Turkey cant stand up...walk

[merca126]

Hi,

I have a female turkey (unsure of age) I got her after she was attacked by something last year and I honestly didnt even think she would live. She was definitely not young at this point when I got her... she looked like she had a few years on her....Some one had dropped her off at a wildlife place I volunteer for. I took her home to my farm to heal. She had a huge hole in her back but she did heal up from that injury. She looks to me almost like if you mixed a wild turkey with a domestic turkey?

Recently, she has been limping for a few weeks but I just thought she would be ok because she was getting around eating and drinking etc. I figured she just tweaked something... Now she wont even stand up. If I try to pick her up her foot curls under. She splays the leg out to the side if she does get up at all. I feel like there is some swelling in her foot too but it hard to tell.

Any thoughts on what I should try? Since I know believe it was getting worse gradually, it doesn't seem like a direct injury? Any thoughts are helpful. BTW she is definitely a heavier bird so Im wondering if the weight is the issue.

 

[Kanekoded]

Hi,

I have a female turkey (unsure of age) I got her after she was attacked by something last year and I honestly didnt even think she would live. She was definitely not young at this point when I got her... she looked like she had a few years on her....Some one had dropped her off at a wildlife place I volunteer for. I took her home to my farm to heal. She had a huge hole in her back but she did heal up from that injury. She looks to me almost like if you mixed a wild turkey with a domestic turkey?

Recently, she has been limping for a few weeks but I just thought she would be ok because she was getting around eating and drinking etc. I figured she just tweaked something... Now she wont even stand up. If I try to pick her up her foot curls under. She splays the leg out to the side if she does get up at all. I feel like there is some swelling in her foot too but it hard to tell.

Any thoughts on what I should try? Since I know believe it was getting worse gradually, it doesn't seem like a direct injury? Any thoughts are helpful. BTW she is definitely a heavier bird so Im wondering if the weight is the issue.

Since, it's an older bird I'd check for tenosynovitis and staphylococcal arthitis by feeling the hock joints to see if they're hot or swollen. If no swelling or physical signs of trauma exist, the next thing I'd look at is nutrition. A common cause of lameness in birds is a vitamin deficiency due to improper diet.

I'd also be looking for toxins, like mold in the food or environment. You want to keep everything clean and dry. Also, some plants and foods are toxic to birds, did your bird accidently eat something it shouldn't have?

Sometimes lameness will improve on its own. I've seen it quite a few times where a bird will unexplainably go lame for a few days (maybe from slipping or jumping off a high perch?) and then perfectly recover on its own.

 

[merca126]

Since, it's an older bird I'd check for tenosynovitis and staphylococcal arthitis by feeling the hock joints to see if they're hot or swollen. If no swelling or physical signs of trauma exist, the next thing I'd look at is nutrition. A common cause of lameness in birds is a vitamin deficiency due to improper diet.

I'd also be looking for toxins, like mold in the food or environment. You want to keep everything clean and dry. Also, some plants and foods are toxic to birds, did your bird accidently eat something it shouldn't have?

Sometimes lameness will improve on its own. I've seen it quite a few times where a bird will unexplainably go lame for a few days (maybe from slipping or jumping off a high perch?) and then perfectly recover on its own.

thank you so much for this! her area is definitely clean and dry but it is a possibility she ate a plant I didnt see. Her foot and leg does have some heat. I would love to treat her but do feel a little lost where to begin. She is currently on "bed rest".

 

[Kanekoded]

thank you so much for this! her area is definitely clean and dry but it is a possibility she ate a plant I didnt see. Her foot and leg does have some heat. I would love to treat her but do feel a little lost where to begin. She is currently on "bed rest".

Here's a link with more information, including treatment, of arthritic birds. Hope it's helpful:

https://wagwalking.com/bird/condition/arthritis

 

[merca126]

Here's a link with more information, including treatment, of arthritic birds. Hope it's helpful:

https://wagwalking.com/bird/condition/arthritis

sorry one last question... there is some heat in that foot. I have spread out her toes and braced them but I do have a few antibiotics here in case there is an infection. Can turkeys have clindamycin or clavamox? I have some here in oral form that I got this year for my dog but both are unused (infection cleared up before I got to use them) I guess if either of those are an option...figuring out dosage seems like it may be difficult..

 

[Kanekoded]

sorry one last question... there is some heat in that foot. I have spread out her toes and braced them but I do have a few antibiotics here in case there is an infection. Can turkeys have clindamycin or clavamox? I have some here in oral form that I got this year for my dog but both are unused (infection cleared up before I got to use them) I guess if either of those are an option...figuring out dosage seems like it may be difficult..

I have never used either of those on my birds but others have. I found a couple of links for you that may help you with the dosage:


http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/clindamycin

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/anyone-ever-use-clavamox-antibiotics-for-chickens.295457/

 

[merca126]

I have never used either of those on my birds but others have. I found a couple of links for you that may help you with the dosage:


http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/clindamycin

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/anyone-ever-use-clavamox-antibiotics-for-chickens.295457/

thank you again!!