Week old duckling with bad eye

FoodFreedomNow said:

Late to the party, but...to me, the white dot looks like it could be a corneal abrasion, which is basically a scratch on the eyeball. They are very painful (I speak from experience). @Miss Lydia has already recommended Terramycin Ophthalmic Ointment, and I second that recommendation, having used it to treat similar eye injuries.

For minor eye irritation, Vetericyn Ophthalmic Gel is great, but for what I'd consider a serious issue like this (and where infection is a risk), Terramycin would be my choice.

Best wishes for your duckling's speedy recovery!

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Thanks so much for everyone’s help here!

I am looking for Terramycin Ophthalmic Ointment online but am struggling to find it to ship to the UK. Does anyone know where I can get this from?

Thankyou!

Miss Lydia said:

Also there are ways to help with leg issues. sometimes they resolve on their own other times we need to do something . Pictures would be good.
Terramycin eye ointment is another treatment for eye problems

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Thank you! I will add some photos shortly. Also, where would I get this eye ointment?

Miss Lydia said:

Also there are ways to help with leg issues. sometimes they resolve on their own other times we need to do something . Pictures would be good.
Terramycin eye ointment is another treatment for eye problems

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Thank you Miss Lydia,

Here are some photos of her leg, as you can see she keeps it tucked under her.
And I’m so worried about her eye as well.
I truly appreciate your help.

What a precious baby. Can she lay the one leg down at all or is it always up? Just trying to rule out slipped tendon.
You can sometimes gently run your fingers along the back of the leg and feel the tendon out of place feel the other leg so you know what your looking for.
I'd try a nice warm saline rinse to gently wash out the eye then use the Teramycin eye ointment.[ Recipes for saline rinse on line]

Miss Lydia said:

What a precious baby. Can she lay the one leg down at all or is it always up? Just trying to rule out slipped tendon.
You can sometimes gently run your fingers along the back of the leg and feel the tendon out of place feel the other leg so you know what your looking for.
I'd try a nice warm saline rinse to gently wash out the eye then use the Teramycin eye ointment.[ Recipes for saline rinse on line]

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Her leg is always up. I’m able to stretch it out with no pain. It doesn’t bother her at all. She was shrink wrapped and needed help finishing hatching. I don’t know if that has anything to do with it or not.
I do a little “physical therapy” with her twice a day and hold and snuggle her as much as possible. I talk and sing to her as well because I feel guilty that she can’t be with her siblings. I feel like she’s lonely. Thank goodness I’m a teacher and I’m home right now, and my 9 year old daughter helps a lot!
I’m so worried about her, she’s such a precious, special baby!
I sleep with her box right by my bed with a night light so I can keep tabs on the temperature and make sure she’s drinking. I’m exhausted because first we almost lost Pip, he was born with his entire yolk sac not absorbed and he was so weak he couldn’t even lift his head. I nursed him back from the brink of death, and the very next day after he finally recovered little “Tutu” was born and it all started all over again.


God bless you for all your help and kindness.

Hollyskins said:

Thanks so much for everyone’s help here!

I am looking for Terramycin Ophthalmic Ointment online but am struggling to find it to ship to the UK. Does anyone know where I can get this from?

Thankyou!

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Hmm...Terramycin Ophthalmic Ointment contains an antibiotic - are there restrictions there that might be responsible for it not being available to purchase?

Hollyskins said:

Hiya,

I hatched ducklings recently. The latest to hatch which needed a lot of help due to being shrink wrapped has, and always has had a dodgy eye. It has a white speck in it which does not move and now as of this evening it tends to keep that eye shut all together. It’s a lot smaller than the other ducklings. The rest weigh 200-300grams and this little one only weighs 120grams.

It gets around ok, eats, drinks and poo’s normally. It’s very shivery if out of the brooder. I fixed its splayed legs when it hatched.

Any ideas If it’s an infection or if it’s blind In this eye?!

Photos attached if normal and bad eye. As well as size comparison to the rest.

Thankyou!

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I had a chicken that her eye got infected at first it looked like her eye was poked out it was so sunken in.. I made a home made saline solution and washed it out really well. Then mixed honey and water and again washed her eye really well before she went to bed. I did this for three nights and by the 3 rd night, she was able to open her eye up completely and it didn’t even look like anything happened.. she catches treats right out of the air like normal so he eyesight is back to normal.

We had a little duckling hatch last year that had one eye closed. We dabbed at it and used teramycin for the first week or two but she never improved. In our case, she seems to be able to still see out of it somewhat but the eye just isn't open all the way. Some days it's more open than others, particularly when she's been taking a bath.

Bless you for putting in the time making sure the little one gets a little extra care. I would try the teramycin and definitely keep up with any nutri-drench and/or niacin in the diet. Our girl turned out okay (aside from getting too much attention this mating season).

I can't resist attaching some photos of little Freya aging up:



Here's her good side

Sherry68lynn said:

I had a chicken that her eye got infected at first it looked like her eye was poked out it was so sunken in.. I made a home made saline solution and washed it out really well. Then mixed honey and water and again washed her eye really well before she went to bed. I did this for three nights and by the 3 rd night, she was able to open her eye up completely and it didn’t even look like anything happened.. she catches treats right out of the air like normal so he eyesight is back to normal.

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That’s awesome hun!
Unfortunately I think she’s blind. I think her extra eyelid is dried out and hanging by her tear duct. I wash it out 6 times a day and I got it loose and tried to wipe it out but it is stuck! It scared me to think what would happen if I pulled on it.
And she’s most definitely crippled. I do physical therapy on her and she just can’t use it. Poor baby, she’s so tiny and helpless. She just wants to sit with me but I have 22 little kids that need constant attention, so I made a little purse to wear around with her in it. Lol!
Thank you so much for your reply!

Here’s her eye.

She can't walk at all? what niacin are you using? As for being blind in one eye. They can adapt to having eyesight only in one eye.