My girl Mildred - ninja duck

Date sort Score sort
Do you suppose this could be an antibiotic resistant strain? In that case, might some older or alternative treatment possibly help? Know any duck homeopaths who would take on such a case? I wish I knew a duck homeopath....
 
I'm a duck homeopath.

I studied premed and biology at Emporia State University. Do you have a close up pic of her foot? I would like to offer you my knowledge. I am a homeopathc/organic duck egg lady. I avoid antibiotics, except as a last ditch effort.

Please, post pics, or PM me, if I can offer you any help or guidance.

Marty
 
Pictures didn't turn out as well as I would have hoped. I took a big plug of infection (darned close to 1/2 inch around out of the top of the foot last Saturday. I honestly thought it was just scar tissue, but I was wrong as I found out when I cut it open. I had just cleaned it out the Tuesday before. And the Thursday before that. There doesn't seem to be any hard areas that have developed since Saturday (fingers crossed), and it actually looks pretty good tonight. But the trend since ending the antibiotics has been every four - seven days or so, she gets another big plug in the foot. Usually on top. Which I clean out, pack with neosporin, etc. She's getting soaked in Epsom Salts, disinfected with alcohol, and a good dose of neosporin, and rebandaged daily or twice a day). She had a course of Baytril twice a day for three weeks (still had a 1/4 scab left on base of foot at the end of treatment). This all started on 1/7/2012...and has been daily treatment since then. She is in the house in a dog kennel. She did go back out with the other ducks for a few days after the antibiotics, but the scab grew, and we started in with sick bay and so forth again. My source for antibiotics in not available and, honestly, don't have money to take her to a vet. :0( Been giving her nutridench, peas, cabbage, and anything else she will eat. She's still eating good, but after this long with an infection, I am not optimistic.

The red marks on my hands are (well deserved) duck bites. (She can really bite hard for not having teeth!). She's drinking a lot of water, so I have a feeling things are getting worse.





The spot on the top of the foot is right at the intersection of the left toe and middle toe. Kind of hard to see. But you can see the scab on the bottom of the foot. I suspect the first treatment was a failure because I didn't the infection out on top of the foot the first time (and there was a lump) that had mostly gone away by the time the antibiotics were gone. Each time I have cleaned it out since have found no evidence of any more 'cottage cheese' and the would appears clean, but in a few days it swells again (on top of the foot more so than the bottom).
 
Last edited:
She has something stuck in there.

Maybe its time for a drawing poultice. While its open is a good time.

Please tell me what her environment is. IS there a chance she can have metal fence fragment, stone, or even wood or bone fragment in her foot? When it happens to a dog, they get a swollen area that is difficult to heal even with antibiotics, much like you've described. (They get it a lot) With a dog, they have soft flesh and pad, so the object (usually a weed seed) works in one side, and out the other. A duck has much more difficult skin. Its meant to prevent this, but when it gets in it can be difficult to remove, and will not responds to antibiotics until the foreign matter is removed. Antibiotics fight bacteria, not foreign matter.

If you want to be 100% natural, I suggest a potatoe poultice. Simply cut a potatoe in half, and use a dull knife to scrape up pototate mash (kind of like mashed potatoes but with raw potate) to about a tablespoon size qty. Clean the wound (just rinse it - I'd stop irratating it with alcohol for a day), place the potatoe OVER THE WOUND NOT into the wound; That is very important. Place an absorbent bandage (cotten balls or pads) gently but firmly over the wound. wrap it well, so it won't move around. Put her back in her pen, but keep her feet dry. (I'd use a milk jug w/cut out hole for her head about 1/2 way up so she can drink, but no spills) In 12 hours, removed bandage, rinse with sterile water (boiled and cooled w/plate over it). IF you have them, sterilze a syringe (no needle) w/the water. Pop it in, seperated, and boil gently for 10 minutes - cool. Use the syringe to spray the water into the wound, if it is still open. Poultice again.

On most animals, when the irritant is gone the whole will close quickly. Don't reopen it. Usually the irritant is found in mucus, blood, and pus from the wound. Use a toothpick to examine the blackend poultice for irritant. I would do this every 12 hours for 2 days (4 treatments). If irritant is found before then, discontinue. Just lightly use neosporin cream (not ointment, it hold in bacteria) over the closed wound after final treatment. See if she has improved in 24 hours after last treatment.

The swelling should go down, and the wound will close, most of the time. Please fill free to PM me if the need arises. I'll check back for updates tomarrow.
 
I suppose it is possible she could have any of those. I thought this was the result of her getting into and foraging in a patch of blackberries a few days before all this started. But anything is possible.They do free range throughout the yard, so it's possible she got into something I am not aware of.

If the wound has scabbed over, just put the poultice material on top without reopening the wound?

The milk jug is to provide her with waterer to prevent her from spilling? Heavens knows trying to give her water and keep it dry in the kennel has been a challenge.

I will have to get the neosporin cream, I only have the ointment.

I wondered if there was a foreign matter in the last "plug" I cleaned out because it was hard. But I certainly will try the poultice.

Darned infection has been in her system for so long.....

Thanks for the information!
 
Last edited:

Similar threads

emmec19
Possible Gapeworm Recovery- long story, seeking advice
2
Replies
13
Views
722
Crazy Maizie
Crazy Maizie
L
    • Sad
Duck injury care
Replies
2
Views
622
Lucygoosemama
L
L
    • Like
Dog attacked my duck and she has maggots in the wound!
Replies
1
Views
1K
Debbie292d
Debbie292d
blackmulberry
Why do my cockerel crow at me and also when I'm not around??
Replies
8
Views
1K
blackmulberry
blackmulberry
exactlyzac
    • Like
I think I gave my hen food poisoning :<
2
Replies
12
Views
2K
Wyorp Rock
Wyorp Rock

New posts New threads Active threads

Back
Top Bottom