Seeing an injured duck struggling to walk can be heartbreaking. If you come across a duck with an injured or malformed leg, here are some things you can do to help.
If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: Carefully capture the duck and bring it to a wildlife rescue or veterinarian for treatment. Do not try home remedies.
In this comprehensive guide, we will cover how to capture an injured duck, different leg injuries and treatments, caring for the duck after rescue, and when euthanasia may be necessary due to an untreatable condition.
How to Safely Capture an Injured Duck
Use caution and avoid sudden movements
When approaching an injured duck, it’s important to move slowly and avoid sudden movements that could startle the bird. Ducks have excellent vision and will see you coming from far away. If the duck appears apprehensive, take your time and give it space.
Speak in a calm, soothing voice to help relax the duck as you get closer. Sudden movements or noises can cause additional stress and potentially reinjure the duck, so patience here is key.
Cover the duck’s head to calm it
Once you’re within reaching distance of the duck, gently wrap a towel, light blanket, or shirt around its head and eyes. This calms the duck by blocking its vision and helps prevent it from struggling or thrashing around.
Be sure not to wrap the covering too tightly or restrict the duck’s ability to breathe. The goal is to block sight only to keep the duck relaxed while you move it. If the duck continues to struggle excessively, back away and give it more time to settle before attempting capture again.
Gently wrap the duck in a towel or blanket
With the duck’s head covered, carefully pick it up and wrap it snugly like a burrito in the towel, blanket, or shirt. Support the duck’s body fully so it feels secure and cannot flail around and hurt itself. Tuck the duck’s wings and feet inside the wrapping to prevent scratching.
Handle injured ducks extremely gently, as they may have fractures or other unknown injuries. Never grab injured ducks by the legs or neck.
Place it carefully in a ventilated box or carrier
Once wrapped, gently place the duck in a ventilated box, pet carrier, or other enclosed space for safe transport. Line it with soft towels or a blanket to cushion the duck and make it feel secure. Be sure there are air holes for proper ventilation.
Carefully close the lid or cover the carrier to block light and keep the duck calm. Speak soothingly and avoid jostling the carrier unnecessarily. Get the duck to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian as soon as possible for professional treatment and care.
Common Duck Leg Injuries and Treatments
Sprains and strains
Sprains and strains are common leg injuries in ducks caused by sudden movements or trauma that overstretches or tears ligaments and tendons. Signs include limping, swelling, bruising, and the duck avoiding bearing weight on the leg.
Treat mild sprains with rest, cold compresses, and over-the-counter anti-inflammatory medication. Severe sprains may require vet care with splinting and pain medication (reference: https://www.allcreaturesanimalhospital.com).
Broken bones
Broken leg bones in ducks are often caused by predators, accidents, or trauma. Signs are limping, swelling, unwillingness to bear weight, and the leg appearing crooked or deformed. Stabilize fractures with homemade or veterinary splints, and allow 4-8 weeks for the bones to heal.
Pain control and antibiotics may also be prescribed by an avian vet.
Overgrown or deformed nails
Overgrown nails can become painfully embedded in the footpad or twist a duck’s toes at abnormal angles. Look for limping, signs of inflammation/infection,missing toenails and nails growing into circular shape. Carefully trim overgrown portions with sterilized nail clippers.
For ingrown nails, a vet can surgically remove problem portions of the nail. Prevent overgrown nails by providing rough surfaces for ducks to scratch nails on.
Parasites
Duck legs can become inflamed, swollen and painful due to infections from parasites like mites or lice. Signs also include loss of feathers, excessive preening, redness, and irritated skin. Various topical parasite treatments are available for ducks.
Maintain clean bedding and isolate affected ducks to control the spread of parasites.
Fishing gear entanglement injuries
Fishing gear like discarded lines and lures can wrap tightly around duck legs, cutting off circulation. This causes painful swelling, wounds, and can lead to gangrene/amputationbeing necessary if untreated.
If recently entangled, carefully remove fishing gear without pulling tightly and worsening circulation issues. Clean and bandage wounds, monitor for infection, and administer antibiotics and anti-inflammatory medication as needed.
Amputation of seriously injured leg
If a leg bone is severely shattered or a leg becomes gangrenous/necrotic despite treatment, amputation may be necessary. According to the Louisiana State University School of Veterinary Medicine, ducks generally adapt well to losing a leg.
They should be provided ramps for easier movement and monitored for issues balancing. Most ducks can live a relatively normal life on one leg.
Caring for a Duck After Rescue
Provide a warm, safe housing environment
An essential first step when caring for an injured duck is ensuring it has a comfortable place to recover. Some options for duck housing after a rescue include a large cardboard box or plastic tub filled with soft bedding.
Line the bottom with a thick layer of pine shavings, straw, or fleece blankets to keep the duck warm. Place a heat lamp near one side of the enclosure so the duck can easily move into or out of the warmth as needed. The ambient air temperature in the housing area should be 70-75°F.
Position food, water, and a shallow pool or pan of water inside as well to support normal duck behaviors despite injury. Check the housing at least twice daily to replace soiled bedding and ensure proper temperature regulation.
Clean and bandage injuries per veterinarian instructions
Proper wound care is crucial when nursing a duck back to health after an injury. Always consult a certified avian veterinarian to assess the duck’s condition and provide detailed instructions on medication administration, changing bandages, and monitoring healing progress.
Cleaning open wounds gently but thoroughly to prevent infection is typically the first step. This may require flushing with saline solution or an antiseptic cleanser recommended by the vet. Bandaging injured areas securely helps minimize swelling and further damage but should not restrict blood flow.
Expect to change outer wrap layers every 1-2 days as dressings become soiled. Keeping detailed notes on the duck’s progress will help the vet determine if and when the bandages can be removed permanently.
Assist with mobility as needed
Depending on the location and extent of injuries, a recovering duck may experience difficulty walking unassisted. Providing mobility support protects healing wounds while also encouraging activity important for circulation and joint health. For ducks that resist standing, gently hold the breast and belly area while sliding a hand under the feet for stability.
Use thick gloves or towels to prevent strain on fragile legs and feet during this process. If injuries allow the duck to bear some weight, a specially designed avian harness offers extra security while waddling. Attach an adjustable leash to enable controlled movement without risk of further harm.
Monitor the duck’s comfort level closely and restrict activity that causes visible distress. As strength returns, celebrate regained mobility milestones like balancing unaided and paddling vigorously in water.
Ensure proper nutrition and hydration
Meeting a duck’s dietary requirements helps facilitate healing by providing essential vitamins, minerals, and calories for tissue repair. Feed commercial waterfowl feed formulated specifically for ducks, or offer mixed grains like corn, barley, and oats.
Scatter feeding encourages natural foraging behaviors. Provide fresh greens like kale, lettuce, sprouts which are rich in nutrients as well.
Clean, fresh water should always be close at hand for drinking and preening purposes. Use a heavy ceramic bowl or attachments designed for rabbit water bottles. Expect increased water usage during recovery, and refill containers multiple times per day as needed.
Track exact food and water intake amounts to monitor health status. Noticeable decreases likely signify illness progression or new issues requiring prompt veterinary attention. With attentive, compassionate at-home care, most minor duck injuries resolve well and create lasting human-waterfowl bonds.
When Euthanasia May Be Necessary
As caretakers of injured wildlife, we always hope to rehabilitate ducks and return them to their natural environment. However, in some unfortunate cases, euthanasia may be the most humane option. Determining when a duck’s quality of life is too compromised or its recovery chances too slim requires wisdom and discernment.
Below we’ll explore scenarios that may warrant euthanasia.
Untreatable Metastatic Disease
Metastatic diseases that have spread to multiple parts of the body often create systemic, irreversible damage. Depending on the type and progression of the disease, treatments may only prolong suffering versus providing a cure.
For example, ducks may develop virally-induced wing tumors that eventually render them flightless. As flight is critical for survival, metastasis of these wing tumors signals a terminal state. In such degenerative cases with poor prognosis, euthanasia spares the duck from further misery.
Severely Deformed Legs Causing Immobility
A duck’s ability to walk and swim enables it to find food, avoid predators, migrate, etc. Serious leg injuries like compound fractures or severe infections can permanently destroy normal limb function. Duck legs may heal improperly, leaving legs hugely swollen, necrotic, or grossly misaligned.
Such deformities prevent standing, swimming, or walking. An immobile duck struggles to meet its basic needs and likely suffers chronic pain. As quality of life diminishes, euthanasia may emerge as the most compassionate choice.
Serious Injuries That Cannot Be Treated
Even with excellent rehabilitative care, some grave injuries remain beyond treatment. For example, a predator attack may blind a duck or tear away large sections of flesh that will not heal. Dangerous infections like duck botulism may ravage internal organs.
And blunt trauma from cars can fracture duck bones into too many pieces for pinning or casting. If pain medications cannot alleviate suffering and conventional/surgical treatments fail to exist, sustaining life may seem inhumane versus peaceful euthanasia.
Danger of the Duck Spreading Disease to Other Wildlife
Releasing a once-sick duck may unknowingly spread contagion back into the wild population. Virulent diseases like duck viral enteritis, avian influenza, and aspergillosis are highly morbid diseases. An outbreak could quickly kill waterfowl throughout entire regions.
To prevent endangering other wildlife, rehabilitators must confirm recovered ducks test negative for contagions before any release. If a duck remains persistently infected, euthanasia sadly must be elected to protect the greater wildlife community.
Conclusion
Discovering an injured duck can be upsetting, but there are kind steps you can take to help. Getting prompt veterinary care gives the duck its best chance of recovery or a humane passing if its injuries are beyond treatment.
With some TLC during rehabilitation or difficult decisions if needed, an act of compassion can make all the difference.
