Limping isn’t normal for ducks, limping isn’t normal for any type of animal for that matter, if you see a duck limping know that there is something wrong.
This article will help you figure out why the bird is limping and what to do in this situation.
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Wild duck limping:
If you see a duck limping around then the bird has likely been injured. Injuries can be a very stressful and uncomfortable experience, this is true for humans and for animals, like ducks, as well.
Ducks may seem like they don’t need to protect their legs and feet, but they do. A duck’s legs are delicate and can easily become injured especially in the wild.
An injury can cause a lot of pain in the area and if the injury is very severe then the bird’s bones may even be displaced.
The duck may have become injured if it was attacked by a predator. Duck predators in the wild include hawks, snakes, wolfs, raccoons, and weasels to name a few. Other lesser-known duck predators include domestic dogs and cats.
What to know about duck injuries:
Ducks can suffer from the same injuries that humans can, injuries that these birds may suffer from include sprains, broken legs, pinched nerves, grazes, cuts, and even dislocated hips.
These birds are usually able to recover from minor injuries, like a leg sprain, but injuries like a broken leg are more serious and can’t heal without medical attention.
A duck with a broken leg won’t be able to survive in the wild.
A duck with a broken leg will be lame, the bird will be reluctant to walk, or won’t be able to walk at all. The skin of the broken leg may also be swollen or discolored and the area may be hot to the touch.
If the bird’s leg is broken then the bird may have a comminuted fracture where the bone breaks into several pieces, an undisplaced or hardline fracture where there is a fracture at the bone as well as damage to the tissue in the area, a displaced fracture where two bones have been misaligned or an open or compound fracture where the bone breaks through the skin.
What to do:
Bone breaks are quite serious so you’d need to get the duck to a vet as soon as you can.
If you can’t immediately get the bird to the vet you can take care of the bird at home until you can get the bird to the vet.
Start off by isolating the bird to keep it from interacting with other birds on your property, this will minimize movement of the bird’s leg.
After this, clean the wound with a sterile cloth and dress the wound using a different clean and sterile cloth until you can get the bird to the vet.
Transporting the bird:
Transport the bird to the vet in a dog crate or a cat carrier. Pad the bottom of the crate, or carrier, using a couple of old towels to keep the bird comfortable. Keep water in the crate or carrier incase the bird gets car sick.
Wrapping the bird in a towel, or putting a sweater or a coat on the bird, will help to keep the bird from flapping around.
At the vet:
The vet will likely start off by taking some x-rays of the duck’s leg to see what is going on. If needed, the vet will refer you to an avian specialist.
If needed, the vet or avian specialist will realign the bird’s broken or misplaced bones. This may be done using rods, wires, screws, pins, or plates. All of these will be removed once the bird has healed.
The specialist or vet may also give your bird oral pain medication and/or an antibiotic shot
If you don’t get the bird to the vet, and the injury becomes infected, then this infection can kill the bird. The wild duck won’t be able to perform daily activities with a broken leg and will soon die in the wild if not helped
Home care:
Keep the bird isolated at home after the vet visit. Keep the bird in its own intensive care unit where the bird has easy access to food and water.
In some cases, a rehabilitation schedule will be given to you by your vet to help the bird with its recovery. This will entail a variety of land exercises and sessions in water.
The bird’s leg may take about 3-6 weeks to heal. How long the healing process takes depends on how severe the leg injury is.
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