My duck has been limping for several months.

[Gone]

She seems to at least be acting more cheerful, quacking loudly and splashing wildly when I put her in some warm water. I think her legs might be slightly improving but she doesn't want to walk much, just go into her crate with the food and water after her bath in the morning. I ordered that vitamin b complex. It says it's injectable. I guess I can take a needle and draw it up into a syringe and squirt it onto some meal worms. I just got it. Thank you for asking about her. She is so sweet and loves everyone.

 

[Jenbirdee]

She seems to at least be acting more cheerful, quacking loudly and splashing wildly when I put her in some warm water. I think her legs might be slightly improving but she doesn't want to walk much, just go into her crate with the food and water after her bath in the morning. I ordered that vitamin b complex. It says it's injectable. I guess I can take a needle and draw it up into a syringe and squirt it onto some meal worms. I just got it. Thank you for asking about her. She is so sweet and loves everyone.

Ok great listen about the vitamin B complex. Yes, it does say injectable for cattle. However, we give it to ducks orally. We draw up one ML with a syringe with no needle. Then we squirted into a small dish of mealworms or some other treat. Yes yes that’s right. We know she will gobble up. If she doesn’t eat the treat with the vitamins, we can give it to her directly orally. There is a link on how to give medicine to ducks. I will paste it for you. You have to be very careful not to squirt it into their breathing tube.
Keep giving her one amount every day until the symptoms go away, and it may take months because she has had them for so long.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Here’s the link https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...dications-to-all-poultry-and-waterfowl.73335/

 

[celestewducks]

My white female peeking duck is about 2 1/2 years old and has been limping since about last July. Shortly after that she stopped laying eggs though she layed an egg almost every day before that. I thought she sprained her leg somehow by climbing into her baby pool. I did put a step in front of it for her. I have done everything I can think of to help it heal, but with no luck, like keeping her on soft grass in a pen without the baby pool. Then I took her to a vet that accepts ducks (has farm animals himself). He thought she might have some arthritis and gave her a shot. I waited a week and the shot didn't help. I took her back and he gave her a shot of a different medication, not saying what it was. He said that if this doesn't work, it's probably arthritis. Well, I love Stella, my duck, and am really bothered by this. She actually puts her wings out for balance to walk and acts like it is very painful. Then I researched and noticed that she is pigeon toed and that spinach can cause this, depleting the niacin in her food. I stopped giving her spinach. Stella gets Flock Raiser by Purina for all ages of fowl including ducks. I have been crushing 1/2 a niacin tablet in her water every day for about 2 weeks. Stella gets around ok and gets in her water but I haven't seen her feet change angle yet and she still limps. Can anyone help me? I don't care about having no eggs, just Stella's quality of life. My chickens try to peck her eyes so I keep her separate from them but close by because she likes them.

Is the niacin, niacinamide? It's a powder in a capsule. Niacin has more than one source and niacinamide is the one that helps ducks. Sometimes the source mineral makes a difference. I have seen charcoal mentioned for clearing out poison, but if it's not a medicated charcoal powder, it won't work.

 

[Jenbirdee]

Yes

 

[Help From A Friend-Mic]

She’s beautiful. “ hi Stella!! “

Agreed she’s a beauty. I have a male duck and a female duck. The chickens and ducks are together, but the chickens don’t mess with my ducks. Both the ducks considerably outweigh the chickens (about 30 chickens now -1 rooster). They all get along fairly well except the usual hen pecking hierarchy which can be stressful at times when someone decided they should move up the ladder. Hens are vicious at times.!But I love them all!
Plus 4 cats and 2 kittens. It’s always an adventure on our lil farm. Good luck, Stella!

 

[chutec]

My white female peeking duck is about 2 1/2 years old and has been limping since about last July. Shortly after that she stopped laying eggs though she layed an egg almost every day before that. I thought she sprained her leg somehow by climbing into her baby pool. I did put a step in front of it for her. I have done everything I can think of to help it heal, but with no luck, like keeping her on soft grass in a pen without the baby pool. Then I took her to a vet that accepts ducks (has farm animals himself). He thought she might have some arthritis and gave her a shot. I waited a week and the shot didn't help. I took her back and he gave her a shot of a different medication, not saying what it was. He said that if this doesn't work, it's probably arthritis. Well, I love Stella, my duck, and am really bothered by this. She actually puts her wings out for balance to walk and acts like it is very painful. Then I researched and noticed that she is pigeon toed and that spinach can cause this, depleting the niacin in her food. I stopped giving her spinach. Stella gets Flock Raiser by Purina for all ages of fowl including ducks. I have been crushing 1/2 a niacin tablet in her water every day for about 2 weeks. Stella gets around ok and gets in her water but I haven't seen her feet change angle yet and she still limps. Can anyone help me? I don't care about having no eggs, just Stella's quality of life. My chickens try to peck her eyes so I keep her separate from them but close by because she likes them.

Pekin are very prone to arthritis. The only medication that really helps is Adequan Canine injections weekly. It is an expensive prescription and you have to find a Vet willing to prescribe it off label for ducks but it helps a lot.

Anti inflammatories: Meloxicam is a prescription liquid you can give ducks. I have found dog owners with extra they have given me. Less expensive online. (Chewy.com has good prices but won't dispense for birds you can eat. Tell them it is for a cat or try Alivet.com). Voltaren ointment rubber on the legs helps but don't combine with Meloxicam. Voltaren front Canada is twice as strong.

Encourage them to spend as much time in the water as possible. Don't overfeed. Every extra lb. adds stress to knee joints. I keep neoprene booties on their feet unless it is hot. Cushions their steps helps prevent cuts and infections. I get the good ones "Birdy Booties" $26 as they last much better than cheap ones from Walmart or Temu.

If you duck starts pushing with her wings she can scratch and bleed. I keep my birds on grass and cover hard areas with thick layer of hay or bedding. I keep powder that stops bleeding on hand (like when you cut yourself shaving) as wings can bleed a lot. Truly is now only able to weight bare for a short time so I have purchased a duck wheelchair for her off of Etsy to keep her off the ground all the time.
Tip: whenever I have to give the girls shots I wrap them firmly in an old towel as their wings are incredibly strong and hurt when they hit you.
Trudy's sister Grace tries to protect her sister from me when she sees the medication.
When I need to move Trudy somewhere to far for her to walk I pick her up firmly from behind and tell her to fly. She flaps her wings while I carry her to where she needs to go. Have to hold on firmly and wear long sleeves. She loves to "fly". Good luck! Cathy RN