A couple of weeks ago I was asked to take an old saxony duck and her Mr for retirement on my pond, rather than them going into the pot. They are both at least 7 years old. The duck is very lame and the joint in one leg is very swollen and warm to the touch, she has been lame for some time. When she arrived she appeared to be too thin and she didn't smell at all right (like the way a very old animal smells). Anyway, she wasn't coping well with the cold so I brought her into the house while it warmed up a bit. She's been in the house for a few days, and I noticed today that the skin on her feet has dry peeling patches. On the up side, she is no longer so boney and her smell is much better. She seems quite happy, certainly she doesn't appear at all distressed. Any suggestions or advise about her swollen joint and flaking feet would be appreciated.
Old Saxony duck
- Thread starter Gillian
- Start date
Davidd
Active member
Hello, ducks-especially old, heavy ducks are very prone to arthritis - if you can give her a nice dry bed of straw to sleep on and try to keep her out of the worst of the cold, wet weather she will improve- especially as the weather warms- if her joints are very swollen then a trip to the vets may be the best solution- they might suggest anti-inflammatory drugs.
regards, David
regards, David
Thank you for that. A few days in the house seems to be doing her the world of good. The swelling is going down and the joint is no longer hot. Her smell continues to improve. She's clearly feeling better - this morning she even chased the dog. I guess she's going to be in here until spring, it's a good job I have a stone floor because she makes a heck of a mess.
