VERY swollen foot. Does this look like a broken toe?

[AzDuck]

So my Farrah girl is still limping just as badly as she was last week when I posted. She was on 10 days of a TMS suspension (but she basically refused to take it the last three days). I originally thought I saw a small puncture where bumble was starting over a week ago, so I rushed to get her started on those antibiotics.

Then…one of the days her foot was so swollen it looked like it was about to burst. I disinfected the area and used a sterile needle to see if anything would drain. Nothing. Only blood (bright red and oxygenated). Now that it’s been a over a week…it doesn’t look like bumble at all. Is it possible this is a broken toe? Has anyone dealt with this before? I’ll do anything for her, but I’d love to avoid stressing her out with the 30 min ride to the exotics vet.

She’s been relatively confined from the other 4 ducks, but as of yesterday I’ve been letting her out with the flock. She’s noticeably anxious when she is not able to forage with them, so I decided to let her out of her doggy xpen. I also have a neoprene “duck boot” I put on her every other day with bacitracin ointment and Prid drawing salve.

Does anyone see something I don’t? Is this worth scaring her by going to the vet or is there something I should do at home? Thank you guys

 

[Miss Lydia]

So the swelling is down from when it looked like it was going to burst? I don't see any wound on the foot that would make me think bumble like a scab or puncher. Have you soaked her foot in warm Epsom salt water for the swelling? It could be a break just hard to say but if you notice the swelling moving up into her ankle area which it kind of looks like it has now. It may be a good idea to take her and have the vet examine her. My Runner had a bumble that didn't present a scab, I had no idea what it was because all the bumbles on my chicken's feet had scabs. So I took her to the vet, She diagnosed her as bumble put her on antibiotics and pain meds, and sent her home. I still ended up having to get the bumble out. The bumble in my Runnners foot had a distinct lump where this on your duck looks to be spread out over the whole toe area.

 

[Pollo Blanco]

I've seen plenty of bumbles that are late in presenting a head. Real PITA when it happens.

 

[AzDuck]

So the swelling is down from when it looked like it was going to burst? I don't see any wound on the foot that would make me think bumble like a scab or puncher. Have you soaked her foot in warm Epsom salt water for the swelling? It could be a break just hard to say but if you notice the swelling moving up into her ankle area which it kind of looks like it has now. It may be a good idea to take her and have the vet examine her. My Runner had a bumble that didn't present a scab, I had no idea what it was because all the bumbles on my chicken's feet had scabs. So I took her to the vet, She diagnosed her as bumble put her on antibiotics and pain meds, and sent her home. I still ended up having to get the bumble out. The bumble in my Runnners foot had a distinct lump where this on your duck looks to be spread out over the whole toe area.

When this picture was taken a few nights ago, I would say this was at the height of the swelling. She had been out all day with the others running (hobbling) around, and I think it was just too much for her even though it made her happy. It seems to have gone down a bit now that she is back in her "quarantine" pen in our backyard. She is still ultra lame on that leg/foot, but she is eating, drinking, and laying normally. The vet is coming out to do x-rays tomorrow to see what in the world is going on. At this point I am almost hoping it is a fracture or break due to the non-responsiveness of the antibiotic ointments and suspensions (that are both indicated for common bumble bacteria). I will give an update to this mystery once we see the rads tomorrow.

I luckily work in a veterinary clinic with access to any type of antibiotics that could be needed, but as for splints and correcting a break...I may need some BYC advice haha.

Best Wishes, @Miss Lydia & thank you for always being a big help. You @Isaac 0 and @KaleIAm have saved my behind (and my sweet duckies) more than once!

 

[KaleIAm]

Oh, that's really swollen - poor sweetheart. I'm glad she's getting radiographs. If you need help getting her meds into her let me know, my ducks don't want to take theirs either and I'm pretty good at making them take it anyway. My Pigweed just broke the tip of her pelvis (you can't actually fly, Pig!! ) confirmed by radiographs, so she's on meds would happily refuse them. Pig is on crate rest for 6 weeks. She hates it, and the meds, but it is in her best interest.

 

[AzDuck]

Oh, that's really swollen - poor sweetheart. I'm glad she's getting radiographs. If you need help getting her meds into her let me know, my ducks don't want to take theirs either and I'm pretty good at making them take it anyway. My Pigweed just broke the tip of her pelvis (you can't actually fly, Pig!! ) confirmed by radiographs, so she's on meds would happily refuse them. Pig is on crate rest for 6 weeks. She hates it, and the meds, but it is in her best interest.

Awh! Poor Pigweed. You're a great duck mom though for doing that for her. I only wish they knew we were trying to help. I'm running a bit of a duck hospital at my house right now. Out of 5 ducks, I have this sweet girl with a giant foot of unknown origin, and one of my runner girls, Freya, acting egg bound today. They each are in their quarantine pens for the afternoon, and we are definitely hoping to get answers! I hope that your little PigPig gets to feeling better as soon as possible and is back to her normal cute self

 

[Miss Lydia]

Being egg bound is such a scary thing for us all. I hope by now she has laid. Do you give calcium Gluconate for it. We've seen it help our ducks pass an egg pretty good after giving it.
Any news on Farrah?

 

[AzDuck]

Being egg bound is such a scary thing for us all. I hope by now she has laid. Do you give calcium Gluconate for it. We've seen it help our ducks pass an egg pretty good after giving it.
Any news on Farrah?

No egg yet, but I crushed a half of a Tums for my Freya girl. She ate almost the whole amount I gave to her late this morning. I have gluconate for IM injection if she isn't any better in the morning. She seems to be acting much more lively now though. BUT, I didn't find an egg. Have you ever heard of like a false egg binding? She seems to be defecating somewhat normal amounts again. Maybe not as much as usual, but definitely some defined "piles."

And no Farrah news yet. She's in the run with her flock right now though which seems to perk her up quite a bit. I figure it limits her from running full force, but also allows her to calm down and be with friends. I'm very interested in the rads tomorrow though.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Never heard of False egg binding. Had a Dachshunds once that had a false pregnancy though.
When my Runner was going to lay a soft shell egg [at the time I didn't know that was what was going on] I just noticed she was off by herself and not interested in eating etc. Laying around. So by mid-morning I decided to check her out as soon as I started towards her she laid the soft shell sat there for a min then got up and walked off and acted like nothing happened the rest of the afternoon.

 

[AzDuck]

For anyone interested, this is a (bad) picture of Farrah's radiograph from yesterday morning. Sooooo....it's definitely not broken, but i've circled what I think may be a foreign body lodged in between the toes. It is also visible to the naked eye that whatever it is seems to be migrating towards the top of her foot now.