Straightening Legs That Are Criss-Crossed?

[ruthhope]

Well, not very good news. The prognosis wasn't great. Turns out, both of his knees are dislocated. And while there's a very slim chance of potentially physical therapy helping him out, the vet didn't seem to be very optimistic. Ultimately, she was suggesting either surgery (when he's bigger) or euthanasia. However, she did try wrapping some bandage/tape thing around his legs to try and keep them straight, though I was confused because they already bend inward and didn't think it would help. Later when they were trying to splint them differently, she was saying how the tying works for splayed legs that go outward, but his go the opposite way. And I was like, yeeeeah, I know....

So part of me also wants to get a second opinion from this other vet clinic (that's also 2.5 hours away but is specifically for birds). What I'd like is some sort of brace/cast that we could put on or something that would be like bumper effect to keep his legs from crossing over. Because he can stand when his feet are held flat on the ground. If he has something that prevents them from turning inward when walking, then maybe it could work out.

And in other bad news, my BF called on the way home to tell me that our rooster was attacked and missing all his tail feathers. And one of our hens was missing. I got home and helped clean up the wounds a little (mostly looked like they were all plucked out, so it was raw and bleeding a little, but it didn't look like really bite wounds, but it was hard to tell fort sure with the cloaca and everything) and sprayed Vetericyn on it. The poor guy was just so sad and hurt. And I'm saddened about our other hen disappearing, but I'm starting to get a little used to all these animal problems now, getting a little desensitized). But ultimately, a rough day!

So sorry for Mr Roo and your lost hen. Very sad for you that this happened when you were away on a mission of mercy with your duckling.

Which city and state do you live in/near?

 

[The Dim Side]

Image from @Miss Lydia's Etsy link. Several of the postings there had spacers as well as splints. It seems to me that your duckling should benefit from a spacer above its knees.

I don't know how reliable is the diagnosis of dislocated knees. if you buy or print yourself splints, I suggest your duckling only uses splints for short periods to keep his walking leg muscles strong.
But your duckling doesn't want to end up with rigid knees from wearing the splints for too long. So my advice would be to let your duck walk for maybe 30 minutes and then take them off and let your duck swim for 30 minutes. Then maybe an hour or two resting and back to 30 minutes walking in splints and 30 minutes swimming without.

Good luck and please keep us posted!
View attachment 3142378

Sorry, just to clarify, you think the dislocated knees diagnosis might be wrong? She did say the knee is actually up higher (where I would guess the hips would be, so the anatomy is different than I realized). So the knees are up near his main body.

I will add though, I was kind of annoyed at how she seemed a little more "pushy" about euthanizing him. Not that she was saying I should, but she was saying that he'll have a really poor quality of life, etc., so it would probably be more humane. And while I understand and don't want him suffering, I really want to see if there's a way to help get him at least a little more mobile, and he might have a chance at a decent life. I just think it's too soon to give up now, especially since he's such a fighter. He tries so hard to get himself sitting upright or even standing. After we practice together, he starts doing it on his own. And when he's actually sitting up or standing, he's so happy, too, chirping brightly. I did email the X-rays to another vet that specifically does birds to see if I could get a second opinion to make sure that's the issue.

I was trying to think of a way to make a thing to space his legs out like that, I didn't realize spacers were already a thing! I was trying to think of a way to make a joint in something that spaces the legs apart but that would allow for him to still be able to walk with it. Can they still walk with the spacers like these on?

The plus side is, with me just helping him stand right and holding his feet down, it seems to help him stretch it out to even getting him to figure out how to sit up decently enough. (Still slightly cross-legged, but he's not just flailing around and sliding his belly on the floor.) But it seems like he needs more help in the morning until he starts to get adjusted again. But he's been doing pretty well with sitting up himself this morning!

For anyone who knows duck anatomy, here are the X-rays they took, too:

 

[The Dim Side]

So sorry for Mr Roo and your lost hen. Very sad for you that this happened when you were away on a mission of mercy with your duckling.

Which city and state do you live in/near?

I live in western Pennsylvania, not near any actual city, pretty rural, lol.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sorry, just to clarify, you think the dislocated knees diagnosis might be wrong? She did say the knee is actually up higher (where I would guess the hips would be, so the anatomy is different than I realized). So the knees are up near his main body.

I will add though, I was kind of annoyed at how she seemed a little more "pushy" about euthanizing him. Not that she was saying I should, but she was saying that he'll have a really poor quality of life, etc., so it would probably be more humane. And while I understand and don't want him suffering, I really want to see if there's a way to help get him at least a little more mobile, and he might have a chance at a decent life. I just think it's too soon to give up now, especially since he's such a fighter. He tries so hard to get himself sitting upright or even standing. After we practice together, he starts doing it on his own. And when he's actually sitting up or standing, he's so happy, too, chirping brightly. I did email the X-rays to another vet that specifically does birds to see if I could get a second opinion to make sure that's the issue.

I was trying to think of a way to make a thing to space his legs out like that, I didn't realize spacers were already a thing! I was trying to think of a way to make a joint in something that spaces the legs apart but that would allow for him to still be able to walk with it. Can they still walk with the spacers like these on?

The plus side is, with me just helping him stand right and holding his feet down, it seems to help him stretch it out to even getting him to figure out how to sit up decently enough. (Still slightly cross-legged, but he's not just flailing around and sliding his belly on the floor.) But it seems like he needs more help in the morning until he starts to get adjusted again. But he's been doing pretty well with sitting up himself this morning!

For anyone who knows duck anatomy, here are the X-rays they took, too:

View attachment 3143230View attachment 3143231

@casportpony

 

[ruthhope]

Sorry, just to clarify, you think the dislocated knees diagnosis might be wrong? She did say the knee is actually up higher (where I would guess the hips would be, so the anatomy is different than I realized). So the knees are up near his main body.

I will add though, I was kind of annoyed at how she seemed a little more "pushy" about euthanizing him. Not that she was saying I should, but she was saying that he'll have a really poor quality of life, etc., so it would probably be more humane. And while I understand and don't want him suffering, I really want to see if there's a way to help get him at least a little more mobile, and he might have a chance at a decent life. I just think it's too soon to give up now, especially since he's such a fighter. He tries so hard to get himself sitting upright or even standing. After we practice together, he starts doing it on his own. And when he's actually sitting up or standing, he's so happy, too, chirping brightly. I did email the X-rays to another vet that specifically does birds to see if I could get a second opinion to make sure that's the issue.

I was trying to think of a way to make a thing to space his legs out like that, I didn't realize spacers were already a thing! I was trying to think of a way to make a joint in something that spaces the legs apart but that would allow for him to still be able to walk with it. Can they still walk with the spacers like these on?

The plus side is, with me just helping him stand right and holding his feet down, it seems to help him stretch it out to even getting him to figure out how to sit up decently enough. (Still slightly cross-legged, but he's not just flailing around and sliding his belly on the floor.) But it seems like he needs more help in the morning until he starts to get adjusted again. But he's been doing pretty well with sitting up himself this morning!

For anyone who knows duck anatomy, here are the X-rays they took, too:

View attachment 3143230View attachment 3143231

I was doubful about dislocated knees, but now I have seen the Xrays, I think the diagnosis is correct.

You do need an avian vet opinion as to how to treat -- the knee joint need aligning and holding in place, and that seems to me to be a specialist treatment. The sooner the knees are in place hte better as your duckling is growing so rapidly. I think your holding his feet so that he can stretch out is probably a good thing but I cannot know that for certain.

I hope you get a response from the avian vet that you sent the Xrays to.

Sorry you are in such a remote place making getting help difficult