Splayed leg?

[Fuzzybird1]

I hope that's all it is but I'm afraid that most likely it's not. While this has taken quite a bit longer to happen, her leg is now turned about 90 degrees. She does run and play but she also likes to lay down more than her buddy. Poor thing. I'm still just waiting to see how she does.

 

[9Catsz]

I bought an emu last spring that was about a month and a half old. Its right leg was turned out a teeny tiny bit and I didn't think anything of it. It got around just fine and was the coolest, tamest, sweetest little guy ever. Would sit in your lap. I fell in love.

Each week I had it the leg started turning more and more and I had a sneaking suspicion that I was going to have to put it down, hence the reason I never named it. I let it go too long hoping for the best, until the bird absolutely could not walk and I was having trouble lifting him to clean his room.

I consulted a vet 2 weeks after I bought it and he told me this: Dig a small hole now or a big one later...it's your only choice. I had him about 3 months (so he was about 5 months old) before I put him down.

Good luck with yours. I hope it's not splay leg.

 

[Ellamumu]

Just a quick question, how many months old does your bird have to be before you can stop worrying that your bird could get this?

 

[Fuzzybird1]

Sad story, 9Catsz. I'm afraid mine will be the same. Like you, I can't put her down while she can still get around and enjoy what time she has. I wish I knew the moment just before she becomes miserable. That would be when. This is really hard to watch knowing what is likely to happen in the near future.

 

[ES Emus]

Just a quick question, how many months old does your bird have to be before you can stop worrying that your bird could get this?

From what I've read, as long as the bird is genetically okay, is not overweight, getting the right balance of Calcium and protein in their diet and exercise, the greatest risk of developing splayed legs is in the first four months, which is the period of rapid growth. With an injury, I think the window widens even further

 

[Ellamumu]

Sad story, 9Catsz. I'm afraid mine will be the same. Like you, I can't put her down while she can still get around and enjoy what time she has. I wish I knew the moment just before she becomes miserable. That would be when. This is really hard to watch knowing what is likely to happen in the near future.

I'm so sorry about your emu. Making these choices is the worst, you'll know when to do it. Last Monday we put down our Belgium mare because of severe arthritus in her hind end, but it was so hard because otherwise this animal was healthy. We were going to let her have one more summer but watching her last week not even able to bend all the way to the ground to eat grass, it was time.

 

[Ellamumu]

From what I've read, as long as the bird is genetically okay, is not overweight, getting the right balance of Calcium and protein in their diet and exercise, the greatest risk of developing splayed legs is in the first four months, which is the period of rapid growth. With an injury, I think the window widens even further

Thanks ES my emu is 15 months old and I worry about everything

 

[ES Emus]

Thanks ES my emu is 15 months old and I worry about everything

your emu should have reached its maximum height by now but will still be adding weight over the next 8-10 months. As long as it does not get overweight and gets to run, you should be okay in regards to spayed leg(s)...

 

[Ellamumu]

your emu should have reached its maximum height by now but will still be adding weight over the next 8-10 months. As long as it does not get overweight and gets to run, you should be okay in regards to spayed leg(s)...

She runs around like a nut everyday, but how do you know about weight? With my sheep you should always be able to feel a little bump of backbone, if their back is flat they're too fat, what should I be feeling for on my emu? It takes her about a month to eat her 50 pound bag of pellets and she has fresh fruit and spinach everyday she also eats her pasture grass and clover. One more question she eats purina emu grower which says she should eat it until 10 months and then go on to mazuri emu maintenance but when i read the bag tags on both foods the analysis is almost the same with the exception of more fiber in the maintenance. Is it hurting her to still be eating the grower, she doesn't like the maintenance. Thanks so much for your expertise!

 

[Tame Emu Guy]

As an aside, Ellamumu, compliments on your bird’s diet: pellets, fresh fruit, spinach, and grasses including clover is a great diet -- though breeders may have advice about some ‘extras.’ I am ignorant of such extras because my birds are tame-wild. They are on auto-pilot.