4 week gosling stopped being able to walk

[AndrewMarshall]

We received a 4 week old Greylag gosling to help rehab and need help understanding how to help her walk again.

Prior to us receiving her, at 3 weeks, she started to decline and then not able to walk.
Was taken to the vet by previous foster and was given penicillin and charcoal treatment for possible bacterial infection or botulism. She then developed seizures and lost consistent control of her neck. She was given a muscle relaxer and calmed down after 30 mins.

We have had her for 4 days and was able to get her on Mazuri Waterfowl starter, feeding every hour, niacin supplements, taking her swimming, etc.
She has made remarkable progress. Her neck is now normal, she eats and drinks well and has made some progress with her legs, but it hasn’t progressed much after day two. Otherwise her behavior is very normal now, which is great, but am looking for assistance with what may still be occurring with her legs and if taping them will help or is she too grown at 4 weeks for that to assist?

attaching photos and videos, but her right leg seems to be stronger and her left turned inwards a little bit. Her legs seems to go outward, which makes us think it may be splayed leg, but haven’t seen that as a symptom this late into life (4 weeks), after being able to walk normally prior.

thanks for any help!!

 

[AndrewMarshall]

It will not allow to me to attach the videos? But was able to post screenshots of the video

 

[benevolent_leonela]

Try and get a photo attached of you can. Although I have never experienced this with my own goslings, I am neurotic and always worry, want to be informed~ there is a condition of the joints and legs in all types of poultry that can be attributed to the type of flooring that is in the brooder. You've already mentioned and tried antibiotics and niacin and you've had no success there. Was there any bedding in the previous owners brooder that the gosling was in? Do you have bedding down in the brooder pen or whatever type of enclosure you have the gosling in? Slippery surfaces or any type of surface with no traction (even having newspaper down on the floor) causes the goslings legs to go out from under them that over time causes bad positioning of the joints, there is a name for this but it totally escapes me. If it isn't too severe it can be corrected I believe.

Goslings are soooo clumsy with their big feet, oblong bodies. Maybe what I described isn't the case with what you are experiencing but I thought it would be worth mentioning.

 

[AndrewMarshall]

Try and get a photo attached of you can. Although I have never experienced this with my own goslings, I am neurotic and always worry, want to be informed~ there is a condition of the joints and legs in all types of poultry that can be attributed to the type of flooring that is in the brooder. You've already mentioned and tried antibiotics and niacin and you've had no success there. Was there any bedding in the previous owners brooder that the gosling was in? Do you have bedding down in the brooder pen or whatever type of enclosure you have the gosling in? Slippery surfaces or any type of surface with no traction (even having newspaper down on the floor) causes the goslings legs to go out from under them that over time causes bad positioning of the joints, there is a name for this but it totally escapes me. If it isn't too severe it can be corrected I believe.

Goslings are soooo clumsy with their big feet, oblong bodies. Maybe what I described isn't the case with what you are experiencing but I thought it would be worth mentioning.

Thank you. Since we have had her, she has had plain white cotton towels in her brooding box and her legs still flop out to her sides. She is really trying to stand up and then chirps fast and loud, which I’m sure frustrates her to not be able to stand or walk for close to a week now.
I think the previous person had paper towels or something similar.
We hope she didn’t develop sprayed leg and assumed her lack of ability to walk was due to her suspected bacterial infection and then subsequent seizures from the medication.
Last night we got her to stand and balance for about 30 seconds, but she hasn’t done as much of that today.
Even when she swims, her legs go out a bit to her side vs more straight back.
Hopefully I’ll be able to get a video to attach. I did screenshots of the videos and those attached.

if you have any other suggestions, please let us know!

 

[benevolent_leonela]

I highly suggest you try putting down some pine shavings and lay it down thick to create varying levels of terrain so that the joints and tendons can become strong. Spraddle leg is the condition I am thinking of and it's evident to me that may be the case. Laying down towels or paper isn't the best material.

Get her to swim often so she can work her legs to get stronger and get those pine shavings I mentioned asap! $6 a bale at Tractor supply. I'm sure a local feed store has a comparable price. It will be hard and time consuming but there is still hope for your little fluffy friend to get better it just takes commitment. Do some research on Spraddle leg and hang in there!