Sharpie has a Broken Toe!!! Help!

[Goat_Walker]

Ok - id post this is emergencies and injuries but I never get any replies or the ones I do are just bumps - so move me if ya have to mods but Im just hoping to get more replies here.



Ok so I went out to check on the two that I got back last night andnoticed that Sharpie was limping heavily. I picked her up and checked her out and her middle toe seems to be broken. Its still in line, not crooked, but on the bottom of the joint is is SWOLLEN! I mean to the Max! While the other felt like a straight stick the broken one felt like a straw with a pea inside it.



Is there anything I can do for her? She takes four - five steps then holds her foot up and stands there.

 

[xke4]

Could we see a picture? I am thinking, by your description, that besides resting it, there would be no treatment. Hard to splint a duck toe. If you have access to an anti-inflammatory called Metacam ( I get it from my vet here in Canada) it is safe and effective to use on ducks. Otherwise, I would just confine Sharpie to a small area (in my case I use a large rabbit cage) with lots of soft bedding. Frequent swims are also good to keep the joints loose. When I confine a duck, if I think they will tolerate it and not try for 24 hours to squeeze thru the bars, I just put the top of the cage right in the duck coop. Limits their movements but still lets them feel part of the pack. If they are placid and calm about it, I bring the whole cage into the laundry room. Can be stinky, but I can keep an eye on their progress. My vet also concocts some homeopathy for them, but not many vets are knowledgeable in this area. I am so glad that some have returned. I would want to squeeze them...and we know how keen they would be about that! Carolyn

 

[goosedragon]

Quote:
Put her in some warm water and see if she can swim alright, If she can the toe isn't broken just sprained or bruised. Even if broken your efforts to try to splint it at at the joint could do more harm than good as it could heal locked up. put her where she can get food and water easily and let her heal.

 

[nettie]

Kate! Along with the baby diapers I am sending you, I am going to send you a closed toe shoe that will help with sharpie's toe. It's won't splint it, but it will keep it out if poop and it will help keep it drier while it heals. It will help keep it more stable so she doesn't get it caught on anything.

 

[Goat_Walker]

THANKS NETTIE!


Ill try and get a picture but I hate stressing her out by picking her up. She is one of my No touchy ducks. Ill go put her in the Medic Hutch ( old rabbit hutch I use for injuries) . I usually put Monty My old Geezer in there with her so she doesn feel lonely.

 

[xke4]

Sharpie's amazing story has made me very interested in the outcome of the toe. How did he make out today? Is he tolerating being in the rabbit hutch?

 

[Goat_Walker]

I brought Her in for awarm bath. She hissed at the dogs and bit their noses when they looked over the tub. I didnt put her in the hutch since she seems to be laying on her own alot rather than walking around. She has found a nice safe and shaded spot in the corner of the pen that she calls her own right now. I checked out the toe and it looks better at least, even if it is still swollen.