starling injured leg (knee?)

Question
Hello we have a European starling we rescued about 7 months ago that has been doing very well until about 4 days ago it started limping and holding up one leg. When examining the bird we have noticed swelling on the knee or bend in the leg next to the body. We would take it to the vet but the only available avian vet is in a neighboring state were pet starlings are illegal and we are concerned about the bird being confiscated etc. We have tried applying a diluted solution of d.m.s.o on the effected area but it seems to roll off of the feathers with little or no positive effect. Any help would be much appreciated. This bird is very much a part of our family and much effort and time has been put into caring for it. Thank you

Answer
I'm afraid I can't diagnose the problem over the internet as it could be an injury, infection,nutritional deficiency, or something else. I can tell you that European Starlings are not protected by federal law as are virtually all other birds are so it is legal to possess them. I'm not aware of any state that protects them; that would be in conflict with federal law. So, bring it to a vet for a good diagnosis. I don't think I'd use dmso or any other ointment as birds are very sensitive to any kind of drugs. Hope that helps; good luck and thanks for your concern.