Please help- three week old duckling with curled foot and swollen hock

[1981Wazza]

Hello,
I have a three week old duckling who was born very weak and she had a curled left foot. Her leg then became bowed and the hock joint is very swollen. She has been managing to walk and get around, although she limps a bit- I have been giving her a vitamin supplement and extra brewers yeast in her feed. She has been eating well and managing pretty well although she lies down a bit more than her siblings. But yesterday she seems to have taken a turn for the worst, she can hardly weight bear on her leg and is really uncomfortable. shes literally hopping about, it's awful to watch. I had emailed a vet locally but they said they didn't think there was much they could do and just to encourage her to move about as much as possible. But I am not convinced this is the right answer as she's getting worse. I am gutted as I have put so much work into trying to get her right and last week she looked like she was improving and was starting to straight then leg and stand up tall for short periods, so I don't know why she has suddenly gone downhill. Is there anything I can do to help her? Image attached was taken a few days ago when she was doing well. Thank you worried

 

[Isaac 0]

Hi, the problem here is that the deformity wasn't corrected when she first hatched, so the bones have become more set and place, and the use of a splint may prove too painful or worthless to the duckling. I suppose it's worth a shot, but for that, we'll need an up-close picture of the leg, the one you provided makes it quite hard to see the leg affected.

I think a combination of water therapy, b vitamins, and if possible a splint your duckling may be able to improve a good bit.

 

[1981Wazza]

Thank you so much - I will get some pics later today up close and post them. I did splint her foot a couple of times for two days at a time to try and flatten it out which seemed to help, but the foot just retracted a few days after. But as you say I think it's probably the leg that needs splinting. I will do anything I can to get her sorted, its heart breaking to see when she is so lovely.

 

[DuckyDonna]

If you can get some B-complex it would probably be a very good thing to get her started on that right away at any rate. It's good for all the ducklings. I have no idea where you are but if you've got Tractor Supply they will have it.

 

[BirdsBeesTrees]

The foot is completely backwards. I don't know what kind of quality of life it will have without drastic measures.

 

[1981Wazza]

 

[1981Wazza]

 

[1981Wazza]

I am in the UK, I bought some poultry nutri drops which are full of vitamins including B12 and I have also been adding brewers yeast to every feed as this is high in B vitamins, is that enough? Thank you

 

[1981Wazza]

 

[Isaac 0]

Can you take her to a vet?