My chick injured its leg. Is my home care right, and what's next?

Thanks for reaching out about Abby and including photos. The only way to definitively determine if it is fractures is to have a radiograph taken. It could heal on its own, but unlikely to be straight and could become more complicated if left un-stabilized. A veterinary visit is recommended. Good luck.

I did receive the photos you sent in this morning that were forwarded to me via our website moderator. The abrasions themselves can likely be managed at home with a sterile cleaning using Betadine diluted 50:50 with warm water and then flushing the area daily thereafter with sterile saline from your local pharmacy. However, if you are also seeing swelling, this could pose a problem. Swelling underneath the skin following trauma is typically either of 2 things: an Abscess (infection underneath the skin) or a Seroma (blood filled sac) . An abscess will need to be treated by your vet, by having the area drained and then he will need to be placed on a short course of antibiotics. If this is a Seroma however, it will likely heal on its own as the body slowly reabsorbs the blood. As long as the Seroma does not get any bigger, which would indicate that there is continued bleeding underneath the skin that needs to be ligated via surgery. There really isn't a good way of knowing if this is Seroma or abscess by looking on the outside; however, with abscesses they are typically painful and will eventually lead to fever and illness (lack of appetite, vomiting) in most cases. Seroma's can be mildly painful, but won't cause a fever. So since you are limited on funds you can roll the dice and see if this thing causes systemic illness or not, or you can try to apply for financial assistance to get Wilber looked at immediately to make sure there isn't an abscess present. Here are some links for financial assistance. I https://carecredit.com/vetmed Here a couple of still up and running grant options: carecredit.com redrover.org/relief/urgent-care-grants/ (typical grant amount is $200) all-creatures.org/gcm/help-cf.html - $50 maximum aid WHEN they have funds. a couple of 'special situation' ones: fveap.org - Vaccine Associated Sarcoma only thepetfund.com/ - Non-basic, non-urgent care (cancer treatment, heart disease, etc.) ONLY. ! hope that this was helpful and hope that your pet Wilber is able to make a full and speedy recovery from his traumatic injury. Take care!

Thanks for reaching out about Chicky and including photos. A physical examination must be made to determine which of these it is, and each will require a different treatment plan. There are some infectious diseases that can cause this also like bacterial infections or Mycoplasma gallinacium. Provide good diet and husbandry, especially heat support. Good luck.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! It seems like you have done about everything you can to get her to improve at home. At this point, she really needs to see a veterinarian for further assessment and treatment. They can check what the extent of the injuries may be to try to get her to improve. Keep in mind that dog on bird attacks can result in a lot of trauma. Best of luck!

Without a physical exam, it is difficult to determine if amputation is needed. If so, this is not something that should be attempted at home. Most general practice veterinarians will be able to assess the bird's injuries and dispense medication for pain or infection. Although it would be ideal, you don't "need" an avian vet.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Cats are miraculous healers. The leg could just be sore. I would worry about an abscess forming from the bite. Abscesses required opening them up and antibiotics. The only thing you can do is clean the wounds twice daily with warm water and a mild soap and warm compress the wounds after each cleaning for the next 3-5 days. I wish you the best!

Whitey is very handsome! I would recommend monitoring it if you can't get to a veterinarian. If he starts licking at it I recommend putting an Elizabethan collar on so he cannot reach it. If it is getting larger or if he is limping I recommend a vet as soon as possible. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.