Help!! Injuried Goose

[farmchick897]

One of my 1/2 grown Pomeranian Geese was found at my pond injuried. His foot is mangled, swollen and she's not putting any weight on it. I brought her up to the barn and soaked in epsom salt and then discovered she has what looks like maggots all over her dirty wet chest (she has been laying in very marsh like humid conditions). I sprayed with hose, still see bugs, so dusted her with a lice powder. Any advice?? I don't see any obvious bleeding injuries, open wounds. Should I use hydrogen peroxide? Please help!

 

[Jenifer Kraus]

I would check her all over for more maggots. The are feeding on a wound or something. Try to rinse all of them off. I had a chicken that had some on his leg and I did use some fly spray on it. Check for wounds first .

 

[farmchick897]

Okay, checked all over.. her chest is looking rough, looks like she has been laying in wet, muddy manure, skin looks irritated, but no open wounds.
Cuts on foot, missing webbing between toes, very swollen, purple. My guess it that a snapping turtle got her foot in the pond?
Just in case I'm totally wrong and it's not maggots but lice, I did put ivermectin injectable on the back of her neck. Washed her foot in hydrogen peroxide, covered in triple antibiotic ointment and wrapped with horse wrap. I hosed her chest off again too and can see those white worm looking things. Wonder if the water should be warm and not cold? Her wing looks a bit injuried too, she is holding it out and it's missing some feathers, but once again no blood or open wound. Looks like that will have to be good enough for tonight and we'll see if she makes it through the night.

 

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Don't use Hydrogen peroxide on open wounds, the oxidation kills the tissue, I would go for Betadine or just soap and water depending on the depth of the cut. Make sure that the bandaging doesn't allow the toes to adhere to each other... do you know what I mean? Poor thing, something got her, she'll be fine, just tramatized. For you too, I'm sure! Both of you should have a calm evening. Good luck... jennifer

 

[Kim65]

I think what you did for her foot was fine. Geese are pretty good "healers", it sounds like her foot got puncture and crushing (chewing) injuries, thus the purple and swollen look to it. This will just have to heal on it's own (and it will), and you cleaning it and covering it with antibiotic ointment will prevent infection.

Goose feathers and down are so thick that I'm worried you didn't get all those maggots LOL. Maybe tomorrow put her in your bathtub or a tub outside and give her a true bubble bath, with a gentle shampoo. Suds those maggots out (EEWWWW). Scrub that chest area where you found them, dig your fingers in there. I swear the layer of feathers and down on goose are three inches thick. It will be good for whatever wound is there, too, the scrubbing and sudsing.

Then rinse ALL of the soap off as much as possible because if she's feeling better she'll want to preen. A gentle shampoo like baby shampoo isn't toxic, so if she ingests what you can't rinse out it won't hurt her. It's not like their poo isn't loose to begin with lol.

I have a goose with an injured leg, and the vet told me as much as possible, she needs to rest that leg. I bring my geese in the house at night so I put her in a large tote where she has enough room to stand or lie down, but not walk. She has food and water up on boxes nearby. So she gets a good ten or twelve hours of "rest" every day for that leg. Slowly she is limping less.

So maybe keeping the injured goose in a small pen area with another goose friend (to prevent loneliness) for a couple of weeks would be good for her. Also, swimming in clean water will promote circulation to the injured foot area.

Right now she is probably in shock and may not eat or drink much. Make sure she is safe and warm, with a goose friend, and quiet for the next day so her natural healing will begin to take place. Give her a little extra protein in her food to help the healing tissues (a handful of chick starter or calf manna if you have it) when she does start eating and drinking. Put a little molasses or table sugar in her water tonight for extra energy and to combat the stress. If you have B vitamin capsules, break or crush one and mix it in her food, that helps with stress too.

 

[farmchick897]

Thanks for the reply! I put her in a dog crate tonight to keep her quiet and safe. I thought about catching her partner to keep with her, I will do that tomorrow. I have a big 100 gallon water tank that I will fill with water and really wash her down tomorrow. I wrapped the foot because the flies seem to be swarming it but tomorrow I will reclean and perhaps keep it open. I will take a picture tomorrow of the foot, if recovery is possible fantastic but I don't want her to suffer and be eaten by maggots.

 

[Kim65]

Get some of that fly repellant stuff at the feedstore, but find out if it is toxic to geese/poultry. It probably isn't, but it's good to know. There's no stopping a fly from laying eggs back in the goose's breast wound, all of my geese have at least one fly on them at all times. I need to get some myself . . . I don't know what it is called, maybe someone else does. The fact they already laid eggs there means they will do it again.

I think unless your goose got internal injuries, she will be just fine

Just hobbled up for a while.

 

[farmchick897]

Okay, soaked foot and chest in bath with epsom salt and really tried to get maggots off. Then I put antibiotic ointment on. Have a call into vet to see if I can pick up some antibiotic for her, the foot is really swollen. See pic..

 

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Ohhh, it breaks my heart, poor thing. You are such a great mamma! thinking of you all. j

 

[jojo@rolling acres farm]

Poor little girl. I hope she gets better for you soon. I think you are doing everything you can.