Flapper Update
Hey Flap! How’re you feeling, buddy?
“I’m feeling pretty good, mom. Thanks.”
Why don’t you tell everybody what you’re up to, today?
“Well right now I’m swimming.”
“And I’m doodling in the mud, even though you put rocks here to make it difficult.”
“I just got done noshing on some lettuces, too.”
“I tried showing off for awhile, but no one was very impressed.”
I’m always impressed, Flapper.
“Aww thanks, Mom.”
“So anyway, then I dried off my wingies and now I’m thinking of takin’ a nap.”
“Hey, Mom… You know what would go good with a nap? Some french fries.”
How about some peas instead, Flapper? Sweet dreams, buddy.
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Flapper is feeling pretty good these days. He has to have surgery in the next week or two, to remove more of the base of his phallus. Here’s a blurry image that I’ll try to explain, though I don’t understand the technical terms.
Flapper had his phallus removed almost a year ago now. But the base of the phallus is still there because it’s part of a whole lymphatic? system and it kind of wraps around the cloaca. This makes it fairly difficult to remove. It needs to be removed though, because it either has scar tissue on it, or a granuloma, or a tumor of some kind. Basically something there is enlarged and abnormal, and causing him discomfort and continued swelling and infections.
Flapper’s most-recent vet (part of the same office we love) has performed this exact operation many times on cockatiels and other birds, but never on a duck. So he wants to practice on some deceased ducks first. We also think he should practice a lot too, so we enlisted help to find some good deceased drakes for him to practice with. (Sometimes ducks don’t make it and people keep them refrigerated or frozen to use for training to help out future ducks in need).
Interestingly, the drakes our friend was able to get for Flapper’s vet to practice on were wild ducks, and pretty cool ones. Here are links to photos of two of them:
Pretty cool birds, eh?
So a fancy eider and shoveller are helping the vet practice so he can be super ready for this celebrity pekin’s surgery. Only the best for my Flapper boy!
We’ve already heard that so far the anatomy is just as expected on the practice ducks, and the operation seems “do-able.” We’ll keep you posted as the surgery date approaches. So far, so good.
Special thanks to those who helped us get the practice drakes, and to the drakes who didn’t make it but are helping Flapper get better. Also thanks to Flapper’s vets and the entire office for helping make sure he gets the best chance at resolving his health issues.
Tags: pet health veterinarian
10 Comments
You will do good, Flapper. And remember size doesn’t matter anyway. WINK WINK
Aww geez, Flapper. I hope you’re gonna be ok, buddy. I wish I could send ya some french fries, buddy, but I’ll get crackin’ on some more muffin treats, ok?
I love ya, dude.
Hey Flap -
I am so sorry you need to get yet another surgery — but it only means you were so endowed that they couldn’t get everything the first time around! I hope the procedure doesn’t hurt too much and you are not too grumpy and groggy post-op.
The eider and shoveller are such neat ducks. I think I’ve seen shoveller on “Winged Migrations” — but the eider duck looks like a Nike sneaker — cool design!
Good luck Flapper – I will be thinking of you.
is the phallus caused by food that the ducks eat is i was told it was casued by birds eating salt cause they can not sweat so it can’t escape thats why they pant like dogs
I am not sure what is caused by that, Nick. But phallus is just the duck-anatomy word for penis. They do pant when they are overheated though, and when they are stressed. Flapper had his… phallus (penis) removed last year, and at the base of it, the lymphatic tissue and muscles that lead to it are still inflamed and not normal. That is what needs to be removed now. I will try to get a better photo and explanation next time I’m at the vet. He usually has to draw me photos so I understand.
Tiff – was that why Georgie, Phoebe Kay and Petunia Peach had to be separated from Flapper? Due to his previous phallus protrusion problem? (I like the alliteration of that one) Now that Flapper is neutered, can the girls move back in? Or are we still worried about O’Malley and Chewy developing the same problem?
The girls had to move because some whackjob on the East coast reported us to the City of Seattle for being over the legal limit of ducks. But that’s another story. We know the whackjob, but she’s keeping herself busy wreaking havoc in other peoples’ lives right now.
Flapper isn’t technically neutered though. He still has his testes and other plumbing. He still tries to mate with my shoes and everything else he finds attractive. It’s not all that easy to neuter a duck, apparently.
Flap, you’re always impressive. Why does mom try to stop you from doodling in the mud? I wouldn’t put up with that if I were you.
I know will you breeze through surgery and be back to your old toe-biting self in no time, dude. Keep us posted on how you’re feeling.
It’s sad that those drakes didn’t make it, but I’m glad that in death they’re helping Dr. Ford figure out how to operate on your bits and pieces.
Tiff, do you know the name and author of that book where you found the diagram? I’d love to have something so technical on duck anatomy? Thanks.
I’ll find out the name/author of the book for you, next time we’re at the vet.