8 week Guinea with slipped tendon

[11squawkers]

I have an 8 week old Guinea that I found limping, more so hobbling around, so I took him to an avian vet and the vet said that it was a slipped tendon. It was kind of swollen and she said she couldn't feel the groove where the tendon should be and that there was nothing she could do. She said it could have formed without the groove, as that can happen sometimes, but why would it have been ok for the first few weeks then slip? He was fine and running around with the others before and I feel it was from an injury. The vet said to put the guinea out with the others and let it hobble around, but I am concerned about what kind of life he will have. Is there anything that can be done to help him live a better life without being put down? Anyone else out there living with a feathered friend with slipped tendon? It is breaking my heart to no end watching him hobble and limp. He mostly stands on the good leg with the other leg tucked up under him and wobbles and falls a lot. I cannot imagine not having him, I just want to help him. Any help would be sincerely appreciated, as well as success stories, advice or suggestions.

 

[11squawkers]

Trying to put up a video to show how my guinea stands. All I can get is a short clip just a few seconds long but shows a little of him. Hope it works as I am not too tech savy

 

[11squawkers]

Still wondering if anyone has ever had a bird (chicken, guinea, turkey, duck, ??) with a slipped tendon that couldn't be fixed. I think he can no longer fully extend that leg. The hock joint has grown large and he can only extend it to about a 90°. He still hobbles around with the flock but is smaller than the others.

 

[casportpony]

Still wondering if anyone has ever had a bird (chicken, guinea, turkey, duck, ??) with a slipped tendon that couldn't be fixed. I think he can no longer fully extend that leg. The hock joint has grown large and he can only extend it to about a 90°. He still hobbles around with the flock but is smaller than the others.

I think @ten chicks , has treated one successfully before.

-Kathy

 

[11squawkers]

THANK YOU for that info! I have been reading through the posts from tenchicks and others and getting some very helpful info that I had not previously found in my searches. It is giving me some hope that I can try working with his leg to try to stretch the tendon for better mobility. And some hope that even if we can't fix it we can do some coop modifications to make it "handicap" accessible for him. It is so heartbreaking that this happens so often but really heartwarming to read all the love people have for their birds to do everything they can to help them live out their days as comfortable as possible. These stories I have been reading show the tremendous capabilities and will for these birds to live and thrive the best they can. I know that if I had a debilitating leg injury/deformity I would still want to have the chance to live and not be put down, and that is what I want to give my guinea. If I ever did see he was in major pain or if things ever got so bad he could not get around we would be kind and put him down, but until then I am going to do everything I possibly can for him to live as good of a life that I can give him! Thank you again Kathy!! You have given me the hope I was looking for

 

[11squawkers]

Here is a better video of my guineas leg and how he gets around, ~20 seconds. He's a tough bugger.

 

[Ciqala]

I couldn't see the video, it's set to private. I have a 2 mth old easter egger chick with a slipped tendon. Our stories sound so similar, vet said the same thing to me - ie: hock too swollen to pop the tendon back into place, if not culling put out with the flock to fend for itself, etc. I decided to separate her with two of the most mellow chicks from that batch, she'd never be able to handle integration into the main flock. Epsom salt soaks will help reduce the swelling, I started mine on poly vi sol vitamins as recommended here on BYC and I do a figure 8 wrap with vet wrap on her. She's in her wrap most of the time, but she has plenty of nights without it. I find if she's up and about without the wrap on it swells back up, but with it on it doesn't seem to matter what she does the swelling doesn't happen.

I found out about her when she was three weeks old, she's now two months old. I figured if she's happy, eating/drinking, etc why not give the gimpy cutie a chance. I ordered a special "handicap accessible" coop for her, which hopefully will be ready for pick up the beginning of next week. I set up a little run for them next to the main flock to go out during the day when I'm home {not the most predator proof} and if it's rainy, I'll let the three of them run around the house for a couple of hours lol.

She gets around pretty well, always did - the only time I've seen her fall over was when one of her buddies ran through her. I do believe her two friends know something's off with her and do look out for her when running/flapping around. She'll "run", more like fast hopping and flap her wings with her buddies, tonight I actually saw her jump up on to a cat crate. Which was great 'cuz it leaves hope that I won't have to make any adjustments to what I told the coop guy I wanted in their coop, she should have no problems getting up to the low roost in it however I'll have to wait and see if I need to add a wider area for her to roost on due to balance.

Here's a pic I took of her tonight without her wrap on...



One with...



Because she's more active when outside {scratching, dust baths, etc} I take two pieces of padded gauze folded and taped together and put one on each side of her hock and then toss a small piece of vet wrap around it just to give her a little more support. She does lay down and rest more than the others, but she seems happy as a clam and loving life. Here's what I mean with the gauze.... I had just put it on her and she jumped/flew up to the top of couch, lol.



She's really good for her wrappings too, never gives a fuss and just stands there patiently.

 

[11squawkers]

Sorry about the video setting, just switched it so you should be able to view it. New to YouTube just so I could put videos here on BYC so still learning Ciqala, thank you for sharing your story, your little girl is beautiful and looks like she isn't going to let that leg slow her down much! She is so lucky you are able to make her a special coop to make her life more comfortable! I wish I was able to. Can't make a separate coop but making some modifications to our coop to help my guinea out, like a special lower feeder he can reach with bricks stacked under to boost him up, separate lower waterer, and a small roost just for him that is only about 3 inches off the ground, which is usually where I find him. And I have been trying to do some small stretches to see if it isn't too late to stretch out my guineas tendon, don't know if it will work but can't help trying. I did spend some time today making a little hock guard to protect his hock from banging on the ground when he hobbles or falls, going to put it on this evening when they are more calm, if it stays on and works I will post pics. I melted and shaped some plastic in the shape of his leg and lined it with foam and will wrap it on with vet wrap.

 

[Ciqala]

Looking forward to seeing pics of the hock guard you made if you're able to get them. I'm hoping to get something like that for mine when she's full grown. My kids go to a charter school who's focus is engineering and they have two 3D printers, I've been thinking of talking to the director of the school and see if maybe he'd be interested in making it a class project next Fall. What kind of plastic did you use? I do the stretches with her too, I don't think it's going to ever stretch the tendon to the point of being able to be fixed but I feel it's definitely a good thing.

 

[11squawkers]

Ooh, now that would be cool if you could make something with the 3D printer. If you or the kids get the chance to, please do post it so we can see!
I just used an empty plastic peanut container that I cut down and wearing gloves I heated the plastic with a fireplace lighter and shaped and molded it with my fingers.

I actually got the idea for the shape from knee guards we wear while riding dirt bikes, which I know has saved my knees many, many times when I have fallen:

And halfway through shaping I went down to the coop and held it up to my guineas leg and made marks with a sharpie where to mold or cut off, and heated and shaped til it looked good. Then glued in some craft foam on the inside for cushion. Then to get it on him I wrapped it with vet wrap since it's stretchy I knew it wouldn't be too binding or restrictive. Heres a short 9 second clip of the finished hock guard:

I put it on him last night and he still has it on now and it seems to be working with out any problems so far. Video clip right after I put it on:

And a clip of him hobbling with it on:

Hope this helps with your project
And could you let me know if the videos are working, please so I know if I am doing it right, thanks!