The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Poultry & Waterfowl => Topic started by: Backinwellies on August 17, 2014, 05:21:30 pm
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One of my KC ducks came out of house yesterday morning barely able to walk ... One leg is swollen from knee to ankle and just to middle toe. As I hadn't seen anything the evening before I'm guessing it was damaged by the others in the scrabble in the house? I haven't found any wounds of any kind so guess sprain or brake? She is currently shut in, with another for company, so she can rest it. Any ideas on how to help/treat her?
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I've had far more problems with lame ducks than any other health issues in any of the animals. I normally leave them for a couple of days to see if they pick up unless they are so bad, they can't get to the food and water. Most of them limp for a couple of days and then pick up again. If they're too bad, I've taken them to the vet. Then they get anti-inflammatories as a first course. In two cases, they've then needed antibiotics and with one that cleared it up - it was infected at the knee joint. I've one currently that has a suspected broken hip so we've tried him on a course of antibiotics and anti-inflammatories just to be sure. He's still not back on his feet although he is perkier and I'll not be paying for X-rays etc. so I think I'll have to cull him but I'm just giving him a week or two to find out whether he can find a way of getting around again.
So I'd suggest leave them isolated close to food and water for a couple of days and check whether the rest helps. If it doesn't you'll have to make a call about whether to pay for the vet or not - you might be able to get anti-inflammatories on line but no idea how.