Any idea what this is?

[Jody27]

Hello all!
We have a multitude of farm animals but just welcomed our first emu to the farm. She was owned by a 90 year old lady who passed away and then went to a foster farm for a while before we adopted her. She has this weird looking thing on her neck and I’m wondering if anyone has a clue what it could be?! It’s kinda drooly and looks gross but doesn’t seem to make her uncomfortable. She’s eating and drinking fine. The foster farm had her looked at and the their vet said it wasn’t an issue I had our large animal vet take a peek when she was out and she had NO idea but isn’t very familiar with Emu’s. She is going to try find a vet to refer me too but in the mean time I thought I’d ask those with experience!! She’s looking a little rough but otherwise full of energy. She is sooo funny to watch and a very shy but sweet emu, we are enjoying her but have lots to learn!
Thanks
- Jody

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

Non issue?? I'm not experienced, nor am I familiar with emus really at all (besides what you could probably find from a few hours of googling that is!) but I wouldn't think a fleshy, dripping thing Protruding from the neck is a "non issue" that vet who said that... weird. I'd do some searching while waiting for a vet referral, see if you can find a exotic bird/animal vet on your own too, what a peculiar injury(?)

 

[Kiki]

Is it her tongue?

 

[Jody27]

Is it her tongue?

That's what I'm wondering too...

 

[Kiki]

That's what I'm wondering too...

I would guess she got injured and a hole happened...and that is the tongue. Can you see if she has a tongue in her mouth?

 

[Meg-in-MT]

It looks like a hole that needs to be patched up
@Pyxis

 

[Northwest_Wannabe]

I'd imagine, tongue-hole or just flesh-hole, it'll probably require some sort of suture or stitches to fix it up, I'd look into nearby vets who'd be possibly willing to see such an unusual critter and an unusual wound

 

[AprilsZoo]

Is it her tongue?

That's what I'm wondering too..

Her tongue seems visible in her mouth in the photo... So I doubt it’s that.

I think it looks like an abscess that has ruptured. If so, it would basically be a moist, drippy but mostly empty pocket or void. Kinda like a balloon under the skin, but with a hole in it.
Heres what to do:

• use hydrogen peroxide- diluted 50/50 with water. Irrigate with a large syringe, a bulb syringe (baby nose sucker ) or my favorite, a empty condiment bottle (like you get in the outdoor/barbecue tools section at Walmart). Flood the interior of the pocket, let it foam up... then press on it from the outside to squeeze out the foam & pus. You’ll only need to do that for a day or 2, two times each day.

<<example of Condiment bottles

• Using betadine (povidone-iodine solution) & Vaseline, mix about 1 Tablespoon of Betadine into 2-3 Tablespoons of Vaseline. Fill the hole as much as possible with the mixture...
• if at all possible try to at least loosely wrap with gauze or a gauze square & vet wrap. Make it only tight enough to stay put... do not make too tight...

Abscesses do not typically get sutured... they are allowed to heal from the inside out. Generally in 2-3 weeks it will be significantly healed, and in 4-6 weeks it’s completely gone.

Unrelated tip: did you know that with a condiment bottle as pictured above, you can fill with Saline solution to irrigate your own eye if you get something in it?
hold your eyelid open with one hand bend forward over the sink and squeeze the bottle so that the stream goes straight up to your eye. Instant, easy eye wash. Even a child can do it to themselves—- great if you have bad allergies to pollen or such!