Whats wrong with my duckies poor foot?

[snapkrackelpop19]

My little 6 week ducky has this thing growing on it's foot. What could it be? This is my first time raising ducks so I haven't run into this before. Anyway it's a pekin duck about 6 weeks old and otherwise running swimming and playing just fine

 

[Amiga]

I would apply triple antibiotic ointment for a few days to see if it shrinks. If you have a vet it may be a good idea to show them.

There are also fungal infections, and ducks can get tumors, if I recall correctly. I'm not sure how I'd treat a fungal infection. Probably call a vet, zoo, or animal rehabilitator and see if OTC antifungals are safe for use on ducklings. I would love to know that myself!

Drei had a problem with her bill, and antibiotic didn't seem to help, but when I started putting pau d'arco ointment on it, it went away after a number of weeks.

 

[snapkrackelpop19]

Quote:
Should I try something like neosporin? It started out like as a darker yellow spot on the foot and then it got darker and then it turned to this, it's like lump and pretty hard. I've heard ducks get a problem called bumblefoot is this what it is?

 

[snapkrackelpop19]

I was thinking of making like a little sock type thing and put some neosporin in it and put it on the bad foot and see if that helps?? I've also read about some stuff where you have to cut out the infection? How do I know if I'm going to have to cut out her little owie. And how do I go about that?

 

[snapkrackelpop19]

 

[Amiga]

Do you know any animal rehab people or a vet who can take a look?

If it's growing, changing color, it doesn't sound like bumblefoot, which (in my not-so-broad experience) tends to show up on the underside of the toes, and get larger but not change color.

Your description makes me think of a wart, which I think is a fungus. I'd really like to have a more medically oriented person weigh in on this - ducks probably can get fungal infections, just like many other animals.

Meanwhile, you can try neosporin (or other triple antibiotic). I have some success just wiping some onto the top and bottom of the foot, especially at bedtime. It needs to be done a few times a day as it wears off. I have in the past used booties at night to cover the foot in hopes of holding more of the ointment on the foot.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

It looks similar but not as bad as my duck's foot. See my thread here: https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=534062

What happens is that they get a pressure sore or abrasion, then infection, and in ducks that infected stuff is hard and cheese-like. There are people on my thread that offered links and advice on treating it yourself. But i'm a scaredy-cat when it comes to cutting into a duck foot (or any other part of the body). So my vet sedated my duck, cut out the infection, and sutured the foot. Then a course of Baytril (antibiotic) and Metacam (for pain). My duck is living inside now with her foot bandaged.

But my vet did say that sometimes the plug of infection can just be picked out or will fall out on its own, if it's not too bad. Anyhow, you will find some good advice on that thread from people who have had more experience than i have.

 

[Enchanted Sunrise Farms]

Oh, i'm sorry. i just looked again at the picture and read Amiga's comment. i see now that it's on the top of the foot. Is she walking okay? If so, were it me, i would try using Blu-Kote on it. It's an antibacterial antifungal medication. Apply it several times a day and see if you get improvement in a week.

 

[Amiga]

Enchanted,

That sounds like a great idea! I just picked up some Blu Kote on the recommendation of a friend who has chickens. It was a busy day, so I picked it up, brought it home, and moved on to the next urgent matter

 

[snapkrackelpop19]

I will definitely try that! I've never heard of Blu-Kote so I'll go out and find some. Thanks for the information guys, and I'll be reading through your thread soon Enchanted. And yes my ducky is walking just fine so I don't think that the infection is that bad...hopefully