Hi everyone, I’m really worried about my runner duck. Since yesterday he hasn’t been acting like himself, and this morning I noticed he can’t walk properly. His wings droop to the side, he struggles to stand, and when he tries to move it’s more of a crawl. His head has a slight wobble too. he’s still eating and drinking just fine. He’s 10 months old, and I’m so afraid this could be something serious. I love him dearly and really don’t want to lose him, so any advice or guidance would mean a lot.
I have had a drake that this happened to.
Please take a good look at your boy: check him out for injuries to his legs and hips, and for lumps and bumps in his abdomen, including low down in his abdomen into his pelvis. If he has injured legs, feet, hips: treat accordingly.
For all gait problems, I assume niacin deficiency and use Durvet high level Vit B compound from the feed store or
Amazon orally. Give 1ml daily soaked into some mealworms or other treat and watch him eat it.
Two years ago, I had a pekin drake that stopped walking He very quickly went from normal, to walking with his wings, to being unable to move more than a few feet on his own. He didn't improve with Durvet Vit B. I had him suspended in a ducky wheelchair where he could eat and drink from pots place in front of him, poop down on to the floor behind so he was not sitting in it, and see and talk to the othet ducks when I placed him in the rear porch facing the screening. The rest of the ducks came upto the outside of the screen when he called, and sat around there by him when they were not foraging. I moved their feed bowls to the screen so that they would come there to eat. I took the drake to an exotic vet. The examination and X rays showed nothing. He was given pain killer and anti inflammatory medication that didn't improve matters. The best guess was he had a pelvic tumor pressing on the motor nerves to the legs as they passed through the pelvis. He lived the life of Riley for 6 months, never once doubting he was boss duck, having his own water and food, friends through the screen, and daily swimming sessions in a big plastic tote that I got from
Walmart for him to "swim" lengths. He needed blow drying after his swim sessions as he couldn't preen underneath himself and develooed wet-feather on his feathers there. He died unexpectedly after 6 months and after he died, we found a tumor coming from his pelvis near his vent.
If you cannot find anything wrong and your boy doesn't respond to niacin, you might try a vet if that is an option. I am glad I did as it gave me peace of mind that there was nothing more to do. But it was v expensive. I declined the vet's offer to euthanase my boy as he was happy and not obviously sufferinging. I am retired and so I coukd devote the time needed for his medicines, water therapy and blow dries every morning: my husband liked blow drying him too. He enjoyed his water therapy, blow dries, and cuddles. He took his medication from a narrow plastic syringe (no needle) down the side of his tongue without a fuss. And he was certain he was boss duck to the very end.
