Possible Splay Legs

[bt3401]

Hi All,

I'm currrently hand rearing two young chicks (which i have never done before). The parents refused to sit on the nest after a day so we decided to bring into the house and raise as they were becoming very cold & lifeless.

Things were going fairly well for about 2 weeks, then one chick just stopped growing. The other sibling remains healthy to this day and is now walking and squeaking like crazy. However the smaller bird just seems to have problem after problem - the latest with his legs.

All of a sudden he started fully extending one of his legs all the way back as though he was stretching. This continued until the leg was fully outstretched with 'palm' facing upwards most of the time. We took him to a vet this week who taped the legs together but this just seems to have made the chick worse as the bad leg seems now to have swelled and deteriorated. The vet also mentioned that movement in the leg seemed to be very restricted, although she did confess not to be a pigeon expert (our local avian vet wasn't interested because he isn't an 'expensive' bird apparently).

I've looked on the web at pics of spayed leg and i can't find anything that looks similar. Has anyone come across this condition before?

Thanks in advance!

[spirit wings]

it could be neurological, also salmonella can cause joint problems. as far as the vet goes...did she actually say she was not interested because he is not an expensive bird? Or are you just guessing at that? call another one if that is the case.

[plamenh]

If you have a chance, post a picture. It will be easier to check.

[bt3401]

I'll post a couple of pics tonight.

With regards to the vet, the one that actually saw us was great, but did confess she wasn't an expert. It was the local avian vet that wasn't interested!

Because the chick doesn't look partcularly healthy (but is eating well) i'm wondering whether the best course of action is to ignore the legs at the min and focus on getting the birds strength up. Rather than trying to fix while growing, and putting additional stress on the bird.

[spirit wings]

Originally Posted by bt3401

I'll post a couple of pics tonight.

With regards to the vet, the one that actually saw us was great, but did confess she wasn't an expert. It was the local avian vet that wasn't interested!

Because the chick doesn't look partcularly healthy (but is eating well) i'm wondering whether the best course of action is to ignore the legs at the min and focus on getting the birds strength up. Rather than trying to fix while growing, and putting additional stress on the bird.

You have to fix it while you have a window of opportunity, while the bird is young or it will not beable to be fixed. so you should not lag on this.

As far as the vet goes, I still do not understand..the local avian vet said with her own lips she was not interested because this bird was not expensive?...If that is the case she should be reported to the state board.

[bt3401]

Pics of sick bird and healthy sibling attached.

Not the best pictures, but they do give you an idea of how far behind the sick bird is compared to healthy brother/sister.

The position is typical of how the bird tends to rest. Right leg, swollen around the joint and fully extended to the rear with foot appearing swollen and less able than the left.

The left leg is often placed out to the side slightly, i've assumed to compensate for the right. The left leg seems unrestricted and fairly healthy.

We had bandages keeping both legs together for several days, but this appeared just to incapacitate the left leg also and cause the right to swell further. The bird ended up resting with both legs pointing slightly to the left and rear.

The other bird has no obvious health issues and is growing at a good rate. Very active and very vocal.

[Reti]

There is something very wrong with this poor baby. Hard to tell if it is congenital or an infection such as salmonella.
I would start him on Baytril and an antifungal drug.

Reti

[bt3401]

Thanks for the info - do you have any recommendations for an antifungal drug?

[BirdDust]

The fact that the parents abandoned them may be your first clue. Second, poor growth rate should not be a problem if you are hand feeding a bird, especially if you have a sibling to compare it with. The extension of the back leg is not necessary straddle leg. It could be paratyphoid giving the bird that contorted look. It's hard to say in a bird so young, but proper binding of the legs will help straddle leg, but will do nothing if there are neuro problems going on. I would keep both birds separate to prevent any cross contamination. Normal droppings can also be misread. Plus if the leg is swelling, it's more then just a simple case of straddle leg. Poor growth rate is your major clue something else might be going on. Keep up the nutrition and bind the leg as best you can before it becomes disfigured. If you see the bird become distressed over this or start flipping over, it is a bigger problem.

[altgirl35]

can you get a better pic of that leg, it looks like it might be injured around the top of the foot, how is his crop emptying?? he looks red and dehydrated on top of everything
i have to agree with reti and start him on baytril, nystatin is a good antifungal but there are others.
where are you in new england? if you are close i can help you hobble him and give you some nystatin

[altgirl35]

ooooh your in england england lol, sorry

[bt3401]

Crops emptying well, and regularly.

How would you recommend treating for dehydration?

[bt3401]

Also...

I can get hold of Nystatin today but it's likely to be in a cream form.

Could you advise how best to administer please?

ps. thanks everyone for all the info and support so far.

[altgirl35]

waterdown the formula a little till his coloring looks a little better, check his mouth to see if he has stringy saliva.
the nystatin i use is for oral infections (thrush) you need a prescription for it, i wouldn't use the cream

[bt3401]

Thanks,

There's a few options available for thrush treatment so i'll see what i can get - what form would you use normally? powder, crushed pill etc...

I'll modify his formula from now on and make sure it's watered down.

I can't seem to get Baytril over here without prescription. I'll speak to a vet to see if i can arrange, but if not, is there a good substitute?

Thanks.