Bowed leg and swollen hock

[bhare90]

I have a duck that is bowed legged and I noticed yesterday it’s hock was swollen and warm to the touch. Every time it try’s to walk it falls all over the place. Any suggestions on what I should do?

 

[M-H-Fielding]

I have a duck that is bowed legged and I noticed yesterday it’s hock was swollen and warm to the touch. Every time it try’s to walk it falls all over the place. Any suggestions on what I should do?

Can you upload pics? My guess would be the leg is broken.

 

[bhare90]

Sorry for taking too long to respond. I just noticed my duck has a open wound on it’s hock. It stands on the side of its swollen foot. Hope the photos are good enough.

 

[Isaac 0]

It looks like the duck may have either developed a slipped tendon, varus-valgus deformity, or possibly is deficient in niacin, but I would suspect the other leg would be affected if it were niacin related. Due to this condition, she has been inactive and has been applying a great deal of pressure to the hock area, and it's now infected.

Given her age, it's very unlikely you will ever be able to get the hock into its normal position unless surgery is done. I would consider euthanizing her if you can't get her to a vet, but if you want to give her a chance, I would suggest starting her on antibiotics for the infection. You may consider using Baytril (Enrofloxacin), or cephalexin. I'll provide a link to both antibiotics below :

https://www.chewy.com/fish-aid-antibiotics-cephalexin/dp/185208
https://allbirdproducts.com/products/baytril-10

Instead of her laying on the ground, you'll want to prop her up in a sling to avoid pressure to the area. You can make a make-shift one, by cutting two holes in a shirt, and strapping it across a Tupperware like this,

It would be good to let her swim in the water a few times a day, to let her exercise the legs, and relieve some of the swelling. Administering B vitamins, specifically niacin (B3) would also be good, so would mashed scrambled eggs offered a few times a week.

 

[bhare90]

It looks like the duck may have either developed a slipped tendon, varus-valgus deformity, or possibly is deficient in niacin, but I would suspect the other leg would be affected if it were niacin related. Due to this condition, she has been inactive and has been applying a great deal of pressure to the hock area, and it's now infected.

Given her age, it's very unlikely you will ever be able to get the hock into its normal position unless surgery is done. I would consider euthanizing her if you can't get her to a vet, but if you want to give her a chance, I would suggest starting her on antibiotics for the infection. You may consider using Baytril (Enrofloxacin), or cephalexin. I'll provide a link to both antibiotics below :

https://www.chewy.com/fish-aid-antibiotics-cephalexin/dp/185208
https://allbirdproducts.com/products/baytril-10

Instead of her laying on the ground, you'll want to prop her up in a sling to avoid pressure to the area. You can make a make-shift one, by cutting two holes in a shirt, and strapping it across a Tupperware like this,

View attachment 2385886

It would be good to let her swim in the water a few times a day, to let her exercise the legs, and relieve some of the swelling. Administering B vitamins, specifically niacin (B3) would also be good, so would mashed scrambled eggs offered a few times a week.

Thank you!! I’m going to try to give her a chance since she is trying to walk and is eating and drinking just fine. I’ll give her a couple months before Euthanizing her. I appreciate the help! I been trying to find some medicine for her but I haven’t had any luck yet but still looking. I’ll look up the ones you told me about. Thanks again!

 

[Isaac 0]

Thank you!! I’m going to try to give her a chance since she is trying to walk and is eating and drinking just fine. I’ll give her a couple months before Euthanizing her. I appreciate the help! I been trying to find some medicine for her but I haven’t had any luck yet but still looking. I’ll look up the ones you told me about. Thanks again!

For her, the Baytril would be good. Let me know which one you choose, and I can give you further instructions regarading dose, and administration.

 

[bhare90]

The baytril isn’t working I feel like. I noticed it’s open wound on it’s leg looks a little better but is still open. I sprayed it with ointment and rewrapped it. I noticed it’s leg looks a lot more swollen. It gets around eats and drinks but when it moves it’s sprawls it’s wings out to try to walk while dragging the swollen leg

 

[Isaac 0]

The baytril isn’t working I feel like. I noticed it’s open wound on it’s leg looks a little better but is still open. I sprayed it with ointment and rewrapped it. I noticed it’s leg looks a lot more swollen. It gets around eats and drinks but when it moves it’s sprawls it’s wings out to try to walk while dragging the swollen leg

What dose of Baytril have you been giving her, and for how long?

If the Baytril doesn't seem to be working, it's possible the cause of the swelling is not due to an infection, but directly due to the deformity she has. Whether she as perosis, a varus-valgus deformity, or tibial dyschondroplasia, I can't say, but often with those types of conditions, swelling does progress in the hock area as they get older.

There are some surgeries available for this. I can't speak on the price, although I'm sure it will be high, and I'm sure the prognosis for the surgery may be iffy. If you have a vet nearby, you may consider discussing that with the vet. If you're unable to see a vet, besides providing some of the supportive care I mentioned above, you're not going to be able to totally solve the problem yourself. If she continues to get worse, you might want to consider euthanasia.

 

[bhare90]

I believe it’s 250mg but don’t quote me on that.. I don’t really have that kind of money to spend on a vet for the duck but we have considered euthanasia since nothing else seems to be working and we already possibly done everything we could do. I was told that since we gave it baytril we can not eat it if we do euthanasia it.

 

[Isaac 0]

I believe it’s 250mg but don’t quote me on that.. I don’t really have that kind of money to spend on a vet for the duck but we have considered euthanasia since nothing else seems to be working and we already possibly done everything we could do. I was told that since we gave it baytril we can not eat it if we do euthanasia it.

Baytril comes in liquid. The dose is 0.05ml per pound. 250mg of Baytril to a duck your size would be way too much. Correct, you can't eat the eggs, or meat for a month or two.