Tongue Amputation? 6 day old guinea keet with thread around tongue.

[Mmmatt13]

A couple hours ago I discovered a 6 day old Guinea keet had a thread/string wrapped around its tongue. The string was pretty far back, and the front part of the tongue is clearly dead/dying, so I'm curious about amputating the dead part? I ended up cutting the length of the string off, but it is no doubt still wrapped around the tongue itself. I cannot see any string, though, because it is embedded into it. I cannot get the string off of the tongue. I read that if the string doesn't come off, it could swell up the back of the tongue and block the airway, so if I can't get to the string, is my only option to amputate? I thought that maybe leaving the string around will cut off circulation to the tip of the tongue and it would die and fall off, but I don't know what it would do to the back of the tongue. Plus where does the string go once the tongue is gone? I literally have no visual of the part that's wrapped around.
My concerns are that the dead part is about half of the little guy's tongue, and that's just a lot of tongue to cut off. Also, what would aftercare be like? I have vitamins and minerals that I could easily put in their water, but am not sure that's necessary. All that I've read on this particular possibility, the chickens have been fine post-amputation with little to no aftercare. I'm just hesitant. I know that poultry are extremely resilient, so I'm leaning towards just doing it, but obviously, I'm a bit scared.


Any advice or suggestions would be great. Thanks.

 

[chooks4life]

My keets were nonstop eating string and needing rescuing, lol... Also once we had an adult gander we bought who had a thick black ring stuck around the base of his tongue. It pinched it and restricted his tongue but caused no tissue death and we left it on as he was an aggressive dinner item.

Generally healthy stock can cope with an amputation through accident without help, though I'm not advising not helping! Personally I wouldn't cut its tongue as you don't know for sure how much is recoverable. If it's dying back itself then there's a good chance it won't suddenly swell up and block its windpipe, the most at-risk period for this physiological reaction was when the string first cut off circulation. The tongue is one of the toughest and most protected parts of the body and saliva itself carries antibiotic compounds unless the stock are on man-made antibiotics or similarly medicated feed. Then a boost may be needed. Garlic's one of the greatest antibiotics out there, popular globally; there's a reason the Russians call it 'russian penicillin' lol.

If you leave it the string may end up inside the bird. This may be ok if it's cotton or not too long, especially if you are keeping an eye on the bird and flush its gut by giving it a good tablespoon or two of cold pressed olive oil or similar. I'd make sure extra sharp shell grits were on hand for this period, as well as an extra acidic/enzyme rich diet. But I haven't kept guinea fowl for long so don't know if they'll eat the same stuff as chooks.

What sort of string and how long would be useful things to know though I did notice you said you can't see it. Personally I would feed it raw minced garlic or give it ACV in its water and leave its body to disinfect the area but I'm into natural remedies so I would say that. Stockholm tar would immediately remove the pain and disinfect it and restore any flesh not yet fully dead. Seems safe enough for them to eat in small amounts and is amazingly effective. Anyway best wishes to you and your birds. I think it'll be fine.

 

[Mmmatt13]

Thank you so much for replying. I've only had keets for 6 weeks total (this new batch just hatched on Monday) and so far they've been more trouble than any other poultry I've raised.

I think the plan for right now is to just let it figure itself out. The tongue itself is pretty dried out at the tip, and I think the string is just going to keep killing it until it falls off - like castrating a pig. But I am concerned because obviously the little guy needs his mouth to survive, so I just don't know if I need to do anything else.

The string now is only as long as his tongue is around. I cut the length of the thread off (it was a thread from a towel) so that it wouldn't be pulled anymore and because it was really the only thing I could do, it is embedded so deep into the tongue that I literally couldn't see it at all.

I think I will keep an eye on him for a while and if I think he needs some extra help (vitamins, painkillers, etc.) I'll see what I can do for him.

Thank you again, I usually don't get replies when I post in the emergencies forum so I truly appreciate you taking the time.

 

[chooks4life]

Quote: Ditto. Nevertheless I intend to try again sometime when I have the space and inclination, and this time I'll buy from a backyard breeder rather than a produce store. Little psychopaths! Tried to disembowel my turkey chicks which were about the same size as them.

Quote: Is it eating and drinking? High enzyme and scratchy/sharp foods right now may dissolve or lacerate the string until it comes off. They can tolerate hard-shelled beetles, and I know chickens like their shellgrits and strong-enzyme feeds but don't know about keets. If the thread's cotton it should hopefully bread before it loses its tongue. Must be wrapped around a couple of times to be holding, I'd think.

Quote: You're very welcome, I hope my reply is of some use. Not good to see people asking for help and getting no replies. All the best.