PLEASE HELP if you can

[Atrayou]

I have recently acquired a goose that can not walk. Her/his name is Zippy......Zippy was born with Sprag Leg and with the use of zip ties we got her up and running......( I will call the bird a her even though I am not sure ) She was a friend of mines bird and one day she wasnt walking. He claimed that a hawk or one of his dogs got her. For 2 weeks he tried water therapy. Zippy would move her legs and swim but still could not walk. Only problem was my friend kept her out at night and the nights get chilly. 3 days ago when I stopped by he said he was going to put her down. So stupid me I decided to take her and try to take care of her. I have her isolated from my other birds but she is in the barn. I put her under a heat lamp because I think she caught a cold virus as the 2nd day I had her and went to put her into the pool she started shaking and wanted out. I wraped her in a big soft towel and she cuddled right up with me. I inspected her all over for wounds, bumble foot etc. I found nothing. She has no pain, she is eating, drinking and preening herself. If she wants to move she pulls herslef with her wings. Zippy is about 5-6 weeks old. I am using VetRx on her for respitory issues. In the 3 days that I have had her she seems to be doing better but still is not getting up. I have a camera on her 24/7 so even when I am in the house I can watch her.
I do not want to sound shallow but I can not afford to bring her to the Vet as I am already in the process of giving my 2 horses to a 4-H camp. Money is tight......Plus the Vets around here do not work on birds.
Questions: Is there some type of vaccination I can give her that will help? Would anyone know what may be going on with her?
I have thought of making her a doll stroller type of walker so I can put her legs through holes and support her breast yet have her fanny hanging over for when she poops. I do not know alot about geese and I have 2 white ones I got about 6 weeks ago I believe a Gander and a Goose. I have so many things going thorugh my head. I want to give Zippy a chance. She is a very loving bird that is used to being handled. Loves to have her head scratched and up under her wings. She talks to me everytime I go into see her. I make sure her bottom is clean but it is hard to tell if her poop is normal because it is always squished.
Would Zippy have a good life if she never walked again and I took her into my home? Thought I could take her into the tub daily and things like that. Are there rehab places out there that would consider taking her? I truly believe Zippy would be a great petting zoo bird. Just don't know if she will ever walk again. I am sure I will hear she must have an X-Ray. The vets around here will not see a goose. Any help would be appreciated. I have become attached to this bird her personality is Off the hook even with her disability.
PLEASE IF ANYONE has suggestions I am all ears.......Medications? Shots? physical therapy methods? I will post photo's of her if I can get some today.
I have realized that geese like routine and my 2 white ones are not happy these days since their routine has been shuffled. My son got married last weekend and my shcedule has changed. They follow me around like dogs but I have noticed that Romeo has become a bit aggressive in the past few days. I think he is frustrated. My husband had made them a nice fenced in pen "VERY large and a lean too in it. I kept them out for their first night the night before last. Worried all night of course. I got my geese because we have fox around and they are very good at warning the rest of the chickens etc. Okay I am getting off track......I LOVE Zippy to pieces but I am back and forth with this.....If I can rehab her fantastic~!!! If I can not can I still give her a decent lifestyle? By bringing her in and making her a house bird? Right now she is quaranteened from all the other birds yet can still hear them. I am afraid to put her in with my other 2 geese in case they hurt her. I am very distraught and need some advise. All I want to do is give this bird a fighting chance BUT I don't have 100's of dollars to do it. THANKS FOR READING....

 

[Miss Lydia]

Quote:
Bless you for taking Zippy in, I wish i had all the answers for you, but I do think if she can swim that her legs should be strengthened by that and maybe it will help her walk. you might try Nutri Drench it has amino acids alot of other things that could help strengthen her. If you have only had her a short time then it will take her sometime to get comfortable in her surroundings and maybe thats why she was afraid in the pool. I understand VetRX is good stuff I have it in my flocks med chest but haven't had to use it. here is a link with some ideas that may help you with Zippy you'll just have to adapt them for a larger bird. All the best and please let us know how she is. I'm sure others will be here shortly that can give you better advise. https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/ https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=472930
I found this go down about half way and you'll see what i am talking about this person made for their goose.

 

[sourland]

Given that her diet has been adequate, perhaps she has sufferred a pelvic injury. They take quite a while to heal and reduced activity is essential to the healing process. I would continue to offer the opportunity for swimming/floating and confine her to a dog crate or small area at all other times. Good luck with her rehabilitation.

 

[Oregon Blues]

Well, if you can't afford a vet, then you can't.

I'm guessing, but being unable to bear any weight at all on the leg sounds like a broken bone to me. But it might be a torn or dislocated tendon.

All you can do is to keep her comfortable and hope she heals. Swim therapy is good as long as you can see it isn't stressing her.

Make sure she has niacin and vitamin D, but it doesn't sound like a vitamin deficiency to me.

I doubt that any rehabilitation center will take a domestic goose. Or if they do, they will put her down as soon as you are out the door.

I'm not totally sure that what you are doing is kindness. Think about her quality of life. But if you want to give her a chance to heal, then best luck to you.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Please let us know how she is doing. And what you decide to do. Thanks.

 

[Olive Hill]

Sometimes the kindest thing you can do for an animal is to end its suffering.

 

[Miss Lydia]

How is Zippy today?

 

[Atrayou]

Yesterday I took a small kiddie pool and filled it with half hot water and half cold so the water was nice and tempid, I put Zippy in and she flapped around a bit then started using her legs to move herself. My husband told me to fill the pool more so I did and she bathed and preened herself. It was gorgeous out so after her bath I put her on the lawn just outside by my geese pen. She stretched out and continued to preen and soak up the sun. She was out most of the day because it was so warm.
Put her in her cage all nice and cleaned up new bedding and hay.....gave her some vitamins the stuff that was mentioned in a previous post ( I am sorry it is late and I am tired I forgot the nae of it ) I then used some VetRx and rubbed it under her wings and put her to bed. I watched her for hours on my camera....she looked relaxed, comfortable and was eating and drinkking.
Today I took her out and put her in an empty stall to clean her cage.....I was doing stuff and all of a sudden I heard her making noises like I have not heard before. I ran to the stall and Zippy was trying so hard to stand......she managed to pull herself up but sould not stay up.......I have not seeen this reaction in the past 2 plus weeks.....I saw her everyday when she lived at my friends and today made day 4 ? that she is here........My husband claims she has a broken back. I however am not sure. She could maybe that is why she does not feel pain? He ran his fingers down her back and it was crooked....BUT she was leaning on her side like my shcikens do to sun herself. SO I am going to see what a farm call will cost and IF a regular Vet can tell me if her back is broken or not.
I did not give her water therapy today but she seemed to have alot more strength........I am so confused and torn......am I in fact doing her a favor by trying to help her? Or am I just making the quality of her life nonsense????
Later this afternoon I put her in the tub in warm water. Since she can't stand she gets messy on her belly. After I rinsed her off I wrapped her in a towel and sat with her on my couch while she was all bundled up. I started scratching her right about the beak between her eyes and she fell asleep in my arms for a good hour. She seemed very content and for the first time she got solid sleep.
My husband said he will make her one of those contraptions that was in that thread link.......I have decided to see what a Vet will cost to come and look at her and go from there.....I want to give her a chance becuase I have not seen her with this much strenth and determination as today.....then came the content of sleeping in my arms......I am wondering now if Zippy will never walk again is there at least a way that I can make her comfortable??? With lots of extra attention and love??? She is soooooooooooooo loveable I am going to give this another week and if she gets stronger then I make the decision on her fate.......I will either have to put her down OR I will set her up in a funky contraption with wheels where her food and water are right in front of her and she can poop without laying in it.....and she will become a house pet. Zippy is all of 5-6 weeks old if her prognosis is not good as far as walking but I can keep her cpomforatable and stimulated mentally maybe just maybe she will just adapt.......As I said I am probably going to have to come up with some cash to find a vet to x-ray her so I really know if her spind is broken a and she is parylized....If she feels pain or not....I can not tell you how I have fallen for this goose.......I already Love her to pieces.

 

[pete55]

Hi

Best of luck with her and I admire your determined efforts to help her. Maybe its limited to a curvature of the spine. However I really think that you're wise to call a Vet and seek an expert diagnosis. Once you have your diagnosis then you can decide what the best course of action is for her.

Best of luck to you

Pete

 

[Frosty]

It could also be a niacin deficiency... wouldn't hurt to try giving some.