Duck got attacked: please help!

[olivia_guerndt01]

The other night something got to the ducks and one passed away and the other has been severely injured. We were shocked that she lived through it. It has been a couple of days and we have been spraying the wound to help with healing as well as giving electrolytes and probiotic packets in her water to help with healing and stress. Since this was my first time having ducks I have no idea what to do now. For the first couple of days she would just stay laying down, but now she keeps trying to stand up and walk even though she hasn’t healed all the way yet. From the attack she has a bite mark (one hole that looks like one tooth dug in) on her head and almost all of her butt bone exposed. Her feathers have started growing back, but she has been having a balance problem. She can stand up and will move her feet very slowly but she will fall over to her side. If I hold my hand under her chest she can stand up, but if I let go she falls over. Her right side seems to be weaker because she always falls to her left side. If she tries to catch her balance she will start going backwards. She also does this weird thing where her back is leaning and she’s trying to stay forward and her neck will go all the way to the front. Her neck was weak the first night but she has been drinking and eating and can pretty much control the movement of her neck.

I’m not sure if her imbalance is from her head injury or from the lack of feathers and a pretty good beating on her back end. Any advice would be so greatly appreciated. I have been trying to do research but I don’t know what it best in this situation. It has been really hard on me because I have only had them for a month and I already lost one and I don’t want to lose my other.

 

[ruthhope]

Hello @olivia_guerndt01

So sad for you and your ducks. Where are you? You may be able to get some support from a local wildlife rehabber if you are in the USA.

You are doing the right thing, keeping her quite and treating her wounds. If she wants to move around and cannot at the moment walk you might try a luke warm tub of water to swim in. But not for too long at any one time, and stay with her to be sure she is OK.

If her bone is exposed she really needs antibiotics and preferably treatment from a vet. But if a vet is not possible, a wildlife rehabber may very well have the experience to help. My local Wildlife rehabber in NE Florida certainly does. If it is the skin over her tail is intact and it is just feathers that are missing [and it sounds like that is the case as feathers are regrowing] continue as you are. Keep her wounds clean and spray with Veterycin

 

[olivia_guerndt01]

Hello @olivia_guerndt01

So sad for you and your ducks. Where are you? You may be able to get some support from a local wildlife rehabber if you are in the USA.

You are doing the right thing, keeping her quite and treating her wounds. If she wants to move around and cannot at the moment walk you might try a luke warm tub of water to swim in. But not for too long at any one time, and stay with her to be sure she is OK.

If her bone is exposed she really needs antibiotics and preferably treatment from a vet. But if a vet is not possible, a wildlife rehabber may very well have the experience to help. My local Wildlife rehabber in NE Florida certainly does. If it is the skin over her tail is intact and it is just feathers that are missing [and it sounds like that is the case as feathers are regrowing] continue as you are. Keep her wounds clean and spray with Veterycin

Thank you so much for your response. I wanted to go to the vet but unfortunately it will be too expensive. I think having her swim would be a good idea. I will also try to get in contact with my local wildlife, I’m in south Florida so I think that will be very beneficial. I will look into getting some Veterycin. The spray that I have was recommended by who I talked to at Tractor Supply. She seems to be healing well and I was just worried about how weak she was trying to walk. But I am glad that she is willing to get up and try to walk and that she has the energy to.

 

[ruthhope]

Hello @olivia_guerndt01

So sad for you and your ducks. Where are you? You may be able to get some support from a local wildlife rehabber if you are in the USA.

You are doing the right thing, keeping her quiet and treating her wounds. If she wants to move around and cannot at the moment walk you might try a luke warm tub of water to swim in. But not for too long at any one time, and stay with her to be sure she is OK.

If her bone is exposed she really needs antibiotics and preferably treatment from a vet. But if a vet is not possible, a wildlife rehabber may very well have the experience to help. My local Wildlife rehabber in NE Florida certainly does. If it is the skin over her tail is intact and it is just feathers that are missing [and it sounds like that is the case as feathers are regrowing] continue as you are. Keep her wounds clean and spray with Veterycin

Thank you so much for your response. I wanted to go to the vet but unfortunately it will be too expensive. I think having her swim would be a good idea. I will also try to get in contact with my local wildlife, I’m in south Florida so I think that will be very beneficial. I will look into getting some Veterycin. The spray that I have was recommended by who I talked to at Tractor Supply. She seems to be healing well and I was just worried about how weak she was trying to walk. But I am glad that she is willing to get up and try to walk and that she has the energy to.

It may take her several weeks to get over this, but just be patient and loving with her. You cannot know for months if she is to be left a little handicapped, because she may well slowly recover for months. My local TSC has Veterycin. But you should be able to get it on line, mail order, and maybe even from TSC delivered free of charge to your local TSC.

Unfortunately, I am in NE Florida [St Augustine] so too far away to come and help you personally. All but one of my ducks are rescues. One was attached as a duckling by a raccoon and has a permanent deformity of his bill. I also think he lost a few neurons in the attach as he is cute but not clever -- not at all clever, he doesn't learn from his mistakes. But he is a cheerful fellow who loves his coop-mates and I am so glad he survived. He was nurtured back to health by my local rehabber. which is why I suggest you try your local rehabbers.

 

[Her majesty]

Thank you so much for your response. I wanted to go to the vet but unfortunately it will be too expensive. I think having her swim would be a good idea. I will also try to get in contact with my local wildlife, I’m in south Florida so I think that will be very beneficial. I will look into getting some Veterycin. The spray that I have was recommended by who I talked to at Tractor Supply. She seems to be healing well and I was just worried about how weak she was trying to walk. But I am glad that she is willing to get up and try to walk and that she has the energy to.