- May 18, 2014
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I would like to post an experience I had yesterday to be of help to others as I have acquired so much information from this site.
I have a 3 week old Emu chick that I took outside to exercise in a newly built pen. I had already took out my month old chick to exercise and decided to see how they'd do together as I keep them separated due to a case of pecking and bullying by the older chick. These chicks have been given sav-a-chick electrolytes and vitamins since first hatched. I personally incubated them. All 3 I have were hale and hardy, no problems. The younger emu started racing around the pen while I sat there ready to stop any scuffling. I saw the chick slipping on gum balls from the tree that I had not removed from the pen. Suddenly the chick was flailing and flopping , obviously something was wrong. Upon inspection, the right leg seemed paralyzed and not able to be flexed. I picked him up, put him on his back in my lap and investigated. The right leg had obviously slipped a tendon. You could see, hear and feel it snap back into place. Looking at the bird, upside down, his right leg affected, the tendon would slide sideways, to the left when I flexed it. Like a rubber band rolling over. This bird is 3 weeks old and Emus are larger than chickens, so it was easy to see. The tendon wouldn't stay in place, knowing I had to do something to save him, I came inside, got vet wrap, cut a 3-4" long piece wide enough to wrap around the entire hock, about an 1" wide. I re-positioned the tendon while flexing his leg straight, with tendon in place, I wrapped the entire hock with the pressure pulling against the tendon opposite of the way it was slipped out. I also hobbled him. An hour later, watching like a hawk, I noticed him standing, trying to walk but fighting the hobbles so violently he'd fall flailing. I removed the hobbles and he stood and walked. After a little time I noticed that foot seemed puffy so I removed the hock wrap. Shortly after, he was once again unable to stand or walk. The tendon had slipped back out. I wrapped it again over the hock and went to bed exhausted. When I woke up he was laying down, I had already cut a new piece of vet wrap to replace. The hock wrap had slid to his ankles but, the tendon was still in place. I wrapped the hock again anyway. It has been 23 hours since the injury now , hock still wrapped, but he is walking and standing. Occasionally I see the affected leg tremble, but until I re wrap tonight I cant verify the tendon is in place, I can only assume it is because he is standing and walking. I will keep updating on this to let people know how this treatment pans out. Any comments or addition suggestions are welcome. I hope this information can help someone searching for treatment of slipped tendons.
I have a 3 week old Emu chick that I took outside to exercise in a newly built pen. I had already took out my month old chick to exercise and decided to see how they'd do together as I keep them separated due to a case of pecking and bullying by the older chick. These chicks have been given sav-a-chick electrolytes and vitamins since first hatched. I personally incubated them. All 3 I have were hale and hardy, no problems. The younger emu started racing around the pen while I sat there ready to stop any scuffling. I saw the chick slipping on gum balls from the tree that I had not removed from the pen. Suddenly the chick was flailing and flopping , obviously something was wrong. Upon inspection, the right leg seemed paralyzed and not able to be flexed. I picked him up, put him on his back in my lap and investigated. The right leg had obviously slipped a tendon. You could see, hear and feel it snap back into place. Looking at the bird, upside down, his right leg affected, the tendon would slide sideways, to the left when I flexed it. Like a rubber band rolling over. This bird is 3 weeks old and Emus are larger than chickens, so it was easy to see. The tendon wouldn't stay in place, knowing I had to do something to save him, I came inside, got vet wrap, cut a 3-4" long piece wide enough to wrap around the entire hock, about an 1" wide. I re-positioned the tendon while flexing his leg straight, with tendon in place, I wrapped the entire hock with the pressure pulling against the tendon opposite of the way it was slipped out. I also hobbled him. An hour later, watching like a hawk, I noticed him standing, trying to walk but fighting the hobbles so violently he'd fall flailing. I removed the hobbles and he stood and walked. After a little time I noticed that foot seemed puffy so I removed the hock wrap. Shortly after, he was once again unable to stand or walk. The tendon had slipped back out. I wrapped it again over the hock and went to bed exhausted. When I woke up he was laying down, I had already cut a new piece of vet wrap to replace. The hock wrap had slid to his ankles but, the tendon was still in place. I wrapped the hock again anyway. It has been 23 hours since the injury now , hock still wrapped, but he is walking and standing. Occasionally I see the affected leg tremble, but until I re wrap tonight I cant verify the tendon is in place, I can only assume it is because he is standing and walking. I will keep updating on this to let people know how this treatment pans out. Any comments or addition suggestions are welcome. I hope this information can help someone searching for treatment of slipped tendons.
