[Leri]

A few months ago we had a duck that was lame, we actually found her stuck in the pond at bedtime. Her legs were stuck out and she was just stuck in the position. We brought her in and warmed her up, and I gave her child's brufen syrup. She seemed much better the next day and better still the next, after two days she was back out in the pen with the others and has had no trouble since.
On Saturday, hubby found another duck was unable to walk back to the house at closing up time, she was sat under a tree. This time a welsh harlequin, which is smaller than the other one (Magpie) by a little bit. It seems to be one leg this time rather than both and not stuck out behind, if anything sticks it out to the side. She can't put weight on it, but is pulling herself along like a snake with her neck and body. She has been in the house since Saturday evening, bright in herself, eating well, childs brufen didn't help so took her to the vet on Monday morning, they gave me dog antiinflammatory and antibiotics although she is not convinced its an infection.
Yesterday I made her a pen in the shed incorporating the sheep footbath so she can swim. She will use it to swim, although still sticks out in the water, she just moves it gently sometimes. I thought she should still exercise it, but tbh am just going off bits of advice online as vet admitted she knows very little and we are pretty stuck. She laid an egg this morning, but hasn't touched her food since moving outside.
So any thoughts! Ideas, suggestions? And could it be the antibiotics putting her off her food. Its metronidazole, and am sure that's a bad one for making ppl sickly. Can ducks even get sickly?!
Thanks so much for any advice at all
Oh! Forgot an important bit, hubby saw one of wh, possibly this one pinned as she was getting out of pond by an over enthusiastic drake, so we have been suspecting mating injury, but vet didn't think she could feel any injuries on exam. Ta

[HesterF]

I've had lots of various lame duck problems. Vets normally go with the same you've had although they start with anti-inflammatories and then move onto antibiotics if they don't improve after a few days. One was a young duck with a definite infection and she cleared up dramatically once she was on the antibiotics. One was a young drake and never recovered enough so I culled him eventually (after a couple of months separated out). The others have all just recovered in due course. Same as you I've put them a quiet run so they're close to food and water without needing to go far to get to it and away from the hustle and bustle of the pack. So give it a little time- hopefully it won't take too long to recover.

[Leri]

Thank you Hester. It will be a week tomorrow since we brought her in. After 2 days in her outside pen alone on Wednesday we caught one of the other females to keep her company as was concerned her fight might leave her. She has perked up, and has been eating and swimming . Today on at least two occasions we have seen her straighten up and walk on her leg for about three or four steps before dropping back down. So looking like she on the mend. So pleased