Swollen abdomen in Runner Duck - Help

[BoradorBeans]

Tomorrow will be the day we take her. The specialty vet is only available Friday- Sunday (kinda weird, right?). Today she was swimming in her pool like a duckling, diving underwater and everything. If I didn't see the xray or her limp, you'd never know there was an egg stuck inside her. This makes no sense. Could she be purposely holding onto this egg?

 

[Miss Lydia]

I don't think they can do that. Hopefully, the vet will be able to answer all your questions and find out what is actually going on. it sure did look like an egg stuck. Please post when you know something.

 

[BoradorBeans]

She's at a specialty vet in New Port Richey, now. Getting updated xrays. They're trying to manipulate the egg out manually, but they're initially thinking it may be stuck to the lining of her uterus. If the egg doesn't come out today, they are scheduling her for surgery in less than a week, which everyone said has a 50/50 chance of survival. We are going to do it regardless, to give her that chance. I'll provide another update when she's back home with us tonight.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I hope they can get it out.

 

[BoradorBeans]

It's peritonitis. The egg is attached to her uterus and calcified so much its like sandpaper. And it has a crack in it. Surgery is the only option, but with ducks, it's 50/50 because it's not as common, it's difficult to contain any excessive bleeding, and there's a good chance the tissue of her abdomen has deteriorated so badly that it won't hold stitches post-surgery. We're picking her up and putting her on antibiotics, continuing her anti-inflammatory meds, and then making her comfortable until it's time to let her go and euthanize her at the vet (we aren't on a farm or anything; we bought our new house for our ducks, as insane as that sounds).

She's acting like nothing is wrong (probably the meds), so we want to give her time to live the rest of her life and say goodbye to the boys (her BFFs)... who have both been anxiously waiting for her to get home at our yard door.

So. With all that... what are your go-to spoil-them-rotten snacks? We bought 5 bags of peas and just ordered live mealworms. We want to throw her a Life Party.

PS.
Ignore the messy yard. Our 2 baby ducks like to blast through that thin white edging... which is SUPPOSED to keep the ducks off our patio. Yeah, okay.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I am so sorry to hear this. I have never heard of this before, bless her heart.
I'm sure she is in good hands and will enjoy what is left of her life with ya'll. I sure was hoping for a different outcome as I know ya'll were.
Besides dried meal worms my flock love dry dog food. [Small breed,] Romaine lettuce and tomatoes.
Please keep us updated on how she is doing and please know you all are in my prayers.

 

[BoradorBeans]

Our ducks LOVE dried dog food. They chase the dogs away at dinner lol.

Thank you again for your support. I'll send some updates. Hoping for a miracle but being realistic as well. She'll continue to live like a queen.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I forgot to say how adorable your 2 babies are.

 

[BoradorBeans]

Thank you. We have a flock of 6, including Keisha, her "accidental dog duck baby Lenny, the two males that grew up with Keisha (Oliver and Jerry/Jerome - don't ask... my husband named them), and our two newest females that my husband calls The Choco Taco Twins (Lucy and Via)... because they're chocolate runners.

We were only supposed to have 3, then Lenny happened. And then we thought the two females would support Keisha who was clearly stressed. Now, unfortunately, we know why. Wish we'd realized she had peritonitis sooner.

She's out in the yard swimming now before bedtime.

Our yard is like a mini jurassic park

 

[Miss Lydia]

Beautiful ducks. Did the vet say if they did surgery they could spay her?