Holiday Babies

[Jay3]

That has to be a really tough job. I hope I never run into it. Especially fishing line. It doesn't break. I would like to see it when it has healed.

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by Jay3

That has to be a really tough job. I hope I never run into it. Especially fishing line. It doesn't break. I would like to see it when it has healed.

You have to "unwind" it once you figure out which way the tangle goes .. then you reach a knot and have to cut the knot and start unwinding again. It can take a very long time, but if you don't get all the line off then the "wound" will never heal.

There's a Coot at the duck pond with a two inch ball of line under one foot and big a lure that looks like a little log hanging off that same leg .. Coots are wickedly difficult to catch, but I'll make another try the next trip to the pond.

Terry

[Jay3]

That sounds awful. But what is a coot? Some kind of Duck? I hope you can catch him. Post if you do.

[TerriB]

Love those sweet baby faces!

The ducks at your pond are so fortunate to have such diligent folks watching out for them. How long do you soak in Epsom salt solution? Hope the duck's leg is able to heal. Fishing line is a nasty business!

[maryjane]

You must have tremendous courage to take that fishing line out of that poor duck's leg. That has to be worse than giving a thousand pigeons their vaccinations!!!!! The poor thing!! They just found a sea lion locally last week that had so much fishing line wrapped around its nose and face that it was starving to death. He is okay now. If only people would be responsible for their fishing line, lures, etc. Such a pointless tragedy like this that could have been avoided.

So I guess Ivan and Beauty didn't hatch any babies huh?? Maybe next time!

I hope you're able to catch the coot. Sounds awful as well. I don't know how you do it. Kudos as always to you!
Here is a coot:http://www.pdackerman.force9.co.uk/b...rough/coot.jpg

[Jay3]

Sadly, where ever people fish this is going to happen. I'm sure some are just irresponsible and throw line in the water after untangling it when it gets tangled, but usually not. Especially if there is a lure attached to it. More than likely they hooked up on something out there and tried to free their line and couldn't. The line breaks, and remains out there for these poor things to get caught. No harm was intended, but these poor birds and animals suffer the consequences. It's really too bad.

[MaryOfExeter]

Yikes! The babies are adorable, but that poor, poor duck!
And Jay, Coots are unique little things. They're kind of like fish eating ducks with longer legs

[Jay3]

Thanks Becky. I'd like to see one.

[TAWhatley]

MJ posted a good picture of a Coot in her post in this thread. The Epsom Salts soaks need to be about 15 minutes twice a day .. longer if you can manage it .. not possible with this duck. He is very, very uncooperative.

Fishing line is especially nasty because it is usually clear making it very hard to see if you have gotten all of it off/out. It is also not biodegradable and is very, very strong. What happens when a bird or animal gets fishing line entangled is that the more the critter struggles to get the line off, the line stretches and becomes more tightly wound which eventually cuts off the circulation and also starts "eating" through the flesh and ultimately reaches a bone. At that point the swollen flesh sort of folds over the "hole" where the line dug in further complicating things. All in all, it's nasty and causes horrific injury to the creature.

There are some excellent threads here on Pigeon-Talk about removing string, and those are applicable to removing fishing line and even human hair (which is also extremely difficult to see and remove).

This duck is doing well and will certainly survive and be OK though that leg and foot will never be completely normal again.

Terry

[TerriB]

Glad this duck found his way to your care!

Thanks for the info regarding Epsom salts. I've been using them to try and soothe my old dog's feet, but he has a time limit of about 4 minutes then he's had it!

[TAWhatley]

Originally Posted by TerriB

Glad this duck found his way to your care!

Thanks for the info regarding Epsom salts. I've been using them to try and soothe my old dog's feet, but he has a time limit of about 4 minutes then he's had it!

Yeah .. I don't care what kind of bird or animal it is .. it's hard to keep them in the soak as long as is needed. Would aloe vera cream be of use to your dog? What's wrong with the feet? Or perhaps Udder Balm?

Terry

[Jay3]

Wow! Coots are rather pretty little things, aren't they? Never seen one before.

[SPedigrees]

Great pictures of the baby pidges, and such a tragedy for the poor duck! I'm glad you have him now and he's being treated. Will you be keeping him?

[TerriB]

Originally Posted by TAWhatley

..Would aloe vera cream be of use to your dog? What's wrong with the feet? Or perhaps Udder Balm?

Terry

Thanks for the suggestions. I was using Aquaphor (medicated petroleum jelly) after the Epson salt soak to try to keep him comfortable. He had a metabolic condition triggered by liver cancer that caused his feet to peel and crack and be very painful. It became too much and we had him euthanized two weeks ago. We only had him 2 1/2 years of his 16 years, but thoroughly enjoyed that little old guy. Old dogs are so special!