Urgent: Duck w/ injured eyes and bill! What to do?!

[Dutchgirl]

This morning I found our drake, Piper, sitting down with both his eyes bleeding badly. He cannot see. One eye is red (though he usually keeps it closed) and the other looks swelled up, with whitish slime (discharge, I suppose) in it and coming out.
His bill also has a deep scratch in it and was bleeding slightly... I can't tell if it went all the way through, though.

Most likely it was either a rooster or the guineas. Now he's in a pen with our other duck, who is keeping him company. He is walking around sometimes but spends most of his time sitting down. I have not seen him eat or drink (because he can't see the dishes.)

What should I do? All we can think of is to put antibiotic ointment around his eyes. Should I force him to eat and drink?

 

[Dutchgirl]

Anyone?

 

[Dutchgirl]

We've been dabbing his eyes with tissue (the discharge is mostly yellow, I would guess it has some blood in it). We put antibiotic on the scratch on his bill as well as on a cut near one of his eyes.

I'm afraid he won't see again, but we did have a chicken with a similar condition that has perfect vision now.

 

[aprille218]

Maybe put some Terramyacin Ointment in his eyes too. It's an antibiotic cream specifically for eyes and you can find it at most feed type stores or online.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Maybe put some Terramyacin Ointment in his eyes too. It's an antibiotic cream specifically for eyes and you can find it at most feed type stores or online.

This is a good option, too. I posted in thread in the emergencies section about using neosporin with out the pain relief ingredient - I have used it successfully with a rooster with an infected eye because I read about it on BYC. You might want to flush the eyes with some saline eye drops regularly, too. If the poor duck does not start drinking soon, I would probably first lead him to the water and see what he does.

 

[Dutchgirl]

This is a good option, too. I posted in thread in the emergencies section about using neosporin with out the pain relief ingredient - I have used it successfully with a rooster with an infected eye because I read about it on BYC. You might want to flush the eyes with some saline eye drops regularly, too. If the poor duck does not start drinking soon, I would probably first lead him to the water and see what he does.

Thanks. I put him in a tub of water and he walked around a little and drank some water. I'm going to see if we happen to have that kind of Neosporin or Terramyacin.

 

[Amiga]

I would keep putting him in some water, help him wash off, check for other injuries.

Some antibiotic spray, or perhaps Veterycin, and I would expect you will need to give him oral antibiotics to pull him through.

Some ointment on his bill, and I think you are already doing this.

Vitamins/electrolytes/probiotics in his water, extra TLC, quiet time.

 

[Dutchgirl]

I would keep putting him in some water, help him wash off, check for other injuries.

Some antibiotic spray, or perhaps Veterycin, and I would expect you will need to give him oral antibiotics to pull him through.

Some ointment on his bill, and I think you are already doing this.

Vitamins/electrolytes/probiotics in his water, extra TLC, quiet time.

Thanks! Do you think it's good to have the duck hen in with him? Should I leave him in the tub of water? (The water's not the cleanest in the world, and he can't get out by himself. The female is not bothering him.)

 

[Amiga]

No, I would not leave him if he cannot get out by himself (though with no vision, that might not be the worst). With ducks, they can get into unimaginable trouble, so I would be cautious.

Can you get him into a lukewarm bath (even if the bathtub is a trough or large bucket)? The warmth might help, especially if he is in shock.

I like to have a companion duck if anyone is in sick bay.

Can you get him into a large dog crate with clean straw, water and food?

 

[Dutchgirl]

No, I would not leave him if he cannot get out by himself (though with no vision, that might not be the worst). With ducks, they can get into unimaginable trouble, so I would be cautious.

Can you get him into a lukewarm bath (even if the bathtub is a trough or large bucket)? The warmth might help, especially if he is in shock.

I like to have a companion duck if anyone is in sick bay.

Can you get him into a large dog crate with clean straw, water and food?

Okay, thanks. The tub is just big enough for the ducks to stand in and paddle around a little. I can refill it with warmer water. He does not seem to be in a ton of shock, but all he wants to do is sit down.

Right now he's in a grassy dog pen... is that okay? I haven't seen him eat much of anything, so should I try to force it on him?