Jean, sure hope all goes well with your shoulder surgery! As for Zane, I did notice that his foot is still warm, so there has to be some circulation still there, in spite of the darker color. We are giving Zane 2 baby aspirin three times a day and will be adding massage with VetRx to see about helping with 'waking up' the leg in addition to the movement therapy. If this doesn't help, then we'll cross that bridge when we come to it, I suppose. Seems all I do is work with my chickens all day long. I love to be with them, but would rather it not have to be in treating some illness or wound.
I did notice that his foot is still warm, so there has to be some circulation still there, in spite of the darker color.
It occurs to me that Zane's leg may be going through something similar to my finger. I broke the finger, tore a tendon, and have permanent nerve damage. If I take hold of the finger with the opposite hand, I can bend all the joints. It just cannot bend itself. At the time of the accident, the finger turned black and stayed that way for months, although it always stayed warm to the touch. Even now, years later, it is not the same color as the rest of my hand.
Since this all started with an injury, maybe the dark coloration is just indicative of the damage and not of something bad happening to Zane's leg.
As you know, it is not for "nothing". You have to know that your work with Zane is beyond human understanding. It was an act of unselfish love for an animal. Doesn't get better than that, my friend,
Ellie
I'm just now being able to catch up on this Zane thread after my crazy weekend. What's up with Velvet???
I will tell you what Cyn. You are right about 2008... It definitely has not been a good year for you.
I hate that Zane was being feisty yesterday afternoon. Maybe I'll have to make a phone call and talk to that boy myself and tell him to straighten up and get better! I really would if I thought it would help at all. My thoughts and prayers are with you daily.
Thank you all so much. Hawke, I hope you're right about that. It certainly encourages me! I'm going to add linament in a rubdown for Zane's leg every day, in addition to the stretching/bicycling motion, to try to up the circulation in that area. Couldn't hurt, right? Doc Brown suggested it, bless his heart. He's been great, as always.
My DH let out the birds this morning and said Velvet needs a bra still. Her crop is still full of something, fluid, air, whatever. At least it doesn't seem to be impacted. I'll change her feed and add cherries and leafy greens for them to eat. They'll love that and it may help her with her gout issues.