Injury or Neurological Issue?

[ChicoryBlue]

Hello everyone. So Bridge has shown no improvement over the last three months. Lately it seems a little worse. She still carrying on mostly normally and I take her down from the roost each day. I was a little late a couple days ago and she had jumped partway down, which may or may not explain this. I just noticed today that her foot is not only sore, it appears to maybe have lost some function. Thoughts?

Sorry, I kind of say the same thing over and over again in the video.

@Shadrach
@azygous
@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive

I'm no expert but my impression is she lifts her leg well. Her toes do not stretch out in readiness as she puts her foot down, and it appears she is compensating by bringing her leg high up and then more forward, so when the foot comes down in an arc the toes open up to stand on. Just an impression.

If she's been walking a bit funny for three months, maybe this is not an injury but an organic problem - tumors can impinge on nerves, for instance. How does her belly feel?

 

[micstrachan]

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I'm no expert but my impression is she lifts her leg well. Her toes do not stretch out in readiness as she puts her foot down, and it appears she is compensating by bringing her leg high up and then more forward, so when the foot comes down in an arc the toes open up to stand on. Just an impression.

If she's been walking a bit funny for three months, maybe this is not an injury but an organic problem - tumors can impinge on nerves, for instance. How does her belly feel?

This is an interesting point. I’ve only felt her for bloatedness, like I do with all the girls, and she is not bloated. However, I haven’t really investigated for tumors. I did catch her when resting with the bad leg sticking straight backward. Seems to be providing some sort of relief. She really seems to like it when I let that leg dangle when she sits on my lap. I love this old girl so much. She was my very first chick when my husband came home eight years ago with four chicks, one each to hold every night so they got used to being handled. Bridge was mine. Here she was chilling out on my arm.

I get choked up at the thought of her having cancer or any other old age issue.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Hello everyone. So Bridge has shown no improvement over the last three months. Lately it seems a little worse. She still carrying on mostly normally and I take her down from the roost each day. I was a little late a couple days ago and she had jumped partway down, which may or may not explain this. I just noticed today that her foot is not only sore, it appears to maybe have lost some function. Thoughts?

Sorry, I kind of say the same thing over and over again in the video.

@Shadrach
@azygous
@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive

I'm glad to see Bridge is still hanging in there and chatty!

Looking back at the November video until now (Feb.) I agree, the issue has not improved.
She doesn't seem to hold the foot splayed out anymore with her steps.

Still looks like it's tender when weight bearing. You mention she seems to like it when you hold her and the leg dangles. I do wonder if it's a joint or nerve problem and the hanging relieves a bit of pressure.

Vitamin B-Complex as suggested for a couple of weeks certainly won't hurt anything. And if the weather warms and it's doable, Epsom salts soakings may feel good too.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I'm glad to see Bridge is still hanging in there and chatty!

Looking back at the November video until now (Feb.) I agree, the issue has not improved.
She doesn't seem to hold the foot splayed out anymore with her steps.

Still looks like it's tender when weight bearing. You mention she seems to like it when you hold her and the leg dangles. I do wonder if it's a joint or nerve problem and the hanging relieves a bit of pressure.

Vitamin B-Complex as suggested for a couple of weeks certainly won't hurt anything. And if the weather warms and it's doable, Epsom salts soakings may feel good too.

Your remark about weight bearing made me think of arthritis and pain. @micstrachan Are you giving her any pain meds? You might ease her discomfort, whatever the cause, with baby aspirin (1/2 tablet I believe?), or children’s liquid Tylenol (I don’t know the dose). Then see how she moves on that. Like more weight-bearing, but still not controlling her toes, or what? Or does she perk up all around? It’s possible there are two things going on.

 

[micstrachan]

Yes, I do believe she has some discomfort. I did try her on a full low dose aspirin one day and it didn’t seem to help. That does seem to help the other one with a bad leg, however. I picked up and compared dangling feet of a few chickens this morning. The right foot on Bridge is definitely different. It’s kind of floppy and dangley. I think it also has less color than her other foot.

This morning I compared Bridge’s “drumsticks” and they seem about the same size. I also gave her a B complex vitamin, but it is expired. I’ll get some fresh ones today. I gave her a baby bird formula treat with a bunch of turmeric in it, as well.

I may bring her to see an Avian Vet and see what they think the issue is and what they recommend and/or prescribe. I kind of have a feeling she may just be hobbling around on a foot that is out of commission for the rest of her life.

It’s gonna be a rainy miserable weekend. I may bring her in for a nice Epsom salt soak and just let her spend the night inside one of the nights. If she seems too stressed, I guess I’ll have to blow dry her and put her back out.

 

[micstrachan]

I forgot to mention that she’s pretty perky and normal besides not wanting to or really being able to walk well on her foot. Also, one of the junior hens is eyeing her position in the pecking order. But she’s still the boss. And the second in command hen wouldn’t even think of challenging her.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

Yes, I do believe she has some discomfort. I did try her on a full low dose aspirin one day and it didn’t seem to help. That does seem to help the other one with a bad leg, however. I picked up and compared dangling feet of a few chickens this morning. The right foot on Bridge is definitely different. It’s kind of floppy and dangley. I think it also has less color than her other foot.

This morning I compared Bridge’s “drumsticks” and they seem about the same size. I also gave her a B complex vitamin, but it is expired. I’ll get some fresh ones today. I gave her a baby bird formula treat with a bunch of turmeric in it, as well.

I may bring her to see an Avian Vet and see what they think the issue is and what they recommend and/or prescribe. I kind of have a feeling she may just be hobbling around on a foot that is out of commission for the rest of her life.

It’s gonna be a rainy miserable weekend. I may bring her in for a nice Epsom salt soak and just let her spend the night inside one of the nights. If she seems too stressed, I guess I’ll have to blow dry her and put her back out.

If you take her to the vet get an X-ray might show something, sometimes tumors (benign or bad) are not hard to see, depends. You also might get meloxicam from them and see if that helps her.

Epsom soak - why not make it a girls’ spa evening and bring in a friend too, maybe her second in command, to keep company with?

Hugs for you both

 

[Shadrach]

Hello everyone. So Bridge has shown no improvement over the last three months. Lately it seems a little worse. She still carrying on mostly normally and I take her down from the roost each day. I was a little late a couple days ago and she had jumped partway down, which may or may not explain this. I just noticed today that her foot is not only sore, it appears to maybe have lost some function. Thoughts?

Sorry, I kind of say the same thing over and over again in the video.

@Shadrach
@azygous
@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive

I hope the vet can sort her out.

 

[ChicoryBlue]

I forgot to mention that she’s pretty perky and normal besides not wanting to or really being able to walk well on her foot. Also, one of the junior hens is eyeing her position in the pecking order. But she’s still the boss. And the second in command hen wouldn’t even think of challenging her.

Yes, aside from her walk she looked good foraging there, alert and doing her thing!

 

[micstrachan]

So I took Bridge inside to see how her foot looks when she walks on it on flat ground. It’s not good. Poor thing. I think the foot is pretty much done.

And I can’t believe I was too stupid to think of the possibility of a brace or boot or shoe until my daughter mentioned it. Duh. I know better. So I quickly fashioned this out of vet wrap. It makes her foot land flat. I think I will look into ordering her a proper shoe.