Lame leg after baytril

[igotgoosed]

I have a couple of little pullets that became really sick, so I gave them baytril...and now 3 of them have a lame leg ( I injected in the leg as instructed by my vet). The foot is curled under and they are walking on the top of the foot! The injection was given 3 days ago, since that happened I switched to giving it orally. Is this normal? Or has this caused some sort of permanent damage? They are doing much better since getting the baytril, now it's just the crazy legs!

 

[realsis]

I always give the injections into the breast muscles even baytril goes into the breast. What likely happened was that you hit a nerve. Having worked in dentistry for 30 years I can tell you when this happens with people it can stay numb for awhile but usually returns to normal UNLESS permanate damage was done to the nerve. There is no way of me being able to tell you weather or not this is the case. I would give it some time. I do know I've had patients that have had the nerve damage up to 6 months then healed. So you will just have to wait and see. Next time I suggest giving the injections into the breast. I really hope this helps and I'm sorry their is really no way to give a specific time on healing because to many factors come into play with nerve damage. But have hope because it CAN be reversible with time unless permanate damage was done. So basically it's a wait and see type of thing. Best wishes

 

[cgmccary]

I have used Baytril with chickens but I do not inject it but have a gallon or so mixed up as their water -- I have had no such ill effect. This may not be a matter for Baytril. Unless the vet is trained in poultry, they (which is 99% of them) do not know anything about a chicken.

For example: Once I had an avian vet give me baytril for a hen. It was a about a cup of water. The vet said for me to give it to the hen as her drinking water. I asked how many days and was told a week. I then asked, how much do I mix per gallon of water. The vet replied that she had already mixed it for me. I told her that a laying hen drinks 1-2 cups of water per day. She looked shocked and went and mixed me a whole gallon. She was an avian vet and did not know chickens at all.

 

[Haunted55]

Baytril like it's human counterpart, Cipro has been known to cause ligament damage. Try to keep the birds quiet and it may reverse.

 

[casportpony]

I have a couple of little pullets that became really sick, so I gave them baytril...and now 3 of them have a lame leg ( I injected in the leg as instructed by my vet). The foot is curled under and they are walking on the top of the foot! The injection was given 3 days ago, since that happened I switched to giving it orally. Is this normal? Or has this caused some sort of permanent damage? They are doing much better since getting the baytril, now it's just the crazy legs!

Baytril injections can be very painful which is why my vet suggests giving it orally. Baytril injections can also cause necrotic injection site sores, so keep an eye out for those.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Liquid Baytril is not well tolerated in water and should be given orally or by injection. The doses I have been told to use are:

• 10mg/kg twice a day for five days
• 15mg/kg once a day for five days
• 20mg/kg once a day for five days

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Here is a bunch of info on Baytril (enrofloxacin). Has info like dosing for the different species, drug interactions, side effects, etc.

From Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook

 

[casportpony]

Source: http://www.chelonia.org/articles/medical_misinformation.htm
Next, baytril is an EXTREMELY painful drug if given in the “wrong” place. Intramuscular injections into the musculature of the front legs is an outdated treatment modality and leads to the classic ‘Baytril pain dance” which is easily avoided with appropriate administration of the drug.
Baytril has also been found to cause damage to the joint cartilage in immature (less than 8 month old) dogs. I have seen this in immature birds as well and have no reason to believe it doesn’t cause similar problems in developing chelonians. Permanent damage to the retinas in cats and subsequent blindness is another side effect which wasn’t discovered until the past few years.
Lastly, most people are unaware that Baytril is actually designed to be given intramuscularly for the initial treatment and then orally for subsequent treatments. It is not designed to be given repeatedly into the muscle yet this is the primary approach utilized in most instances as well as that “prescribed” by internet “experts”.

 

[igotgoosed]

Thank you for the detailed info! I'm hoping that they are just sore and holding the leg up and walking on the top of the foot to reduce the strain on the thigh...which is where the injection site was. My vet is not a chicken expert in any fashion. I will continue to give orally as they have improved drastically and it's obvious it works.

I sure hope there is no permanent damage. I feel really bad I'll keep watch for any sign of necrotic tissue. Should I make a splint or anything to make the foot straighten out? They are in a brooder box with a heat lamp also.

I appreciate the help. I really try to care for my guys as best as I can.

 

[cgmccary]

Quote:
An avian vet mixed up what I gave my chickens. Still, she did not know chickens, but she knows birds generally -- she gave me baytril in water that she would mix for say a parrot.