Goose leg issue

[sirrobyn0]

Ok so I'm going to admit that I've posted this question in the medical thread as well. Didn't have any luck there getting any ideas so I'm hoping the right person will see it here and be able to give me some ideas.

So I have a 2 year old Chinese Goose that started limping a while ago. We noticed that the knee joint was swollen to about twice the normal size, so for a while now, maybe a month or more, we have been putting a homemade sav on it and wrapping it. All the while it's been not getting any better. To the point now where she won't even put the foot down and it seems painful to stretch it out. We just noticed that one of the tendons is on the inside of the knee joint and seems quite swollen. I'm sorry I'm at work right now and don't have a picture, I also won't be at home in the daylight until the weekend, but I'm hoping maybe a few of you could give me some ideas and symptoms of what it might be that would be really great. Thanks.

 

[Goosebaby]

Honestly if a vet is an option they’ll be able to diagnose the issue better than any of us can.

Without pictures it’s harder to say what’s going on. If that really is the tendon out of place and not something else the issue sounds like a slipped tendon, which from what I’ve heard it’s something that can be fixed at this point.

If it isn’t the tendon the swelling could be do to an infection. Strep and Staph are two probable culprits, and a salve won’t work if it’s in the tendons and bones. You’ll need antibiotics. Injectible antibiotics are preferred with a tendon, bone infection because it’s hard for the medicine to get in there but oral antibiotics do work, just slower.

Another possibility is synovitis, a mycoplasma infection that often attacks the hock joints. Synovitis symptoms can be treated with doxycycline, Tylan, and denegard, typically Tylan and doxycycline. Keep in mind it doesn’t eliminate mycoplasma from the body, it only suppresses it and the symptoms but it can and will reemerge in times of stress.

 

[sirrobyn0]

@Goosebaby Thank you for your thoughts. A vet isn't really an option, and I know pictures would really be helpful. Still I apricate your thoughts on it at least that gives me some things to consider. I will try to take pictures as soon as I can and post them. Thanks.

 

[Quatie]

It sounds like a slipped tendon. Unfortunately there is very little info on how to treat it in adults. In ducklings, chicks, and goslings they would put the tendon back in place and wrap the leg. My guess it would be the same for adults.

 

[sirrobyn0]

It sounds like a slipped tendon. Unfortunately there is very little info on how to treat it in adults. In ducklings, chicks, and goslings they would put the tendon back in place and wrap the leg. My guess it would be the same for adults.

What do you think I'd see, or maybe I should phrase it what would I check to reasonably confirm this? How does one go about putting in back? I can wrap it to keep it where it needs to be I'm good with that part. Thanks

 

[Quatie]

What do you think I'd see, or maybe I should phrase it what would I check to reasonably confirm this? How does one go about putting in back? I can wrap it to keep it where it needs to be I'm good with that part. Thanks

The tendon is not suppose to be on the inside of the joint. It is suppose to run along the back of the hock joint. The joint will also be swelling, like you see. You should be able slide the tendon back in place. It will likely be easier to do while the leg is full extended, since bending will stretches the muscle and tendon. It should just snap back in place if it is a slipped tendon. It may not stay in place since tendons loose their elasticity when less tension is put on them. It could take some time to bounce back. This isn't always fixable in young birds, so not sure how well they heal.

 

[sirrobyn0]

The tendon is not suppose to be on the inside of the joint. It is suppose to run along the back of the hock joint. The joint will also be swelling, like you see. You should be able slide the tendon back in place. It will likely be easier to do while the leg is full extended, since bending will stretches the muscle and tendon. It should just snap back in place if it is a slipped tendon. It may not stay in place since tendons loose their elasticity when less tension is put on them. It could take some time to bounce back. This isn't always fixable in young birds, so not sure how well they heal.

Thank you very much. This is the confirmation of the problem I was hoping for. The tendon most definitely feels like it is running on the inside of the joint. And that's what I thought. Not suppose to be like that but I needed some confirmation on that somewhere other than my suspicion.

Thanks also for the info on moving it back. She holds that leg up high when she moves and hops on the other leg. When I have and am looking at her I can get her leg to straighten out but it takes a bit of gentile pulling and she seems to experiance some discomfort doing that. Does that change your opinion at all?

If I'm able to get the tendon back in place do you think that the leg should be wrapped for a while in an effort to keep it in place?

 

[Quatie]

Thank you very much. This is the confirmation of the problem I was hoping for. The tendon most definitely feels like it is running on the inside of the joint. And that's what I thought. Not suppose to be like that but I needed some confirmation on that somewhere other than my suspicion.

Thanks also for the info on moving it back. She holds that leg up high when she moves and hops on the other leg. When I have and am looking at her I can get her leg to straighten out but it takes a bit of gentile pulling and she seems to experiance some discomfort doing that. Does that change your opinion at all?

If I'm able to get the tendon back in place do you think that the leg should be wrapped for a while in an effort to keep it in place?

I am not surprised it is uncomfortable. If the tendon has shortened enough, their leg will be harder to straighten out and stay bent. That is more typical of what people see in young birds. Straightening is going to pull on the muscles quite a bit. It may be better put back in place while bent.

Here is a link on how they do it in young birds. http://www.poultrypedia.com/poultry-podiatry

If you can't get the tendon back in, it will be permanent. I can't say how well it will stay either. I would give it an anti-inflammatory while the goose is recouping.

Hopefully it will go back in place.

 

[sirrobyn0]

I am not surprised it is uncomfortable. If the tendon has shortened enough, their leg will be harder to straighten out and stay bent. That is more typical of what people see in young birds. Straightening is going to pull on the muscles quite a bit. It may be better put back in place while bent.

Here is a link on how they do it in young birds. http://www.poultrypedia.com/poultry-podiatry

If you can't get the tendon back in, it will be permanent. I can't say how well it will stay either. I would give it an anti-inflammatory while the goose is recouping.

Hopefully it will go back in place.

Thank you so much. I will see what I can do tomorrow as I will be home in the daylight, and I'll report back what happens. I know if I can't get it back or if it slips again, that's not good, but at least now, I have something to try for her that might help. Thanks.

 

[sirrobyn0]

@Quatie and @Goosebaby So I worked on her a little bit this morning. It is most definitely a slipped tendon. I could clearly feel where the tendon runs on her good leg, and where it was on the bad leg. Just like @Quatie said the tendon was hanging out on the inside of the leg. Sliding it back into place really wasn't all that hard. It was just a matter of getting her leg in the right position and it would pretty much just slide over with a little finger presser. Keeping it there is another matter. Of course the second I move my finger the tendon slides back. I think I was able to wrap it, but pretty much wrapping the joint from below and ending high above the joint. But doing that it doesn't seem to tight and is staying in place. I know rest would be best for her, but try to tell that to a goose. We've tried confining her in the past to get her to rest it but she spends so much of her time agitated in confinement so she's back with the flock now. We'll see how it goes from here.