Leg swelling can be a very uncomfortable and even painful experience, this is true for humans and for animals like ducks.
If you notice some swelling in your duck’s leg you would be right to be worried, this article explores why this would happen.
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Pekin duck swollen leg:
Perkin ducks are one of the more popular breeds of duck to own and raise, these birds are multi-purpose, they can be raised as meat and for eggs plus their all-white feathers make them pretty to look at.
Unfortunately, if the duck is sick then your egg production as well as the opportunity to eat them as meat can be at risk. Here are possible reasons why your bird’s leg is swollen:
Bumblefoot:
One of the reasons why your perkin duck has a swollen leg may be because the bird has bumblefoot. Bumblefoot develops when a bacteria, namely the staphylococcus bacteria, gets into an abrasion on your duck’s foot.
The bacteria causes an infection in the duck’s foot which causes a large bulbous growth to develop on the bottom of the bird’s foot. It also causes the bird’s leg to swell up and a dark, dry, patch of skin to develop over the cut or abrasion.
What to do:
Antibiotics can sometimes be used to treat the infection but if this doesn’t work then the large bulbous growth would need to be lanced and the pus in the bulbous growth would need to be removed.
You could do the lancing and remove the pus yourself or you could have a vet do it.
Foot injury:
Foot injuries can happen to ducks, and a foot injury may be the reason why your bird’s foot is swollen. These birds may suffer injuries when entering or exiting water or playing or fighting with others.
Duck injuries can include slipped tendons, where the birds Achilles pops out of place at the side of the bird’s leg causing pain and swelling
The bird’s leg will swell up at the injury site because the bird’s body is sending fluid and white blood cells to the injured area. This is also done to keep the bird off of the injury.
Other signs of a bird with an injury, other than a swollen leg, include a reluctance to put weight on the leg, having a difficult time walking, having a limp, preferring one leg over the other, increased time laying down,
What to do:
The first thing that you’d need to do is to isolate the bird, this will keep it from trying to keep up with its peers and as a result, injuring itself even more.
Ensure that the bird has easy access to food and water while in isolation.
Taking your bird to a vet (an avian vet would be better but a general vet will do) to be examined and treated is recommended. The vet will be able to take an x-ray of the bird to see if the bird does indeed have an internal injury.
If you can’t get the bird to the vet then you’d need to provide support to the bird’s leg by splinting the leg
Provide a ramp for the ducks to walk on when entering or exiting water to keep future injuries at a minimum, and try to keep the ducks from fighting with each other.
Bacterial infection:
Another reason why your duck’s leg may be swollen is that the bird has a bacterial infection. Bacterial infections can make your bird’s “ankle” or hock, swell.
A duck with a bacterial infection may prefer to sit on cool water because its foot is swollen and hot. A foot that is hot to the touch is a sign that the foot is infected.
What to do:
The usual treatment for any bacterial infection is a course of antibiotics. Antibiotic infections are recommended over oral antibiotics which aren’t as effective.
That being said, trying to figure out which bacterial infection your bird has, and finding the correct antibiotics to give your bird, and at what amounts, can be difficult for the layperson, this is why taking your bird to be seen by a vet is recommended.
The vet will be able to physically examine the bird, do some tests, and properly and quickly diagnose what is the matter with your bird.
The vet will also be able to give the correct antibiotics to your bird at the correct dosage. Giving the bird the incorrect antibiotics at the incorrect dosage can harm the bird.
The bird’s swollen leg can still take a little while to go down so be patient with your bird during this time.
If you enjoyed this article then you may also be interested in other chicken related articles. Here are some articles that you may be interested in: Duck Is Choaking, Duck On Its Back, Duckling Flipping On Its Back, Duck With A Runny Nose, Why Is My Duck Drooling?