Paraplegic duck - any ideas?

[Duck Hill]

I would like to try to get Apple walking. I need ideas...

Apple's right leg doesn't work (paralysis as a result of West Nile virus). On that leg, he does have some slight muscle tone where the leg connects to the body, so that if the external leg is well wrapped with a prosthetic support, he can stand for 2 -3 seconds (and we could build on that). His next joint (still under his skin) has very, very weak movement (I think...), so that when he is held up in air he can draw the external leg a bit closer to his body, giving a slight swimming motion. This is ineffective in water because the foot will not spread out. This movement is also extremely weak and does not exert a substantial push on any object.

When standing (with wrapped right leg) Apple will now readily walk one step forward with his left leg. The right leg will not move, and so stays behind. Therefore, Apple promptly falls over. Apple is completely unable to move his wrapped right leg forward at all, even on smooth flat flooring. His ability seems limited to using muscle tone to help hold the leg in place when he balances.

Apple wants to stand and walk and he is motivated. His balance has improved, and his willingness to lean on something to help him stand has also improved, so that at times he will lean on the wall of his pen to enable him to stand for a moment.

Any ideas? I have tried many varieties of wheelchairs but they don't work because his good left leg slips on the floor or pushes him in circles (he swims in circles in the tub). I think walking is his best option, if I can only figure out a way to move the right leg forward...

Any ideas?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Aww bless he is so beautiful. Other than warm water therapy I really don't know. Have you tried massages? What about a sling where he can stand but the sling is supporting him that way he can use his leg similar to doing squats to build up muscle.

 

[chickens really]

Was the Duck seen by a Vet?..I'm not sure what should be done?..Are you sure it's not caused from a dislocated hip?
Poor Apple. I hope you figure something out for the Duck...

 

[Duck Hill]

I have done some research and have realized Apple is hemiplegic (one side of his body paralyzed) rather than paraplegic (the two legs paralyzed). This is throwing some light onto the problems I have creating a way for him to walk.

 

[Miss Lydia]

share please when you get time.

 

[Duck Hill]

A paraplegic person, dog or cat can have wheeled support and can efficiently use the remaining two limbs to propel themselves. This is what is seen in pictures of dogs running around happily with little carts on the back or front end.

A hemiplegic person has a good arm and leg on the same side and a bad one of each on the other side. This makes it much more difficult because there is no balance.

Apple, being hemiplegic, goes round and round in circles rather than traveling forward, because he can only push on one side. This is true both in the water and on land. Even given a wheelchair he goes in circles, and therefore quickly ends up stuck in a corner. As a result, Apple rarely gets where he wants to go.

This means he cannot be relied on to always reach food and water, though in his small pen he seems to be reasonably hungry and not too thirsty when I get home. But then I make sure he has plenty in the morning and evening, so he might not be reaching food and water in between.

Apple does have some control of both wings, and if he were a dog I think he might be able to handle a back-end wheelchair and to "walk" with his front end. Unfortunately, being a duck rather than a dog, he cannot make use of the "front" limbs to walk.