Leg band emergency!

[adnan]

I would try adding some turmeric powder into water alone. 1/8 teaspoon in a glass of water, then check condition for 12 hours. If getting better keep giving turmeric water for few days, 12 hours daily.

I might give water soluble vitamins in separate dish.

[ac12]

I would put the heat lamp on one side of the cage, and just cover the top and other sides of the cage w the blanket to hold the heat. BUT, put a thermometer in there to monitor the temp, so you don't cook him. I try to target high 80s in my hospital setup. And give him plenty of water to drink. If he is trying to get away from the lamp, open up the blanket a bit to bring the temp down, so he does not overheat.

I had a similar situation. For some reason, the foot of my zebra got SWOLLEN. The band restricted the swelling to the leg and foot. The only thing that I can think of that caused a foot swelling is injury to the foot and subsequent infection that resulted in swelling.

[konkata]

I left him alone for a couple hours to go check on a lovebird rescue (and bring her home...I'm so bad) and when I came home, he was out of the nest and perching on it. Usually if he was out of the nest he'd be on the bottom of the cage, but he was perching on the nest and he wasn't fluffed up anymore. He is definitely toasty and didn't appear too warm, so I think its definitely looking good. Maybe he's coming out of being shocky.

I didn't get to see his foot though. I think I'm going to let him relax for the night and check on it in the morning. If he's still perching then I'll add a perch in the cage and take out the nest (since I only gave him the nest so he wasn't laying on the ground).

I'm very excited that he seems to be doing well. I was really concerned this morning, and still am, buts definitely a relief to see him getting better.

[ac12]

One thing to also try is a bit of Listerine in his bath water. I think it was Candace that said she did it with canaries. I put 1/8 teaspoon in 6oz of bath water for my zebras. They seem to be the ones most likely to have foot problems.

[konkata]

I will definitely pick up come Listerine and Turmeric, but I'm afraid that I'll only be able to find the Turkeric in pill form with the natural suppliments. I hope thats the right kind

[monotwine]

Shame sorry to see what happened to your boy, but it is looking good now that you have cleaned it up.
Don't stress too much. It actually looks good and the toes look very much alive from the pictures. Skin can regrow. I cannot see in the pics, but is the leg straight. not at an angle? i.e. broken.

I had a bird once that got scalped. NO skin cap on the head and I could see its skull. It survived quite happily and all I did was put on antibiotic cream. Birds can amaze us with their resiliance.

Just give him a nice clean warm environment to heal in and good food and he should be fine.

[kenny]

hi
i think you caught it just in time,i think the blood flow has gone back to the foot ,from the pics that you have posted......but you mentioned coconut fibre,i had some sisal string in my aviary and the zebs pulled it apart,three days later one of my quail had some wrapped round her leg and it went right down to the bone,like you i had to do some digging her foot swelled like a balloon i did manage to get it all of but she ended up with a permanent scar it looked as if she had a leg band on her leg but it was where i had dug out the string .....be very careful with any fibres that can wrap round legs they soon become constrictive,i might add the only birds that didnt get tangled where my weavers,but i only gave them horse hair to start thier weaving then straw and hay even the smallest lenghths of fibres can cause trouble for tiny feet


ken

[L in Ontario]

How is your CT this morning?

[konkata]

I checked on him at 1am before I went to bed and he was fine. The swelling had gone down in the toes.

Unfortunately when I found him this morning, his foot was hanging off to one side, completely crooked, and it was black. I called the vet and they said they only had one appointment available and I couldn't make it. So I called my friend who gave me the number to the vet we use for our bird rescues. I asked if I could come in right away but they said they were booked until 2:30.

I then called my husband and told him what happened. He asked me how much a new bird was. Then he asked me how much the vet appointment would be. He said it would be cheaper to buy another bird than it would to get this one vetted. I'm so angry with him. Looks like I'm flying this one solo. Luckily the vet said that as long as I put half down, they'd take payments since I'm part of a bird rescue group.

Right now my little cutthroats in his hospital cage with a blanket over him to try and keep him still. He doesn't seem shocky so I guess thats good. God, how horrible.

[L in Ontario]

Ahhh how sad. We really thought he might retain the use of his leg. I'm sorry for this turn of events.

Do keep us updated.

[Ursula]

Ohh! I'm so sorry! I followed your post and just didn't chime in because I have no experience with an insury like that.

Don't be too angry at your husband, that would be most people's reaction. I'm sure he'll be sorry when he sees how upset yot are.

And good luck for the little one! There are members on the board with one-legged birds, so if all goes well at the vet I'm sure he'll be fine.

[konkata]

Any idea about what the vet might want to do? I work a part time job to help pay the bills and just got my check today. I know it sounds brash, but I might just cut to the chase and ask him to amputate instead of racking up a big bill with x-rays and whatnot. I don't even think x-rays would be helpful at this point.

[L in Ontario]

If the foot/leg is really black - there will be no choice but to amputate as there is no circulation if it is blackened.

[konkata]

Alright. I know it sounds kind of dumb, but thats actually a bit of a relief to me. I just want it off the poor little guy so he can start getting better. Man this is so stressful. I'll keep you guys updated.

[konkata]