Halo has a broken leg

Thank you for your words of support.
It's good to know that they are resilient, but I've also read before that losing one leg will considerably shorten the lifespan of a bird,because of the strain it puts on the other leg and the rib cage.

However, I got a message from Reti that gave me new hope: she told me how one of her rescues with a non-union had her leg saved by cutting a little off the fractured bone ends and screwing them together so they were in contact. After that, the bone set, and although the pigeon had one leg shorter than the other it managed to walk pretty well.
I'm going to phone the vets and investigate this course of action with them, as it seems that the sooner it's done the better, before the bone gives up trying to knit.

Please keep us posted, Teresa.

Halo sitting pretty...

The suggestion Dobato made to put her on a donut shape was a good one I thought. Might give her more support.

What a sweet picture, Teresa.
Halo is a little beauty.

Matilda wrote:

The suggestion Dobato made to put her on a donut shape was a good one I thought. Might give her more support.

It worked very well for a while, she was comfortable and preening, then she started fidgetting, hopping this way and that to find a better position, catching her leg on the donut and getting stressed. So I ended up taking it out again, and she immediately lay down and went to sleep.



Any idea why that happened? Could it be because her leg is bound so straight that she finds it easier to lie on a flat surface?

Teresa wrote:

Matilda wrote:

The suggestion Dobato made to put her on a donut shape was a good one I thought. Might give her more support.

It worked very well for a while, she was comfortable and preening, then she started fidgetting, hopping this way and that to find a better position, catching her leg on the donut and getting stressed. So I ended up taking it out again, and she immediately lay down and went to sleep.



Any idea why that happened? Could it be because her leg is bound so straight that she finds it easier to lie on a flat surface?

That's quite possible.
Whatever the reason, she must have felt more comfortable outside the donut. What a little sweetie.

She is! Wish you could see her now, she looks so cosy! But I don't want to startle her with the camera...

Teresa wrote:

She is! Wish you could see her now, she looks so cosy! But I don't want to startle her with the camera...

Little angel.

Halo got her dressing changed today, after I noticed her foot was a bit swollen last night. The bandage was put on more loosely, so I hope she doesn't wiggle out of it.
There doesn't appear to be any major development as far as the break is concerned. We'll just have to wait and see. But the vet was very pleased with the improvement on the poop department.

Teresa.........I'm glad to hear that Halo is doing as well as can be expected at this point.

I'm praying that amputation will not be necessary.

Thanks for the update.


Louise

Teresa wrote:

Halo got her dressing changed today, after I noticed her foot was a bit swollen last night. The bandage was put on more loosely, so I hope she doesn't wiggle out of it.
There doesn't appear to be any major development as far as the break is concerned. We'll just have to wait and see.
But the vet was very pleased with the improvement on the poop department.

Appreciate the update, Teresa.
We'll take any improvement we can get.

Will continue to send positive thoughts your way.

Thank you, Louise and Cindy!

I've just taken a break from DIY to take Halo to the vet's for another X-ray. I'll be picking her up in the evening, and I hope it will be good news!

Hoping that you get a good report back.

We're halfway there!!!

And I'm not even going to apologise for sounding like Bon Jovi...

The uppermost fracture is practically set and the other one is showing considerable progress!

She's off all meds now, just enjoying the rest and taking a probiotic. She's also finally allowed grit and a pickstone. And she's busy preening at the moment!

Oh that's wonderful news! Good for you Halo! I'm so glad that she's doing so well. Thanks for the update.

Thank you, Jay and Cindy!

Halo must be feeling much better, because she's been cooing at the boys...

Teresa wrote:

Halo must be feeling much better, because she's been cooing at the boys...

Teresa wrote:

Halo must be feeling much better, because she's been cooing at the boys...

Thats great tp hear Teresa!

Teresa wrote:

Halo must be feeling much better, because she's been cooing at the boys...

Well that's always a good sign.

She's very alert, and very confident. She doesn't particularly like being handled, but neither is she scared of me. And she's started to recognise her name, clever girl!

Just a moment ago she started cooing at Hercules again... I had to point out to her that he's spoken for!

Yesterday she made a couple of attempts to stand on both legs which left me very hopeful!

Teresa wrote:

She's very alert, and very confident. She doesn't particularly like being handled, but neither is she scared of me. And she's started to recognise her name, clever girl!

Just a moment ago she started cooing at Hercules again... I had to point out to her that he's spoken for!

Yesterday she made a couple of attempts to stand on both legs which left me very hopeful!

That's great news, Teresa.