- May 31, 2013
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i took my 5-6 year old Araucana hen to the vet 21 days ago with an injured leg - she couldnt weight bear on it and was in pain (tail down - beak open panting) she may have lain like this under the garden roses for a couple of days before i discovered her ... as she was dehydrated and the vets pumped some fluid under her skin and administered painkiller which we continued twice a day for 10 days. The vet was unable to tell what was wrong with her leg and suggested an xray at $600! She also suggested that if no improvement with standing that we euthanese her. In the meantime I have been reading yours and other forums and discovered we could make a sling for her which we have done and she seems most comfortable with that - although it was a bit of a trial and effort to get it right - she is able to stand again on her right leg in the sling and rest her left leg toes down and slightly out - she can also stretch the leg out a little forward from her body. At night we are laying her down on her right side in the cat crate and she manouvers herself in a comfortable position with her left leg forward from her body - in the morning we feed her and pop her back in the sling. The question is (as i dont know what the injury is - a tendon or a break high up) - is she likely to recover enough to limp around on both legs and have a life outside the sling in time or would it be better to "put her down" ? She is eating and drinking well and seems to be out of pain - if it is a tendon will it heal on its own/ or if it is a break high up?? Thanks in advance for any replys - we dont want to lose her if there is any hope of healing .... Henny's mother
