Quail was limping, now cant stand up at all.

[Darzoveja]

Just got myself handful of coturnix quail for the very first time.
Right away next day, I noticed that one quail is barely moving and spends its day lying down, she wobbled to get food and water, but plopped down and ate laying down. I looked and found already calluses on her legs, from all that laying. I treated them and now they they are gone.
Few days forward and I found her not moving at all, it seems one of her legs was inflamed and it is getting worse?
She does not put weight on it at all, but does extend it from time to time, so does not seem like broken.
Eats, drinks and poops well!
She is now separated as others are stomping on her, she is on bedding. I pick her up and bring to the food and water multiple times a day, as she shuffles around and then cant reach it.


Yes, I contacted the breeder straight away and they just offered a refund, but little help to get the bird better. They said they will come back with suggestion. I live in a city and I never imagined that none of the local vets would know how to handle birds! Just cats and dogs!

Pictures

 

[Nabiki]

Do you know how old the bird is or what it was fed?
Is it pooping?
Does the poop look normal?
What have the temperatures been like in your area?
Are any others showing symptoms?

In the meantime, if you can get some Nutri-drench that may give her an energy boost to help her through this.

 

[Darzoveja]

She should be arround 4-5 weeks old. Not sure what it was fed previously.
Luckily its pooping normally. The weather is quite warm 25-30 dyring day. Though I brought her inside as soon as I noticed it and today is a 3rd day she is inside and being taken care off, with no significant improvement.
She came in with other 7 sisters, all other are still fine.
I am in Europe and will try to find something similar to Nutri drench you mentioned

 

[Nabiki]

That quail is NOT 3-4 weeks old. It is a full adult. This condition is fairly common in very old quail, but not in young ones.

You mentioned swelling in the leg. Do you have a picture of that? I'm thinking it may be a staph infection, but without tests, that is a guess. You might ask your local vets if they can test for that. They may be able to even if they aren't very familiar with birds.

 

[Darzoveja]

That quail is NOT 3-4 weeks old. It is a full adult. This condition is fairly common in very old quail, but not in young ones.

You mentioned swelling in the leg. Do you have a picture of that? I'm thinking it may be a staph infection, but without tests, that is a guess. You might ask your local vets if they can test for that. They may be able to even if they aren't very familiar with birds.

I double checked. June 20 supposedly was 3weeks old. none of them are laying yet. Unless they mixed in old one, which is unlikely, ofcourse unless they are lying.

I have attached pictures in original post, system only allowed me to add link. Will try again

 

[Nabiki]

Based on the scabs, I'm guessing bumblefoot/staph infection even more. See if the vet can prescribe an antibiotic for it. Also check with the vet to see if there's a withdrawal period after the course where you can't eat her eggs.

 

[Darzoveja]

An update for those reading in the future.
Unfortunately I was not able to get a hold of a vet, that would work with birds. Every single one turned me down. I even wrote to some local "homesteading influencers" with poultry, hoping they would for sure have someone. That was not the case and ever single time I was told to put bird down: antibiotics are only for professionals. I only managed to get vitamins from the vet shop.
Since the quail was still fighting for its life and was looking rather well, I could not bring myself to let it go yet. I nursed her for weeks now, she looked like she was taking a turn for the better, flapping her wings, playing in sand and laying in her hammock. Until today. During one of my many visits, I noticed she is not as perky as her usual self. Her breathing got harder, and she closes her eyes seconds after checking who entered the room, she did not eat as much today. I'm afraid she might have given up. I will see how she looks after the night, but its likely I will have to cut her journey short.

 

[Susan Skylark]

If it is a staph infection it can get into the blood stream via those ulcerated hocks! It may be going systemic, which is what your symptoms sound like, doesn’t anybody work on. Pet birds? Could you just get some penicillin and give it to her orally (not sure on EU antibiotic regulations!, here in US I’d try and find a sympathetic vet who might not routinely work on birds but would be willing to work with me, at least since penicillin went prescription). Amoxicillin would be fine also (open a 500mg capsule and dissolve in a liter of water and give her a few drops three times daily). Is it just fear of looking ignorant or nobody will even do a google search?

 

[Nabiki]

Is it just fear of looking ignorant or nobody will even do a google search?

People should be wary of relying on Dr. Google. While you can learn a lot from Google, it can also be spectacularly, amazingly wrong, especially on medical information.

 

[Darzoveja]

If it is a staph infection it can get into the blood stream via those ulcerated hocks! It may be going systemic, which is what your symptoms sound like, doesn’t anybody work on. Pet birds? Could you just get some penicillin and give it to her orally (not sure on EU antibiotic regulations!, here in US I’d try and find a sympathetic vet who might not routinely work on birds but would be willing to work with me, at least since penicillin went prescription). Amoxicillin would be fine also (open a 500mg capsule and dissolve in a liter of water and give her a few drops three times daily). Is it just fear of looking ignorant or nobody will even do a google search?

How ignorant of you to assume that the whole wide web has not been read by me by now in trying to find alternatives. Everything is a prescription in EU and finding a vet that is willing to risk their license for a stranger is not an easy feat. You are lucky things would be different where you are at.