Pet Duck attacked

[missyinohio]

Yesterday afternoon we noticed our drake outside by himself. Usually he and the missus are rarely very far apart. Still by himself in late afternoon we went looking for her. First my son found a pile of feathers. Oh Oh... But as they were outside my husband heard a weak quack from the tall weeds! Apparently she had been attacked by something and hid in the weeds all day. She has missing feathers on her back and bite wounds there are well. One of her feet or legs is injured as well as she was walking with a limp. Does anyone have any suggestions of what we can do to help her survive? Wounds were already closed.

[sisterpine]

Oh Dear! I am sorry to hear about your injured duck! I don't know much about duck injuries, though others here sure do. I do know that she will be in shock and should be kept warm and hydrated. Also some antibiotics for the wound would be needed as well as you want to keep maggots out of the open wounds! I hear they are really horrid once they get started. I am sure others will have advice relating to peroxide and ointments for you soon .

[missyinohio]

Thanks. Planning on seeing if our vet will prescribe some antibiotics without an exam. Usually they put themselves to sleep in the hog shed (empty), but we moved them to an old hen house that is about 7x7 and locked them in over night figuring that it would be safer and warmer. Temps got down in the 50's last night. Opened the door this morning and she's hanging in there. They follow my 4 year old daughter around because she gives them the crusts from her bread, would really hate to lose her.

[Little Quacker in OR]

That is a bummer and I am sorry about the duck. They are very tough critters. You can clean up the wounds with peroxide and then coat them with an antibiotic cream or ointment like Terramycin.

You should know that leaving ducks out over night is an invitation to disaster. They are..well..just sitting ducks. Ducks sleep on the ground and are easy prey for predators. You will need to close them up every night in a predator proof house/pen or you will lose them.

As for temperatures..ducks are cold weather creatures..they are covered with duck down. They do very well, even in sub-zero climates as long as they have a dry, clean place to sleep, deep bedding, out of the wind and with water, (unfrozen)to drink.

50 degrees is warm for a duck. Do not add heat or light. As mentioned already, do protect the duck from flies. And be sure she has water deep enough to wash out her nostrils and clean her eyes while she is recuperating. A good basic duck chow with lots of greens added will help a lot.

A wonderful source of information re ducks is Dave Holderreads book "Storey's Guide to Raising Ducks" or..."Raising the Home Duck Flock" which is the older edition and it's just as good used.

Good luck, hope all goes well. LQ

[missyinohio]

Called our vet, they don't do ducks but referred us to one that handles "birds". They, of course wouldn't prescribe antibiotics without seeing her, and an exam would cost $70. Our (people) doctor only charges $65 for a long appt. So I guess I will go out with some peroxide, and antibiotic ointment.

I know that at the pet stores you can still get tetracycline for fish tanks. Should she have any antibiotics internally? Or just the ointment on the wounds?

When we moved them outside, we did pen them at night. But then let them find their own place. Now we have a puppy, and he has been in the pen they used to use. So maybe we need to move them around again. By the way, the puppy is buddies with them. We bought them a swimming pool from WalMart for them to swim in, and they love it.

[comfortablynumb]

ducks heal up pretty quick.
I had a duck who got dragged off by a coon (which I clobbered with a chair) and he got away but his back was ripped open and his wing broken...
he lived... i stitched him up and flushed his insides with a very dilute DMSO/water mix a few times a week.

a long while after i pointed "bob" out to the vet, there for horse shots, and related the treatment, she said "that probably saved him, no pathogens live exposed to dmso.... they use that to preserve donor organs".
I did have to duck-tape poor bob in a small box with just a hole for his head and a hole for his back end (poop port) for about 3 weeks but he made it. He lived for many years afterwards.

assuming your duck isnt wide open like old bob was, some betadine and TLC will have her better in no time.