Adolescent turkey broken leg!!

[Knockknock]

Since i couldnt get any help in the emergency section of the website...I have a pair of adolescent sweetgrass turkeys. We are using dog kennel panels as the bird enclosure. The turkeys like to roost on top of the panels. Saturday is was raining and one of the turkeys slipped and his leg went between two upright posts. He broke his leg and his flopping around broke the skin.

I cleaned up the area and placed EMT gel on the wound to stop the bleeding. I used two small pieces of popsicle sticks to splint the leg and then I wrapped it with vet wrap. Yesterday he seemed to be doing fine. I have him in a large crate with food and water very close.

Today I checked his leg and his foot was warm, swollen and when I touched it a clear liquid with an orange tint came out of a crack between his toe. I cleaned him up again and fresh bandages and vet wrap, no splint.

He seems to be eating and drinking, he is,also standing on his good leg and toe touching with his injured leg. Is there anything else I can do?

 

[ivan3]

The leg needs to be disinfected, thoroughly. If this is a compound fracture with loss of skin integrity at site of break, then even the most rigorously effected irrigation/debridement/dressing might not be enough to prevent osteomyelitis from taking hold and killing the turk. Drainage? from foot is also not a good prognostic sign.

1 part betadine to 10 parts water in good quality, adjustable spray bottle and 2"x2"/4"x4" sterile cotton pads/1"x2" cotton bandage. Irrigate wound and make sure leg is set, apply 4"x4"'s and wrap with bandage - replace splints and firmly wrap more of the bandage around the splints as well ( tape firmly in place - narrow strips of duck tape will do). Now, check/change dressing every 36 hrs (in between dressing can be sprayed with blukote/Durvet Red Wound Oil (spray). Maintain turk on clean bedding in a low light environment - lowers activity - just enough light to see/acquire food/water. If wound appears clean/no spreading red areas/lines at site of primary avulsion(s)/no foul odor - with first dressing change - place splints over the new 4"x4"'s and rewrap (and keep applying disinfectant spray).

Most importantly see:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1131799/turkey-wound#post_17503649


Broken bones in the legs (particularly complex fractures) should be treated aggressively as a source of systemic infection, even if very lucky. Injectable antibiotic should be started ASAP.

Best of luck!

 

[Knockknock]

The leg has set and the abrasions are healing. I am concerned he's going to loose his foot. It's cold to the touch and grey.