What do I do with my duckling?

[owilliams47]

I have two (almost 4 weeks old) pekin ducks, Duke and Wallie, and like I've said on a previous post Wallie was attacked and bitten by an Otter. He was recovering well for the first 4 days but now his recovery has seemed to cease. He barely walks now, when he tries to walk its as if he doesn't want to put pressure on his leg so it slips and then he falls. He still stands and cleans himself though. I don't know what to do if it doesn't get better. What kind of life is that for a duck? What will happen to Duke if Wallie isn't there anymore? Duke has never really liked me whereas Wallie loves me.
Any thoughts or similar stories?
Thanks

 

[Amiga]

What treatment is Wallie getting? Can you get him to a vet?

When these kinds of questions press in on me, I take it one hour at a time, doing the next thing that is needed.

So, I would think that first, Wallie needs his treatment adjusted.

If a vet is not an option, I would consider oral antibiotics. Is Wallie getting time in a lukewarm tub deep enough to float in, for therapy? Vitamins? Epsom salts soak?

 

[Miss Lydia]

What does the wound look like? any smell coming from it? like Amiga said you might want to put him on an antibiotic. and my med chart calls for penicillin which can be bought at feed stores. you can put into his water and it also comes in injection. Also if wound looks like it needs more help soaks in warm Epsom salt water a couple times a day and get some Veterycin spray it's for wounds and infections and can be sprayed as many times a day as you can. very safe. I'm sorry Wallie isn't getting better, when you didn't post back I thought he was probably getting over his attack. Please keep us updated on his progress, oh and don't let Wallie drink ES water it is also a laxative. Is he eating and drinking good still?

 

[owilliams47]

The wound looks good, its scabbed over and doesn't smell. I can't afford vet care. Yes, he still eats and drinks a lot. My main concern is if there is nerve or tendon damage that is preventing him from being able to walk.
Thanks I will look for some antibiotics. The attack was officially a week ago.
I have him in the water for about an hour every morning, should I be giving him more time in it?

Thanks

 

[Carcajou]

owilliams47! My prayers for a complete recovery for Wallie.

 

[Amiga]

The wound looks good, its scabbed over and doesn't smell. I can't afford vet care. Yes, he still eats and drinks a lot. My main concern is if there is nerve or tendon damage that is preventing him from being able to walk.
Thanks I will look for some antibiotics. The attack was officially a week ago.
I have him in the water for about an hour every morning, should I be giving him more time in it?

Thanks

If you can do it twice a day, that would be superb, but once a day for an hour seems pretty good. Glad there's no odor. Niacin helps with nerve development, if you want to offer some supplement for that.

 

[Miss Lydia]

If your soaking why not buy some Epsom salts and let him have a soak in it too. it's inexpensive and can help with inflammation and swelling. explain again where exactly the otter bit him, if upper leg it may have injured a muscle and that may take longer to heal. When I have to soak a duck, and to keep them from drinking the water with the ES in it I use a plastic dish pan just the right size so the legs are in the water and the body covers the top of the pan keeping them from dunking their heads an drinking. also I have my arms around their body too holding them in the pan and keeping their head up.

 

[owilliams47]

Thanks I have some instant yeast which I hear has niacin in it so ill give that to him with his food. Will Epsom salts do much to his leg now that it seems to have fully scabbed over? It's on his upper leg, thigh area. There were two major cuts and one gash. The gash was on the upper leg and the two cuts went up more under his wing.

 

[owilliams47]

Also, when he is swimming I notice that he doesn't use his injured leg at all. He lets it hang behind him. He only uses it to stand and clean himself. He also can't scratch his nostrils anymore which Duke does.

 

[Amiga]

Well, the kind of yeast to use is not baker's yeast, it's brewer's yeast - that is important. Don't want to make the little sick. I am not sure what you have is brewer's or nutritional yeast. Just trying to avoid problems.

Epsom salts can get into the tissue and help the healing process, even once a wound has healed over. Serious injuries can take quite a while to heal, and there may be residual damage, but ducks are so very resilient, and I would keep my hopes up. Keep up with the hydrotherapy (bath time).