Asking for assistance from any experienced duck owners please.
We have 4 mallards (one imprinted adult) and one white call duck, who have been with us for 5 years, so we have some experience and knowledge - though never enough. This is a new one for me.
Hatched 8 weeks ago, our Gabby (by name, by nature) is a hybrid piebald and he has gone lame.
He started limping 2 days ago, slightly. Yesterday, limping more. Today, can't put any weight on the leg at all.
Have checked for bumble foot, swellings, dislocation, wounds. Nothing apparent. He doesn't flinch or make any distressed sound when I examine the leg.
He is able to draw the leg upward.
Upped the niacin intake and today trying charcoal in case it's a poisoning of some sort. (No noticeable response.) He is still very verbal, lots of happy peeps and generally chatty. No change there. Very sassy and full of character. Eating like a trooper. No changes there. Trying to walk, just not able to. Leg not sustaining the weight.
Still bathing and preening feathers. All is as normal, except for the leg.
He is just about 8 weeks old and almost fledged, though not yet flying. He is getting a little hormonal, and starting to chest a bit. He is imprinted on me, and so currently is always with me, whether indoors or outside.
Please note, we live in France where vets don't tend to deal with 'exotic pets'. There are only 3 exotic vets in all of France, none any where near us. Our local vets will not see our ducks. We have found no vet around us who deals with wildfowl or birds in general. So a vet visit is not a possibility. Hence my appeal for experience.
The picture shows Gabby. It is the lame leg's foot you can see.
We have 4 mallards (one imprinted adult) and one white call duck, who have been with us for 5 years, so we have some experience and knowledge - though never enough. This is a new one for me.
Hatched 8 weeks ago, our Gabby (by name, by nature) is a hybrid piebald and he has gone lame.
He started limping 2 days ago, slightly. Yesterday, limping more. Today, can't put any weight on the leg at all.
Have checked for bumble foot, swellings, dislocation, wounds. Nothing apparent. He doesn't flinch or make any distressed sound when I examine the leg.
He is able to draw the leg upward.
Upped the niacin intake and today trying charcoal in case it's a poisoning of some sort. (No noticeable response.) He is still very verbal, lots of happy peeps and generally chatty. No change there. Very sassy and full of character. Eating like a trooper. No changes there. Trying to walk, just not able to. Leg not sustaining the weight.
Still bathing and preening feathers. All is as normal, except for the leg.
He is just about 8 weeks old and almost fledged, though not yet flying. He is getting a little hormonal, and starting to chest a bit. He is imprinted on me, and so currently is always with me, whether indoors or outside.
Please note, we live in France where vets don't tend to deal with 'exotic pets'. There are only 3 exotic vets in all of France, none any where near us. Our local vets will not see our ducks. We have found no vet around us who deals with wildfowl or birds in general. So a vet visit is not a possibility. Hence my appeal for experience.
The picture shows Gabby. It is the lame leg's foot you can see.
