- Mar 22, 2017
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Hello! My 7 week old duckling has a fractured tibiotarsus. She was accidentally stepped on by her at that time flock mate, a gosling of the same age. The goslings and ducklings are now safely separated at night. Last Saturday morning I discovered my young blue Indian runner with her leg splayed out behind her and an inability to walk. I picked her up, crated her with food and water and HUNTED for an avian vet. Closest one was about 45 min away and was willing to do a home visit. She assessed and confirmed a fracture, prescribed metcam for pain and repeatedly said "do the best you can" when it came to finding out a way to immobilize her left leg so the fracture could heal. Haven't received a bill yet, but am knowing it's going to be bad...oh well, it is worth knowing what a fractured leg feels like now. Vet suggested wrapping leg along side body to avoid a possible fulcrum effect of a cast/splint like structure on her leg.
My daily struggle is finding a way to stabilize her broken leg. No wound or penetration, it is an internal fracture mid tibiotarsus, sorta difficult to wrap due to it being so non-exposed. I fashioned some small shin-guard like braces to put on her legs, then used prewrap and vet wrap with water proof tape to adhere them slightly together to keep her from stretching her leg out or using it to walk. I know the vet said not to fashion a splint, but I can't simply wrap her leg to her side without her squirming out of it in two minutes. I can't seem to find a good enough way to wrap her leg to her body. She keeps sliding out of the wrapping I put on her, figure 8's around and across body, simple wrap under wings, etc. I even tried 'netting" her with cut up panty hose over top of a wrap job to keep everything tucked together neatly for the night, but she slipped everything off. And I understand the containment of the panty hose and how that might overheat or make breathing difficult after awhile. The struggle is real and I know she gets frustrated with my once a day wrapping/rewrapping. I can feel the fracture. My biggest fear is that it won't heal evenly because of my poor wrap jobs. I know she will have a slight deformity/limp as she grows because of this, but I want to help her as much as possible and give her the best life possible too.
anyone with experience in fractured tibiotarsus solutions and expertise and advice would be welcomed. Feeling lost and at my wit's end constantly battling this. Wish I knew more what I was doing. Morbidly curious about my upcoming vet bill, and feeling slightly let down from my first avian vet experience. The vet was extremely nice and helpful in some ways, but not as decisive as I would have hoped. I wish there was a definitive treatment and way of handling this fracture. And I know I should probably take her to the clinic itself for additional testing...but wish I could manage at home to avoid additional vet bills.
My daily struggle is finding a way to stabilize her broken leg. No wound or penetration, it is an internal fracture mid tibiotarsus, sorta difficult to wrap due to it being so non-exposed. I fashioned some small shin-guard like braces to put on her legs, then used prewrap and vet wrap with water proof tape to adhere them slightly together to keep her from stretching her leg out or using it to walk. I know the vet said not to fashion a splint, but I can't simply wrap her leg to her side without her squirming out of it in two minutes. I can't seem to find a good enough way to wrap her leg to her body. She keeps sliding out of the wrapping I put on her, figure 8's around and across body, simple wrap under wings, etc. I even tried 'netting" her with cut up panty hose over top of a wrap job to keep everything tucked together neatly for the night, but she slipped everything off. And I understand the containment of the panty hose and how that might overheat or make breathing difficult after awhile. The struggle is real and I know she gets frustrated with my once a day wrapping/rewrapping. I can feel the fracture. My biggest fear is that it won't heal evenly because of my poor wrap jobs. I know she will have a slight deformity/limp as she grows because of this, but I want to help her as much as possible and give her the best life possible too.
anyone with experience in fractured tibiotarsus solutions and expertise and advice would be welcomed. Feeling lost and at my wit's end constantly battling this. Wish I knew more what I was doing. Morbidly curious about my upcoming vet bill, and feeling slightly let down from my first avian vet experience. The vet was extremely nice and helpful in some ways, but not as decisive as I would have hoped. I wish there was a definitive treatment and way of handling this fracture. And I know I should probably take her to the clinic itself for additional testing...but wish I could manage at home to avoid additional vet bills.
Very impressed with her healing, I imagine it's in part to her young age, the type of fracture, the daily therapy& water therapy, confinement for immobilization right off the bat & her breed. Indian Runners are light weight breeds and I think that must have helped the healing process in a way as well!
