Matilda is going to lose her feet. :(

[pennyJo1960]

Ok i will use it on her future stump(s). Tu.

Just keep us posted as things happen Most of us have put a watch on this

 

[Eggcessive]

Tu for cephalexin dosage. I try not to ask questions if i can find the answer myself, but my brain has been stuck in neutral gear over this. I Think Matilda weighs about 7 lbs. She feels like shes regained most of her weight over the past 2 weeks. I will weigh her this eve to get exact weight. If she weighs 7 lbs, & the cephalexin tablets are 500mg, the dose would be 150mg 4x daily, is that correct? I have a pill splitter, but hmmm not sure how to split a pill into thirds. (Assuming i calculated dose correctly). I also watched the chicken chair/sling video. Matilda definitely needs a sling! I can improvise until my friend can help build her her very own sling chair. (Actually he will be doing most of the actual building; i ll just be the supervisor). Tu for the video.

You could try to crush the tablet into 10ml of water to make a suspension of 50 mg per ml, or in 5 ml of water to make 100 mg per ml. I am not sure that cephalexin is soluble in water, but it is possible to put it in thin yogurt and mix it well.

 

[Madhouse Pullet]

I'm sorry you have to go through all this. Matilda looks like a sweet girl Very good idea tracking the experience to educate others. I bookmarked a few things so I can refer to if needed. hope she recovers with/without feet.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Tu. I started her on cephalexin wednesday eve, just to be safe. I sat in my chair and put her on my lap for a while before popping the pill in her beak. I didnt want her to think everytime i show up im gonna tug on her wattle. (To open her beak). She Loved laying on my lap! Every bit as relaxed as a dog or cat. I'm gonna order her a chicken diaper today. Not so she can roam my house, but because the whole time she was in my lap, i kept thinking "i hope she doesnt poop on me." She laid on my lap for almost an hour, very content and ocassionally making her sweet little hen talk. I didnt get pooped on, but an hour was pushing it! With a diaper, i can be as relaxed as she was.
The left leg has grown much more swollen since Wednesday at the line of demarcation. I tried to get a photo yesterday eve, but she kept pulling her left foot in toward her body. Whether that was due to pain or just odd sensations idk. I will try for another photo today. She shows no Obvious signs of pain, & makes no complaints. Due to Matilda's age (5 years), the fact i've learned that frostbite can lead to heart and other organ problems, and a chicken hanging upside down puts pressure on their internal organs, her accident immediately led to 3 strikes against her. So idk how much the accident may have shortened her life. But for now, she clearly wants to be here. As long as she does, here she will remain.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Probably the best medicine was you holding her you can alo crush the pill add a scrambled egg but scramble the pill in

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Probably the best medicine was you holding her you can alo crush the pill add a scrambled egg but scramble the pill in

Holding her was actually good medicine (very calming) for me! Ive tended to ailing horses, dogs, chickens & other patients before, but Matilda is Seriously the best/easiest patient ever. For example, last night, i pulled her wattle down to pop her cephalexin pill, but missed my aim and the pill dropped. She looked at it, picked it up, & ate it! So this morn i offered her the cephalexin in my open hand, & she ate it again. Then i offered her the baby aspirin and she ate that too! I couldnt believe it! "Ok Matilda, i wont pull your wattle anymore." Of course i so wish i could have healed her feet. She needed them to hunt bugs, dust bathe, waste all that chick starter she always scratched into the ground, & in general go about her formerly busy active chicken life. Plus i cant help feel like her lifespan has been shortened considerably. But she's been so easy to tend to that shes actually a joy to have around. (Not that it's been in any way worth it to sadly watch her feet die.)

 

[RosemaryDuck]

So sorry Matilda and you are going through this! Not sure if others have mentioned this since I just skimmed over everything, but I'll add it here.

When the feet come off, clean the stumps really well and add some padding on the bottoms with vet wrap. It'll take her a bit to get used to balancing like that, but I've seen chickens and ducks do surprisingly well on stumps. Just make sure you change the wraps and pads frequently so she doesn't get sores.

I hope things get better and start looking up for you two. Best of luck .

 

[pennyJo1960]

I am thrilled she is taking it so easy sure helps
God be with you

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

Photos taken Friday, April 2. Photo 1) Matilda in her temporary very rigged sling. (It gets her off her breastbone and she seemed more comfy; that's what counts 'til i can make her a proper sling chair). Photo 2) Right foot from behind showing healthy tissue on pad. Photo 3) Left foot shows swelling growing larger at demarcation line, but i THink that is normal before healthy tissue separates from dead. Thank you for your help so far everyone, & happy Easter.

 

[pennyJo1960]

Happy Easter you doing great with her