Getting stressed over Dougie

[BelovedBirds]

So my duck, Dougie, has always had a larger than average abdomen but I've always put it down to being a mix of some heavy breeds, like Ayslebury.

I mentioned my concerns recently in regards to her abdomen in my thread but I only got a couple responses and today I'm a bit more concerned.

I had another feel of her abdomen and 80% of it feels sort of squishy, soft, fatty. But I felt a harder lump inside it on her left (I believe it was her left) it's not easy to find and you can't see it, but if I press carefully that side I can locate it and it sort of feels like a small-medium sized hard bump.

This has me quite concerned but I don't believe she has ascites, I'm more concerned she has slow growing tumours or something. I am always stressed over something with these girls, unfortunately my mind runs 100mph, but understand that these are my first two ducks and I've had so many problems with them due to their genetics/breeding. I'm always on edge because of that, but I have been right before.

They're very excessive layers. And I know tumours are something that can happen. I don't know if what I felt was normal, she's kind of always been a bit of an oddly shaped and bumpy girl- I felt something similar over a year ago in a different place in her abdomen and it went away. But with her abdomen size and how low it seems to the floor, from some angles some days, I am worried.

I avoid vets, I prefer to treat from home, but in this case I can't accurately diagnose if there is an issue and if one of my theories is right, only a vet can really treat that. Does she need to see someone, or am I just worrying over her unique appearance?

The abdomen is rounded, it's round from in front and behind, and is mostly pretty soft. I don't feel any fluid, or fullness in the area, it's that one side that concerns me.

today:

A few days ago:
(I believe the area looks smaller because her feathers were damp at this time, so sat closer to the skin)

And a year or two ago for reference:

Any opinions/questions/advice welcome
Hopefully this isn't anything serious but if it looks and sounds very worrying I will take her to the vet soon as I'm able to.

 

[BelovedBirds]

So my duck, Dougie, has always had a larger than average abdomen but I've always put it down to being a mix of some heavy breeds, like Ayslebury.

I mentioned my concerns recently in regards to her abdomen in my thread but I only got a couple responses and today I'm a bit more concerned.

I had another feel of her abdomen and 80% of it feels sort of squishy, soft, fatty. But I felt a harder lump inside it on her left (I believe it was her left) it's not easy to find and you can't see it, but if I press carefully that side I can locate it and it sort of feels like a small-medium sized hard bump.

This has me quite concerned but I don't believe she has ascites, I'm more concerned she has slow growing tumours or something. I am always stressed over something with these girls, unfortunately my mind runs 100mph, but understand that these are my first two ducks and I've had so many problems with them due to their genetics/breeding. I'm always on edge because of that, but I have been right before.

They're very excessive layers. And I know tumours are something that can happen. I don't know if what I felt was normal, she's kind of always been a bit of an oddly shaped and bumpy girl- I felt something similar over a year ago in a different place in her abdomen and it went away. But with her abdomen size and how low it seems to the floor, from some angles some days, I am worried.

I avoid vets, I prefer to treat from home, but in this case I can't accurately diagnose if there is an issue and if one of my theories is right, only a vet can really treat that. Does she need to see someone, or am I just worrying over her unique appearance?

The abdomen is rounded, it's round from in front and behind, and is mostly pretty soft. I don't feel any fluid, or fullness in the area, it's that one side that concerns me.

today:
View attachment 4004200View attachment 4004201View attachment 4004203
A few days ago:
(I believe the area looks smaller because her feathers were damp at this time, so sat closer to the skin)
View attachment 4004207
And a year or two ago for reference:
View attachment 4004208

Any opinions/questions/advice welcome
Hopefully this isn't anything serious but if it looks and sounds very worrying I will take her to the vet soon as I'm able to.

Sorry for such a lot of writing, I tried to be thorough. But I missed important info-
So before asked, yes she is behaving normally. Active, good appetite, no limp, laying as normal. You'd not know anything was wrong based on how she behaves

 

[ruthhope]

Hi @BelovedBirds I remember there were Dougie tales previously!! I understand your concerns. Most of us don't get close enough to our ducks to be aware of the odd bump or lump. Even my Daffy who demands attention really only gets his head and carruncles stroked and seen closely. I cooch his crop area but can't think I have ever felt his tummy in an examining way. So we tend to go by appearances and behaviors.

Dougie has a low hanging belly in the earlier as well as the current photos. She is behaving normally.

If you take her to a vet and get a diagnosis that it is a tumor, what difference will that make? I very much doubt that the vet would operate and remove the tumor it it's inside her abdomen and that would be expensive and unlikely to be curative. My approach to tumors (i had a pekin drake die from a pelvic tumor last year) is to ensure their quality of life by giving pain relief if needed and keeping them warm, safe and clean. My Pekin was unable to walk for 5 months but he was well loved, relished the attention and never lost faith in himself as boss duck. He continued to reign over the other boys through the mosquito screen on my rear porch. And the other boys came running without fail as soon as he called them.

I would really focus on Dougie's normal behavior and not worry about what the lump is at this point.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

You are feeling the shell gland (uterus) which is a bulbous organ and anatomically speaking should be right in the pouch/lower abdomen area. Her pouch also is a very normal size for her breed in fact I have seen bigger in the exhibition lines. People tend to freak out when they see those pouches, but it is where the female organs are. It is like in human women how there is a little fat pouch right below the belly button where the uterus is. That pouch is actually supposed to be there. All female animals have it to varying degrees because their uterus needs to have room to expand when an egg or baby is forming. The picture below is from the livestock conservation agency for Aylesburry and the painting is from the 1800’s of older Aylesburry lines. My advice is that if your ducks are otherwise acting normal and healthy do not go looking for things to be wrong. I have seen too many people with the right intentions overthink their duck and chicken’s health then they end up making their birds sick often killing them. Birds are very sensitive to stress and treatments. They also go into shock and will stop eating from stress very easily. If you read through this forum stress from people trying to do the right thing then putting their birds into shock trying to treat something that doesn’t exist happens all of the time.

 

[BelovedBirds]

You are feeling the shell gland (uterus) which is a bulbous organ and anatomically speaking should be right in the pouch/lower abdomen area. Her pouch also is a very normal size for her breed in fact I have seen bigger in the exhibition lines. People tend to freak out when they see those pouches, but it is where the female organs are. It is like in human women how there is a little fat pouch right below the belly button where the uterus is. That pouch is actually supposed to be there. All female animals have it to varying degrees because their uterus needs to have room to expand when an egg or baby is forming. The picture below is from the livestock conservation agency for Aylesburry and the painting is from the 1800’s of older Aylesburry lines. My advice is that if your ducks are otherwise acting normal and healthy do not go looking for things to be wrong. I have seen too many people with the right intentions overthink their duck and chicken’s health then they end up making their birds sick often killing them. Birds are very sensitive to stress and treatments. They also go into shock and will stop eating from stress very easily. If you read through this forum stress from people trying to do the right thing then putting their birds into shock trying to treat something that doesn’t exist happens all of the time.
View attachment 4004252

View attachment 4004253

View attachment 4004255

Yes I think you're correct! I feel so ridiculous now, I was just outside and had a check of Sprightly too this time and felt the same area. I wondered whether it could be an organ or something muscular- but wasn't finding much info online. I expect you're right, it's probably just the shell gland!

I'm still a little nervous, just over the size and roundness of her abdomen, but I'll try not to worry. If it starts growing massive or she starts showing signs of being unwell, I'll worry at that point.
I hoped ages ago that it was simply her egg "pouch" as some say, I think it only looks bigger these days because she's gained a little belly fat perhaps? Certainly feels like it. If there were a tumour, surely I would be able to tell, it wouldn't feel soft and uniform like that would it?

At least my girls don't mind my fretting, they would sit there for an hour having a full health examination, just wondering when they're getting treats! They're very confident and outgoing girls. But I'll quit fretting, poking n prodding the poor things now!

Thank you for your reply, it was really helpful and has put my mind at ease.