Goose with hurt foot/leg

[beckschicks]

Okay I dont know what happened to her she is 4 months old around 10-12 pounds. A couple of days ago she started limping a little and I checked her out. She had a couple of scrapes on the bottom of her foot. They were not even through the lower level of the skin just like her scales were off. I cleaned it up put some antibiotic salve on it just the cheap stuff. She is a free range during the day and put up at night. It has gotten worse. She has a broke toe nail on her small toe doesnt appear to have bled at any time. Her pad between her toes is swollen warm to the touch and soft just like normal swelling. Her mid joint seems swollen and warm as well. I honestly do not know what to do today she is very lazy not really lethargic just not moving around alot. I put her up in the building gave her food and water but she is laying around a lot. I dont know if I should give her some tylenol for the swelling put her on antibiotics or what? I dont think it is broke in the main leg bone at least her small toe might be broke the little one at the back of her foot. She is kinda my baby very sweet and loving. I have never had geese before.

 

[beckschicks]

I went and got her some tylenol and gave her a dose of that she feels hot it is 80 degrees tonight but she still feels warm like she is running a fever. Hubby said he would look at her in the morning to see if he thinks its an infection and then we can go get her some antibiotics I know our farm store has about 3 or 4 different kinds I just looked at them the other day. I got her some cat food too but she wouldnt eat it it is also 2am so that might have something to do with it.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

Sorry to hear about your poor little goose's foot.

I am honestly not sure that tylenol is safe for geese. I know it is not safe for dogs.

I did some research on this and other sites because I was curious what antibiotics are safe for geese. Here is one thread that discusses injectable antibiotics safe for geese https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?
pid=4774865

Here is another site that addresses foot problems in waterfowl: http://usgs.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00dis/miscellaneous/Bumblefoot.htm

After I read through that link, I think I would start with some of the local treatments first: "Suggested local preparations include Preparation H and a mixture of dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) 30ml, dexamethasone (2mg) and chloromycetin succinate (200mg)."

DMSO should be in the feed store because it is often used on horses with sore muscles, but if apparently smells bad.

I would also give the goose some occasional access to water if possible, which lets her use her legs without putting weight on the foot and cool water may help reduce swelling.

If that doesn't help much then you can move on to systemic treatment. I don't think the antibiotic mentioned on that site is available in feed stores so your other choice is Tylan 50.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I was curious about Tylenol and birds so I did a search. I found that is does not affect birds the same way as cats and dogs and thus is not as dangerous for birds. The link shows a scientific journal article that tested it on chickens. http://www.toxicologyinternational.com/article.asp?issn=0971-6580;year=2010;volume=17;issue=2;spage=86;epage=89;aulast=Jayakumar

That said, when it comes to medication, I always try to look up what dosages others have used in chickens or waterfowl specifically with no ill effect. That is one of many reasons this forum can be so helpful.

 

[beckschicks]

Thank you so much I got the dosage off here it is like 1cc. She is hanging in there very talkative and eating and drinking and pooping. I will take her out to the pool after the sun goes down a bit let her get some exercise. I am going up to the feed store in a bit I know they had the tylan 50 I remember seeing it. The one thing I am worried about is whether or not I should wrap it. I hate to wrap something that is swelling it like sprain your ankle swelling not oh wow swelling. So any thoughts on when to wrap not wrap. I did not know that about prep H.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I don't think it would necessarily hurt to wrap it after all doctors tell us to wrap our swollen sprained ankle for support. But I also don't know if it would necessarily help either. You could try it to see if she seems more steady with it wrapped.

 

[beckschicks]

Hubby took a look at her tonight and thinks there might be something in it. Giving her the tylenol has taken down a lot of the swelling. I discovered she really likes grape tylenol lol. I started her on antiobiotic this afternoon and let her go for a swim for awhile. She can walk on it it just hurts a lot she got out of the pool and hobbled back to the building wanted back inside. She does not like cat food which everyone on the forum says their geese luv I would have an odd goose. LOL I did make her a very big salad which she ate a lot of and gave her some high protein food. Hubby says tomorrow he wants me to really clean up her foot so he and I can take a good look at. I dont think it is bumble foot I have been looking at really gross pictures for two days now. I do realize it can turn into that at any time. I know from personal experience staph infections SUCK! Thank you so much for the web sites I have been reading. We got two geese she was one of the first and they were free ranging during the day and being put up at night. Hubby said no more geese they poop to much. Then he goes to Atwoods and finds an African that he names Duncan brings him/her home again NO MORE Geese. Then we go in about 3 weeks ago it was their last shipment of birds and there is one goose that is just huge compared to the others. We get home and he is like we should have bought that goose he/she was so cute (another african) so we race back up there and just before they close we buy that and 6 more chicken (easter eggers). He is always teasing me that he is going to buy me a blue moo moo with bright yellow chickens on it. Yet he was so worried about her today (her name is obnoxious by the way) it was really cute. When he would flex her toes and kinda push on it she would bury her head in my hair. The geese are so much smarter than the chickens I have taught them commands not a lot just a few choice ones. Right now they are all very sweet not sure how they will be when the hormones kick in. My male pilgrim is HUGE with at least a 5 foot plus wingspan and he is only 4 months old. Sorry I tend to ramble about my birds they bring me a lot of laughter.

 

[scratch'n'peck]

I'm fairly new to geese, too. They have so much character, it almost makes them irresistible despite all the poop. We have a pair of Pilgrims and a pair of Sebastopols. So far our geese have not had any foot problems, but we did have a Pekin duck with an abscess on her foot, but it wasn't very large and it didn't make her limp. My husband did lance it and we put lots of neosporin on it.

It sounds like your little goose is responding to the treatment pretty well.

 

[beckschicks]

Well she got worse a LOT worse. We are having record temperatures here and that is not helping at all. I had her on water soluble (sp) antibiotics but she was just going down hill. I was giving her gatorade halved with water too. She wouldn't drink hardly anything. I also had a bucket for her to dunk her head in which she would do. But today she couldnt even get up she just kinda laid there. I would lift her up she would stand for about 30 seconds and then just kinda fall lay back down. I called around and found Tylan 50 injectable hubby was away from home so I asked him if he would be willing to give her a shot I have never given shots but I figured I could do it if I needed to. The guy at TSC was really nice and talked to me for about 10-15 mins. He told me to give her 2cc's and then drop it to 1cc until she starts to improve or dies. This was our last ditch effort. She has lost so much weight she has only been eating greens which I was giving her fresh 3 times a day and whole wheat bread. This was not for lack of me trying. I have been going out ever two hours and making her drink. Yes it is do able at first I had to use a syringe (no needle LOL) but after she figured she either drank on her own or I was going to syringe it into her mouth she would drink if I held it in front of her face. Hubby gave her the shot and he was like I dont know what else we can do. Took her about two hours but I gave her fresh water down gatorade and made a very nasty soup of stuff with LOTS of water. She is standing and really eating havent seen that in DAYS! So tonight is the turning point I have seen lots of things including people get better and then just pass. I did let Jesse (her companion goose) in to see her. Hubby didnt know if that was a good idea because if she had something that was passable but I just couldn't not let him in. I really dont think she does her foot is still swollen. Hubby thinks she might have got snake bit he told me even a rat snake can give you a nasty infection. He should know he plays with them enough LOL. I read so much on the wildlife sites today my eyes were just swimming. He and I both dont think there is anything in it and it doesnt look like bumble foot at all. So if anyone has any advice on Tylan on how long to give it are my doses close etc I would greatly appreciate. Sometimes we just have to make decisions and live with the consequences and that is what I did. Oh I did take the water soluble antibiotic away any thoughts on that. I will be honest if it was a guinea I would try but be like your on your own. But the geese are so smart and when I look in her eyes I can see she is trying to communicate to me. I know it sounds stupid but I truly believe she is smart enough to figure out we are doing everything we can for her. Hubby says and I agree as long as she fights so do we. I can't afford and dont have access to a vet and I really dont know what else they could do for her except possible an IV and I already thought about it the feed store has all the stuff there only it is for cows. The big problem would be keeping it in her vein and not stressing her out over it. So right now we are in a holding pattern and the ball is in her court. I can't bring her inside we live in a small place I have baby chickens inside and no where to put her where she wouldn't be harassed from just us walking around; besides I dont think bringing her into the ac would do her any favors. I am honestly afraid she might get pneumonia.

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Have you called a vet? Baytril is used both orally and via injection. I would take her to the vet ASAP.

The drug you are giving her could be killing off positive bacteria and doing more to harm her rather than helping her.