Slipped tendon that turned to twisted tibia/my treatment

[thndrdancr]

Thank you and that's all anyone can ask.

 

[thndrdancr]

I didn't tape Answers feet last night as I wanted to assess how his leg is doing.

I am not happy. His hock is swollen and he is walking as if it's painful. And worse, it's still kicking out in the wrong direction.

On a good note, it looks much better when he just stands, instead of walking.

My sister had the idea of just wrapping in foam and taping. He needs to stay of that leg.

I have him tame enough I guess I could just hold him upside down all night!!!

Too bad their poop is so strong and I am allergic. Bleh!

Ok we taped him with foam and he is laying on his side right now with his legs out, much better for relaxing that leg!

 

[thndrdancr]

I made the mistake of thinking it might be better if his feet were under him, so no matter how I tape, he feels as if he should sit up with feet under. I think I should make it impossible to do and instead have him lay on his side with feet and legs out and relaxed, the position they assume when sunning. I might use foam over his tootsies if he doesn't relax tonite.

 

[thndrdancr]

Answer has been super Depressed. I had him in several days due to snow. When I did put him out, he just laid all day on the deck and never even got off. Doesn't look any better. I am a bit discouraged but I didn't have him taped constantly when in the house. I think just overnights are not enough.

He was the bird in the post 'there rose such a clatter'.

 

[thndrdancr]

So last night I taped him up with foam again, it seems much easier on him, and brought in his chicken mom, Gimpy. He is much much happier. I told him we just couldn't bring in Question, that bird is gonna be a terror!

You can see Question outside thinking his bro and mom are getting special treatment!!

 

[DylansMom]

Answer has been super Depressed. I had him in several days due to snow. When I did put him out, he just laid all day on the deck and never even got off. Doesn't look any better. I am a bit discouraged but I didn't have him taped constantly when in the house. I think just overnights are not enough.

He was the bird in the post 'there rose such a clatter'.

So last night I taped him up with foam again, it seems much easier on him, and brought in his chicken mom, Gimpy. He is much much happier. I told him we just couldn't bring in Question, that bird is gonna be a terror!







You can see Question outside thinking his bro and mom are getting special treatment!!

How is his walking? At this age, I am thinking a full recovery may not be realistic. So concentrate on keeping him mobile, if left untreated a Twisted Tibia will rotate until the foot points backward and the bird cannot walk at all. Peas wasn't able to cure hers, but he is mobile and gets around with a limp, that is just fine, lots of us limp! Do what you can to keep him happy and I would try to keep those feet under him while taped. As it was explained to me, it is the bird struggling against the tape that helps straighten the bone, he is putting force against it in the opposite direction that his weight pushes against it when he is untaped and walking.

 

[thndrdancr]

His walking is terrible. . I have him taped and he bunny hops all over the place. I didn't know that was good, so good thing. Mucho happier with mom, he don't even care to go outside now in the cold and wet, in fact you can see how brother is jealous. my taping has been just a bit sporadic due to Xmas company etc. tried to every night but missed a couple. I am unwrapping him this morn to check on things, have had him wrapped since yesterday morn. He had lost weight but with mom in here with him he is an eating machine!

And I appreciate your help and encouragement.

 

[zazouse]

What if we come up with a way to make a saddle to go under the wings and across the back ,attach a sturdy metal band around the saddle to the point where the legs need to be kept straight then add a riveted piece of flat metal on each side to keep the legs in place with velcro this would allow mobility.

Now do not laugh at me.. Try to imagine this figure bent over like a bird .
the top band would need to be place over the back instead of up and down, this is kinda what i am thinking might work

 

[DylansMom]

What if we come up with a way to make a saddle to go under the wings and across the back ,attach a sturdy metal band around the saddle to the point where the legs need to be kept straight then add a riveted piece of flat metal on each side to keep the legs in place with velcro this would allow mobility.

Now do not laugh at me.. Try to imagine this figure bent over like a bird .
the top band would need to be place over the back instead of up and down, this is kinda what i am thinking might work

Believe me I would never laugh at an idea like this, And as a brace it would probably work well, the question would be can it keep the leg from rotating? The Whole leg is affected and That means the metal rod would have to extend down to the lower leg and attach there as well. The bone in the upper leg is he bone that is twisting and the more weight is put on it the more it twists so perhaps a brace that would keep weight bearing off the bone during the day and the corrective taping at night would help.

 

[Garden Peas]

What if we come up with a way to make a saddle to go under the wings and across the back ,attach a sturdy metal band around the saddle to the point where the legs need to be kept straight then add a riveted piece of flat metal on each side to keep the legs in place with velcro this would allow mobility.

Now do not laugh at me.. Try to imagine this figure bent over like a bird .
the top band would need to be place over the back instead of up and down, this is kinda what i am thinking might work

Believe me I would never laugh at an idea like this, And as a brace it would probably work well, the question would be can it keep the leg from rotating? The upper half of the leg doesn't rotate just the lower half, so if the person in this diagram was a Pea her leg would be rotating below the knee not above it.That means the metal rod would have to extend down to the lower leg and attach there as well.

Yes, x2, @zazouse I think it is a brilliant idea. Yes, @DylansMom it would need to extend farther for a bird's leg. But I think my bird's leg is rotated above the joint... that was part of what confused me so much when I first figured out he was having a problem. And no one -- including the vet -- could figure out how to fix it. Although to give him credit, he doesn't do birds. Maybe if I had driven 200 miles to an avian vet, I would have a different story. I did a lot of looking online, and found a possible surgical answer, and he was sorta willing to try, but we were both afraid I would lose the bird if the surgery failed. I'll try to get some photos of him and post.

FWIW, he learned how to prop himself up with the twisted leg and hop forward with the good leg, then he swings the bad leg around forward. Picture a peg leg pirate. He displays his train with the bad leg propping him up... he just pretty much lists to the bad side. If you look at him carefully, he seems to have developed muscles to compensate for his twisted leg. He can also fly short distances when he is in a hurry, but I think he avoids flying due to the landing issues. I wish it weren't twisted! But he manages surprisingly well. The only outcomes I read about for birds when I looked into it before seemed to all involve having the bird put down, or a leg amputated, so I am so glad that he manages as well as he does. He doesn't seem to be in any pain from it, he's just mobility-challenged. He eats, preens, dust-bathes, and displays right along with everybody else. At night, he hangs out in the deep shavings in the bird house where everyone else is roosting, and he seems perfectly happy. He's a little more assertive about protecting his personal space -- it is harder for him to get across the pen for treats when we are throwing them, so he's pretty protective when he gets one

And I make sure to throw his treats where he can reach them without having to run after them, and we throw treats for the other birds farther away so they don't try to steal his.