Is Slipped Tendon/Perosis Painful?

[BWchicken]

We have a 10-12 week old chicken that is 1 of the 2 that we rescued. These people decided they didn't want them anymore, so they were going to throw them out into the woods for the wolves to eat. So we saved them. We did notice an odd leg on one, but we just thought it was deformed because of the VERY rough handling he had endured.

Now I find out my poor chicken has a slipped tendon. He doesn't seem to be in any pain. The vet says it's too late for any real treatment, but applied a splint in hopes the extra support would help with walking (which didn't help - he can't stand or walk AT ALL with the splint on, so we're going to take it off).

The chicken is alert, eats well, and doesn't seem to be in pain. He has some trouble walking, but he can still get to the food and water, so I have hope that with our help, he can have a little more life. I've somehow become very attached to him. I know I'll have to put him down, but I want to delay it and give him as many days of life as possible, as long as he isn't suffering.

 

[Mabel's Mom]

I realize this is an older post, but can you tell me what happened to your chicken? Did you have to put it down? I volunteer at an animal rescue that just got in a duckling with leg issues. I'm thinking it's perosis, but I'm not a vet so I don't know. Tonight I just offered to take the duckling to the vet to see what is wrong. If the vet says to put him down, I will, but if I'm told the duckling can survive and have a good quality of life, then I plan on adopting it. I've been so upset since I saw this little guy and I just hope he makes it. If you can offer any advice, please do.

 

[BWchicken]

Well, my chicken turned out to be a broiler breed (cornishX), and they are very hard to keep alive past a few months. They are not bred to live. Sadly, he died a few weeks after my original post, at about 14 weeks of age (I assume a heart attack, which is the common cause of death for this breed, and he had heart failure symptoms right before he died). We had decided it was time to put him down because of the leg and heart problems, but he died first. He was the sweetest chicken I've ever known.

As for the slipped tendon, it never got better. As I posted in the original post, the vet said it was too late to treat. By the time we realized the problem (and FINALLY found an avian vet), it was too late to help. But the vet did say that with our extra care and attention, BigWhiteChicken could probably live a decent life. So we catered to him and he seemed happy and content until right before he died. At the end, he could barely get around because his "good" leg went lame from over-use. Because of that and his heart symptoms, we decided the day had come to put him down. He died that same day. But keep in mind, he was a HUGE broiler-type chicken. The Perosis isn't what killed him, and he never seemed to be in any pain. If not for his massive weight, the leg may have sustained him. Other than being a little crooked, it did fine until his weight became too much. A duck may have a better chance, but I don't know.

I must tell you though, our vet said that most birds with perosis were put down because there really is no way to fix it unless you treat it VERY early on and most people don't have time to cater and tend to a lame bird. But if the perosis is caught very early on, there is hope. If the injury is fairly new, maybe there is something your vet can do. Our vet said the cause of Perosis is usually a deficiency of some kind and supplements may help, and sometimes they can push the tendon back on, but these things would have to be done very soon after the tendon first slipped. I wish I had some real advice to give you, but my knowledge is limited to my own experience, so all I can say for sure is, get him to the vet as soon as humanly possible, don't wait.

I can tell you love this little guy, so do get him to a vet and see what can be done. The vet may recommend that you put him down now and if you decide to do that, just know that you did what you could for him. The fact that you cared about him is more than what he had before he met you. Or you may decide to adopt him and give him every day of life that you can as long as he isn't in pain. But just know that down the road, the day may come when that isn't possible anymore.

I'm really hoping this isn't perosis at all and he can be fixed. Please let me know what the vet says. I'll have you and the little guy in my thoughts, so please keep me updated.

 

[mnall]

I just had a baby chick hatch and it seems to have a tendon issue and is very swollen and looks infected. Help!!!! What can I do? Please don't tell me to put him down. I just don't think I can.

 

[gsim]

Quote:
Sorry, I have no experience that will help. Someone will read your post and help you.

I had one with an injured leg that we noticed one day after we had had them for around 6 weeks. We figured it was a mid-air collision since they are so spastic about that sort of thing. I gave her 3 days separate from the others and had to put her down. She couldn't walk and didn't seem to be able to make it on her good leg. We had yet another incident of that same thing after putting them in their permanent coop outside. It was at the age of 2 months. She made it and has a limp and is the runt of the barred rocks. She lives with the flock and has learned not to try to crowd in for treats as she will get knocked over. AND she knows daddy will bring her a share of treats anyway, for her to eat away from the others.

She has learned to get inside early in eve to get a good spot on the roost and she also learned to be last off of the roost in the mornings, again, I imagine to avoid another midair collision.

 

[BWchicken]

I just now saw this post, I'm guessing the chick is about a week old by now, right? How is it doing?

The only thing I know of is to get to a bird vet asap. There are all sorts of leg problems chicks can have, but if it's a slipped tendon, our vet told us that sometimes when they're still babies, the tendon can be put back in place. But I know finding a vet who knows anything about chickens is near impossible. We finally found one for our sweet BigWhiteChicken, and he was over an hour's drive. I understand not being able to put a chick down, I'd feel the same way. If you can't find a vet, maybe try some extra vitamins for the chick, sometimes vitamin deficiencies can cause leg problems. Poly-Vi-Sol infant vitamin drops (without iron) is what most people use, you can get it at Wal-Mart. Just give a couple drops in the beak for a while and maybe that will help? I wish I had more to offer, I hope someone on here more knowledgeable will be able to help.

Edited to add... If you could post pictures of your chick's leg, that might help too.

Please keep us posted, I really want to know how your little guy is doing.

 

[duckyfromoz]

I would love to hear from others with birds with this kind of problem too. I have a young duck, who hatched with a slipped tendon. She nows lives in a babies portacot in my bedroom. She is 11 weeks old - but the size of a three week old duckling. She cant walk at all, but is the sweetest little girl. She loves to swim, and loves cuddles too. She doesnt seem to be in pain, and hops around to eat and drink. I know she might not live very long, but I am trying to make her life comfortable. I dont have the heart to have her put to sleep unless she developes further problems, as she is is a happy little one. She loves to chat, and gets carries around alot, and taken outside to sit in the grass too.

 

[BetsyOK]

I've had success with repairing slipped tendon on guinea fowl and silkies. If it is a genetic defect, there's really nothing you can do, but if it is an injury and is caught pretty quickly, it is repairable. One of the difficulties is determining whether or not it is actually a slipped tendon or some other condition. A slipped tendon is painful, and the babe will hold the leg up because pressure on it hurts and causes the joint to swell. If left very long, the joint will "freeze" permanently in that position. If both tendons have slipped, it will "walk on it's elbows." Untreated slipped Achilles tendon is virtually a death sentence because it can't keep up to get food and water, can't fly, and can't avoid predators. The first symptom I've noticed is almost constant crying with nothing visibly wrong. After awhile the joint will swell, which makes a cure more difficult. To test for a slipped tendon, gently, but firmly hold the joint beween your thumb and forefinger and roll it back and forth. If it is a slipped tendon, you can feel it pop into place and back out. A rotated femur is often mistaken for a slipped tendon, and there is no cure for that condition, except possibly surgery.

After working with only partial success with the first one using a process developed by a peafowl fancier; in frustration, I slipped the tendon in place and wrapped a very narrow strip of DUCT TAPE around and around the middle of the joint, on top of itself, making sure the initial wrap was firm enough to hold it in place. If done properly, the joint will still move normally, and the babe doesn't need to be isolated from the flock, which is stressful for it. If it was caused by an injury, it only takes a few days for it to heal. The first time I did this, I worried that the duct tape would harm the skin and was prepared to use mineral oil to release it. However, the natural oils in the skin made it slip right off with no damage. Since that first one, any time I know it is a slipped tendon, I immediately wrap the joint in duct tape. After several days, the tape will loosen and fall off, generally with a successfully repaired leg. I've had several permanent cures and have several friends who've also used this method successfully.

I think the most common cause of slipped Achilles tendon injury is insecure footing caused by too slick bedding material; often newspaper.

 

[ChookiesRcute]

Hi everyone

I have a Sebright bantam chicken... not sure what gender it is at the moment... it's only 6 weeks old.

Yesterday she was walking differently and had trouble walking with a slight limp.
she has been staying in a confined area and is very skittish when someone walks in on her. She is easily excited and gets very happy when someone comes to see her.

Being that this is my first time keeping chickens, i am not 100% sure what exactly has happened to her leg but i am almost certain it is either a rotated femur or slipped achilles tendon.
I realise only now, that it might not have been a good idea to keep her on a somewhat slippery surface as i have read that injuries can occur when they are startled or excited.

I'll send some images to give an idea of what her leg looks like. It is bending to the side and her hock joint is a little swollen.

Please let me know, what should i do?

I've been trying to feel for her achilles tendon to make sure it's in the right place but i am not very sure about all of that.

I'll send pics soon

Thanks

 

[ChookiesRcute]

Hi everyone

I have a Sebright bantam chicken... not sure what gender it is at the moment... it's only 6 weeks old.

Yesterday she was walking differently and had trouble walking with a slight limp.
she has been staying in a confined area and is very skittish when someone walks in on her. She is easily excited and gets very happy when someone comes to see her.

Being that this is my first time keeping chickens, i am not 100% sure what exactly has happened to her leg but i am almost certain it is either a rotated femur or slipped achilles tendon.
I realise only now, that it might not have been a good idea to keep her on a somewhat slippery surface as i have read that injuries can occur when they are startled or excited.

I'll send some images to give an idea of what her leg looks like. It is bending to the side and her hock joint is a little swollen.

Please let me know, what should i do?

I've been trying to feel for her achilles tendon to make sure it's in the right place but i am not very sure about all of that.

I'll send pics soon

Thanks