - living in a shower stall with towels down, changed multiple times a day and access to small stock tank for swimming. Phallus appears to be necrotic and scab on vent appears to be calcified. Treating with low dose infant ibuprofen, preparation H on vent and triple antibiotic Neosporin on phallus. Manuka honey intermittently and cool baths a few times a day. Not seeing any noticeable improvement - just more phallus blackening. Not eating as much as usual but poop remains regular and formed. Crushed calcium citrate tablets sprinkled on food.

He does not appear to be in pain but he is getting more aggressive. He also will not lay down to rest. We are wondering if he is suffering or if there is something else we can do at this point. All advice and recommendations welcomed!

Pictures included.

 

[Ursuline Chick]

Drake runner duck has a prolapsed phallus and vent - looking for confirmation and assistance on next steps for treatment (if any). No avian vet available to treat but prepared to amputate (with assistance) or dispatch at home.

He has been inside for 5 days in isolation from the girls - living in a shower stall with towels down, changed multiple times a day and access to small stock tank for swimming. Phallus appears to be necrotic and scab on vent appears to be calcified. Treating with low dose infant ibuprofen, preparation H on vent and triple antibiotic Neosporin on phallus. Manuka honey intermittently and cool baths a few times a day. Not seeing any noticeable improvement - just more phallus blackening. Not eating as much as usual but poop remains regular and formed. Crushed calcium citrate tablets sprinkled on food.

He does not appear to be in pain but he is getting more aggressive. He also will not lay down to rest. We are wondering if he is suffering or if there is something else we can do at this point. All advice and recommendations welcomed!

Pictures included.

Poor fellow, that doesn't look good. Does it have a bad smell, like maybe gangrene?
Have you researched how he will pee if the entire phallus must be amputated? It seems if you are going to attempt to amputate, it would be best to do it early, so he will have at least part of a phallus to urinate with. I am not a vet or duck expert, just an old Registered Nurse. Good luck, I hope you get good advice and your drake gets better soon.

added: you will need to provide a way to keep the uretha open while healing so he can continue to urinate

 

[Fluffaloo]

Poor fellow, that doesn't look good. Does it have a bad smell, like maybe gangrene?
Have you researched how he will pee if the entire phallus must be amputated? It seems if you are going to attempt to amputate, it would be best to do it early, so he will have at least part of a phallus to urinate with. I am not a vet or duck expert, just an old Registered Nurse. Good luck, I hope you get good advice and your drake gets better soon.

added: you will need to provide a way to keep the uretha open while healing so he can continue to urinate

That’s good information. I don’t usual comment often but I just went through a similar case. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...hallus-need-help.1605272/page-5#post-27362880

By the way, ducks do not have a urethra so I wouldn’t worry about keeping it open to “pee”, the phallus is pretty much a long tube used to transport sperm. However, you may have to be careful if it is a cloacal prolapse as that is where the feces, urates, and uric acid comes out.

 

[balak]

Thank you both for the recommendations! I removed the prolapsed phallus this weekend as it was completely black and dried and he was getting pretty lethargic. He bounced back quickly and is back to his feisty self now. We are still dealing with the prolapsed vent and definitely a constant battle with the uric acid build up but he was finally well enough today to be moved out of my shower stall and into a clean pen in the shed. I am giving low dose of amoxicillin orally (which he hates) and keeping the area moist by alternating honey and neosporin. He is starting to show signs of trying to contract his vent, which I think is positive - hopefully it just stays in one of these times now!

@Fluffaloo I have been following your experience and learning so much - thank you for the updates and sharing your knowledge!

 

[Fluffaloo]

Thank you both for the recommendations! I removed the prolapsed phallus this weekend as it was completely black and dried and he was getting pretty lethargic. He bounced back quickly and is back to his feisty self now. We are still dealing with the prolapsed vent and definitely a constant battle with the uric acid build up but he was finally well enough today to be moved out of my shower stall and into a clean pen in the shed. I am giving low dose of amoxicillin orally (which he hates) and keeping the area moist by alternating honey and neosporin. He is starting to show signs of trying to contract his vent, which I think is positive - hopefully it just stays in one of these times now!

@Fluffaloo I have been following your experience and learning so much - thank you for the updates and sharing your knowledge!

Thank you for the update! I’m glad the other post could be of some help. Amoxicillin is a good choice and should work well to keep infection at bay. I found that the prep H was key to helping my ducks phallus nub retract as everything was so swollen. If the cloaca is still swollen I recommend applying prep H cream 3-4times a day. I’m so happy that you are seeing progress!

 

[Ursuline Chick]

That’s good information. I don’t usual comment often but I just went through a similar case. https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...hallus-need-help.1605272/page-5#post-27362880

By the way, ducks do not have a urethra so I wouldn’t worry about keeping it open to “pee”, the phallus is pretty much a long tube used to transport sperm. However, you may have to be careful if it is a cloacal prolapse as that is where the feces, urates, and uric acid comes out.

I had no idea, as I have never kept ducks. Thank you, one learns so much from good people like yourself on this site.

 

[balak]

Update! After over two weeks of being a house duck, Charlie has fully healed and is no longer showing any signs of prolapse! The scab on his vent finally came off yesterday and he was actively trying to contract - today you couldn't even tell he ever had an issue. He has happily rejoined his girls out in their house. Thank you for the recommendations and support!