Duck with swollen warm hock on both legs

[shelbylynn92]

Hello,
I could use some advice. I have 2 male pekins, about a year and a half old. They recently stayed a few weeks with a friend of mine, as I moved and got a new coop built for them. She texted me last week and said one of them didnt look good. I got to pick them up that afternoon and realized it was a massive understatement.
My duck was struggling to breathe, he sounded like he was hissing. His eye was foaming, his body was covered in sores and missing feathers, and his legs were swollen to the size of a gulf ball at the hock on both legs, warm to the touch and he struggles to stand/walk.
I took him to the vet the following morning, they think he had an infection in his legs, a severe respitory infection as well as infection in his eyes. They sent us home with 10 days of baytril 68. He is on day 7, everything has improved beyond anything I could have imagined.....except for his legs...
he struggles a lot to stand, he can only take a few steps before he gradually starts lowering himself until hes fully laying down. He now spends 95% of his time laying down with his legs out behind him. He really seems like he is in pain. They are SO swollen and warm.
The vet is not hopeful his legs will recover. What can I do? Does anyone have any experience in this?
I'm a first time duck mama, and my heart hurts seeing him like this.
I have attached a picutre for reference on his swelling.

 

[IvysAnimals]

Try your best to comfort him and keep him active. He probably still hurts so don't push him to do anything. I would suggest getting some females to maybe even brighten him up. Ducklings will need more care so fully grown female ducks would be good! Ducks need 3-6 females per 1 male. Keep doing what the vet says and give him a clean and fresh area to stay in. You might have to separate them so they don't make the other even more sick. He might need some more time to heal and some extra duck safe nutrients and treats. Hope all goes well!!!!

 

[Eggcessive]

It sounds like he might have been exposed to mycoplasma synovitis (MS) and mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG.) Both are contagious respiratory diseases, and MS can affect the joints causing swelling of hocks and and ankles. It is a bacterial arthritis and can spread to other birds, so I would close my flock. But testing would be required to know for sure. If he seems to be suffering or not get better, I would consider culling him and having your state vet do a necropsy and testing. I will tag @Miss Lydia and @Isaac 0 for more info, since I am more familiar with chickens.

 

[Miss Lydia]

What does the swelling feel like hard or soft like fluid? Just wondering if the vet could draw out some fluid for testing? Can you see any wound on his legs that may have opened up a way for bacteria to get in?
What the heck happened to him while with your friend? sores, loss of feathers, respiratory infection? And none of this was going on before you left them?

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is some reading about mycoplasma (MG and MS) in poultry:
https://tvmdl.tamu.edu/2019/05/20/mycoplasmosis-in-backyard-chicken-flocks/