Hi! A fully fledged chick was brought to me, apparently with a broken leg. It had been about a week since the injury, and nothing had been done to assist the chick, other than removing it from its fellows. Taking it to see a vet is not an option.
I have never treated a broken bone before. I have some plaster cast material on hand, for use on calves, in emergencies. I felt the leg, which was obviously painful, but not swollen or hot. I confirmed that the tendons were still where they should be. There was a sharp, bony spot on the bone, just below the knee, which I took to be a break. I put a cast on the leg, from the ankle to just above the knee.
Three days later, the chick appeared to be developing splayed legs. Both legs were assuming unnatural positions, and the chick seemed miserable and afraid. Here is where I am afraid I fouled things up. Because the casting material had become soiled, and I wanted to brace the legs to prevent further deformity, I removed the cast. Though I soaked it, and was as gentle as possible, I must have wrenched it, because the bone ends were palpably misalligned when I was through. I cringe when I think of it, and the pain it must have caused. I pulled the bone back into place, teeth gritted, and re-casted it.
Apparently, however, I made the cast too short, because the chick was visibly more uncomfortable every time I moved her. After two days, I extended the cast up her leg, and things improved.
These are my concerns:
How did the initial week long wait impact the ability to heal?
Likewise, how did my inept setting, dislodging, resetting affect the process?
What if the bone became misalligned again when the cast was too short, and now is side by side, instead of end to end?
Was I stupid to use the cast instead of a splint?
The cast is now getting icky. It has been in place five days. What should I do, if anything?
Is there ANY pain med I can safely give?
Can I use comfrey in any way to aid the mending?
Thank you so much for any contribution.
I have never treated a broken bone before. I have some plaster cast material on hand, for use on calves, in emergencies. I felt the leg, which was obviously painful, but not swollen or hot. I confirmed that the tendons were still where they should be. There was a sharp, bony spot on the bone, just below the knee, which I took to be a break. I put a cast on the leg, from the ankle to just above the knee.
Three days later, the chick appeared to be developing splayed legs. Both legs were assuming unnatural positions, and the chick seemed miserable and afraid. Here is where I am afraid I fouled things up. Because the casting material had become soiled, and I wanted to brace the legs to prevent further deformity, I removed the cast. Though I soaked it, and was as gentle as possible, I must have wrenched it, because the bone ends were palpably misalligned when I was through. I cringe when I think of it, and the pain it must have caused. I pulled the bone back into place, teeth gritted, and re-casted it.
Apparently, however, I made the cast too short, because the chick was visibly more uncomfortable every time I moved her. After two days, I extended the cast up her leg, and things improved.
These are my concerns:
How did the initial week long wait impact the ability to heal?
Likewise, how did my inept setting, dislodging, resetting affect the process?
What if the bone became misalligned again when the cast was too short, and now is side by side, instead of end to end?
Was I stupid to use the cast instead of a splint?
The cast is now getting icky. It has been in place five days. What should I do, if anything?
Is there ANY pain med I can safely give?
Can I use comfrey in any way to aid the mending?
Thank you so much for any contribution.
