Arthritic Foot

[blondiebee181]

So I have a SLW approx. 8-9 yrs. She has laid a few eggs this year so far, but she is getting older...anyhow, I think she has arthritis in one of her feet...is this fairly typical? When I feel the foot, it has a hardened calousy lump in it...no scab, no bumble, no break, no parasite...it's just knobbly...and she limps because of this. She also waits for me to lift her off the roof in the morning, because she likes to get up there at night, but can't get back down...poor girl. Other than the gimp, she seems happy as a clam...she eats and drinks fine, moseys about the yard with the others...she spends a little more time sitting and resting, but I consider that pretty normal for an elderly chicken....What do you guys think? Is there any way to ease the stiffness?

 

[Eggcessive]

If you have a regular vet you might ask them to prescribe some metacam (meloxicam) for pain and inflammation. Aspirin is also commonly used in chickens--1 baby or lowdose 81mg aspirin twice a day would help. Swollen joints in chickens can be due to other things such as mycoplasma synovitis, or bacterial or viral arthritis. Here is some info on meloxicam for dogs: http://www.drugs.com/vet/metacam-oral-suspension-for-dogs-can.html

 

[blondiebee181]

Oh, cool thank you. I will read this after work tonight.