Slipped tendon that turned to twisted tibia/my treatment

This will be my diary of treatment.

My four month plus old (hatched July 27) IB male peachick slipped his tendon due to injury while playing snatch and grab from the other birds while I was throwing out treats. It was on our deck so hard surface but not slick. I noticed it almost immediately (within the hour).

At this point the tibia was fine.

I pretty much got my treatment from a post made by Dylansmom regarding her young peachicks and her treatment. Thank you for that by the way, only post that gave me hope!

I taped his legs together (I did not get a photo of that) and had him contained in a pet carrier for the first day and a half.

This did NOT work, I think due to the fact he could not maintain a natural position.

At this time I felt despair as everything I had read said the longer the tendon was out of place the less chance it could be repaired. I tried to put him in a sling, worked on that hours, but he was just too big and strong to get him to stay in anything.

Then I remembered watching an episode of Dr Pol where he treated a chicken by taping the leg next to the body with vet wrap making sure the tendon was in place. I also remembered thinking "that will never work"! I think he did it for a week with the chicken.

I got my pea to stay in it for about four hours thus wrapped but I think it really helped. I had the leg up and slightly crossed to the inside of his chest. This might have caused the tibia twisting. It might have been better to just have leg up in natural position, I don't know. But this went a long way toward helping and if I could have maintained this for longer I would have. Little Answer is a wriggler.

I will post pics in next post.

I did not put him back in the pet carrier because I just couldn't keep an eye on his legs and how he was doing.

I wrapped the leg up next to his body then wrapped him around the body area and put him on a soft blanket.

If I could have left him for overnight like this, I would have. Next time I will duct tape the end of the wrap so it wont come undone. Live and learn. Oh and most of this is so much easier with a second person to assist.

For the two days I kept his legs taped together while periodically checking him, whether his hocks were rubbing, tendon in place etc.

I think it helped that he was on a blanket loose instead of being in a pet carrier as he could bunny hop and be in a natural position. Of course he bunny hopped right on the kitchen chairs, etc.

Also want to stress that I didn't duct tape tightly around each leg, I left room for blood flow. I took a long piece and presses it together outside the leg.

After two days I wanted him to have some exercise and see how the tendon was holding. At first it looked pretty bad but that was due to lack of activity.

The tendon seems to be holding but now....twisted tibia.....

I brought Answer in this morning and have taped the ankles? (Just above the foot) together attempting to make sure the tibia is in correct position. I have to use thin strips of duct tape as he is a pretty strong pea. He has dropped weight out of pure frustration I believe. He will eat, but he eats like is ticked at the food.

He was just slightly smaller than his brother Question. Now he is significantly smaller just in the course of this last week.

Names were given by my great niece.

Will take and post pics on the morrow when I check on him. This whole time I have let him pretty much lay on soft quilt or blanket, he spends a lot of time standing or laying with feet tucked under him. He is stinking up the kitchen but if it fixes his legs I will consider it worthwhile!!! For some reason being in the pet carrier just made things worse even tho I had on soft rags in there.

thndrdancr said:

I brought Answer in this morning and have taped the ankles? (Just above the foot) together attempting to make sure the tibia is in correct position. I have to use thin strips of duct tape as he is a pretty strong pea. He has dropped weight out of pure frustration I believe. He will eat, but he eats like is ticked at the food.

He was just slightly smaller than his brother Question. Now he is significantly smaller just in the course of this last week.

Names were given by my great niece.

Will take and post pics on the morrow when I check on him. This whole time I have let him pretty much lay on soft quilt or blanket, he spends a lot of time standing or laying with feet tucked under him. He is stinking up the kitchen but if it fixes his legs I will consider it worthwhile!!! For some reason being in the pet carrier just made things worse even tho I had on soft rags in there.

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Make sure you have a good pad between the hocks so they do not rub together and cause a sore. I used foam removed from an old seat cushion, foam mattress topper works as well. If you cut it like a wedge nice and wide at the hock end it will last for many days, unless pooped on, then you'll want to make a new one. I think the general idea behind taping overnight and untaping during the day is to keep their spirits up, give them the freedom during the day so they don't get too depressed or ticked off.

Great idea, dylansmom.

I forgot to mention I did put a soft cloth between his hocks to prevent rubbing but foam would be so much better. Thanks!

thndrdancr said:

Great idea, dylansmom.

I forgot to mention I did put a soft cloth between his hocks to prevent rubbing but foam would be so much better. Thanks!

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Keep an eye one the duct tape, make sure it doesn't cause skin irritation. Good quality vet wrap worked best for us, but our birds were so much younger, they would not have been anywhere near as strong as a 5 month old.

I am having a difficult time getting pictures today. He has been very upset, crying all night for his mom and brother and not eating much. I cut the tape and he is out with his family today. The tibia is not wanting to stay in correct position even with tape but it does seem minutely improved. He is not moving about much but its a cloudy dreary day. My plan was to keep him in and taped til tomorrow but I also have to keep his spirits up as dylansmom said, or he will go off feed entirely and stress himself to death.

He has been good til yesterday, but now he is like "enough already"!