My pekin broke her leg

[schatze]

My only guess is she was running from a hawk, tripped, and broke her leg as the hawk got one of my smaller ducks. The vet said the fracture is too high up to splint, and truth be told, I don't have the $2,000 for the recommended surgery. We've had Ming's leg stabilized in a wrap for the last two days. The wrap isn't waterproof, and Ming still wants and is able to swim. She still wants to be active.

Has anyone designed a sort of harness that will keep the broken leg in position (in this case, it's up against her body with the bone parts aligned--it was thankfully a very clean break) while allowing freedom of movement of the other leg? All of this wrap on her took three of us half an hour to do, and it isn't waterproof.

 

[chickens really]

Possibly it's time to decide to let her go?..Pekin don't have strong legs to begin with and it's not fun suffering in pain either..

 

[casportpony]

My only guess is she was running from a hawk, tripped, and broke her leg as the hawk got one of my smaller ducks. The vet said the fracture is too high up to splint, and truth be told, I don't have the $2,000 for the recommended surgery. We've had Ming's leg stabilized in a wrap for the last two days. The wrap isn't waterproof, and Ming still wants and is able to swim. She still wants to be active.

Has anyone designed a sort of harness that will keep the broken leg in position (in this case, it's up against her body with the bone parts aligned--it was thankfully a very clean break) while allowing freedom of movement of the other leg? All of this wrap on her took three of us half an hour to do, and it isn't waterproof.

Which bone is broken? The femur?

 

[schatze]

She's only 5. And she isn't letting the leg bother her. The first day she was in visible pain, but now she's like her regular self and takes the pain medication beautifully as needed--she lets me know. She's not a horse with a broken leg.

 

[schatze]

Yes, it's her femur.

 

[casportpony]

Yes, it's her femur.

I've tried a couple of times to splint them but didn't have any luck. Maybe if you kept her leg immobilized, and kept her out of water it might set. Talk to your vet about the best way to splint and ask them to prescribe some Meloxicam for pain and swelling.

 

[casportpony]

Also google "avian medicine femur fracture".

 

[Miss Lydia]

Sure hope you can help her heal. Sounds as though she has a strong will to make it.