Charlie's foot

[birdguhl]

Ok, so this time I managed a couple of weeks without a health concern... I am hoping that this one isn't too major.

On Friday evening I noticed that Charlie was sitting with his right foot held up off the perch (not in the normal one-footed position). Yesterday I was out most of the day, but this morning I see he is still doing it. On Friday he took a tumble into one of the cages when the door wasn't in its usual position and I wonder if he hurt his foot/leg then.

There is no sign of injury visible, but it is not normally possible to see his whole leg as he is very feathery in the undercarriage.



He seems okay otherwise - eating, singing and moving around. It doesn't seem like he is moving around less because of it.

I am hoping this is just a sprain which will ease in a few days. But if it is something worse, that would be awful. I won't attempt to catch him as he will panic and I won't be able to tell if it is anything more anyway. I will really struggle to get him to a vet this coming week and then I have to be away at the end of the week.

I am thinking if he seems normal otherwise, it is reasonable not to do anything more. I have read that budgies can heal from breaks (as indeed Woody has done when he broke his leg unknown to me).

It seems like I doomed to be constantly watching the buds in an anxious manner!

[Nicola]

Not to sure there birdguhl As you said, there is no sign on injury and to me his foots looks in perfect shape. Could you take some more pictures from different angles?

Nicola

[tinksmum]

Not too sure either, hopefully one of the more experienced members can advise soon. If it continues get him to a vet, not trying to teach to suck eggs, you know Charlie better than anyone else. He is a very handsome boy & I really hope his foot gets better soon, fingers crossed he has just knocked it in the fall.

[samwiseg]

I know this is probably a long shot but are you able to take a pic of underneath his foot too birdguhl?

[birdguhl]

Thanks, folks, and as it happens I've got the perfect set-up for underside of feet shots. And - I think we have got something here...



I am thinking bumblefoot / pododermitis? I am thinking about Oscar...

I am thinking I'm going to have to get him to the vet some way or another and ASAP...

I am thinking that someone or something is trying to tell me:

YOU MUST NOT HAVE BUDGIES!
YOU MUST NOT HAVE BUDGIES!
YOU MUST NOT HAVE BUDGIES!

[birdguhl]

I am really hoping that someone who has experience of this kind of thing is on tonight and can advise whether I should start baytril straightaway - I have some left over from when Luee was prescribed it. I need to get started on a plan asap...

[birdguhl]

Okay, maybe the above was an unnecessary panic... But now I'm feeling confused - bit silly? - relieved?

I had a chance to look at the underside of Charlie's foot again when he was sitting with it off the perch, and the gunk that was so noticeable in the above picture was not there. I managed to catch him and have a proper look and it was definitely not there. It looked normal to me. I am thinking he had troden in some poo just before I took that shot.

Oh dear but maybe I can relax very slightly... He is clearly not happy on it but it is not looking so ghastly as it seemed earlier.

Am still keen for any advice of course.

[sweetpea]

Hello birdguhl. One of my birds starting holding his foot up similar to your photo of Charlie. He was seen by a vet who said there was some bruising further up the leg. It took 6 weeks before he was back to normal. In that time he developed a sore on his good foot from all the extra weight & pressure. The sore went soon after.

Another of my birds had a similar problem but was right as rain after about 3 days. I guess if he is still holding his foot up after a few days it might be worth a vet visit if you can manage it, just to rule out anything serious.

I hope he gets better soon.

[birdguhl]

Thanks very much, Sweetpea - that gives me much needed hope. I am back to thinking that maybe he bruised the leg when he took a tumble and holding it up is not because of his foot. I've read something elsewhere which said that if the leg was actually broken he wouldn't be able to use it all and it would be hanging down.

So, my buds continue to deliver me regular panic attacks - no way there are going to let me get on with my normal life!

[Hezz]

I doubt he would be using his leg too much if it were broken. Sounds more like a bump or a sprain to me, if he is as active as he normally is. You know yourself, it can take days to weeks for a sprain to ease, and thats with us being able to get off the leg or foot in question. All a budgie can do is what Charlie is doing, and give it a rest.

It may be worth keeping him confined for a few days, though, to give the foot a rest. Hope he is good soon.

[OP]

I will keep my fingers crossed for you and Charlie, birdguhl.
My heart would be in my mouth if it were me in your position.

[samwiseg]

Hi again birdguhl, I'm sorry as I am afraid that does look like the first signs of Bumblefoot to me. You may wish to get a second opinion from one of the more experienced member's like skysmum, nat, or BudgiesBuddy In the meantime, the steps I would take is make sure he is getting enough Vitamin A (carrot, red capsicum pepper) and take him to the vet. Baytril treats for infection only and not the main sore of bumblefoot. So would recommend to take to avian vet - they may lance it to drain the puss out and in meantime treat it with Epsom salts (you can purchase from any chemist) bathe twice daily.

Furthermore, keep him on a flat soft surface (so he does not have to use perches) so he can heal and rest it comfortably

I hope that helps x

[birdguhl]

Thanks, oldpecker

Sam - ta - did you see my post after the nasty looking foot one?

I've read about male budgies favouring left leg being a sign of testicular or kidney cancer - more likely kidney if cere unchanged. I'm wanting to go with Sweetpea's & Hezz's ideas...

[stace]

I'm going with the "poo on foot" theory. He's probably just bumped or caught his foot and it's a little sore. Just keep an eye on it.

[birdguhl]

Thanks, Stace.

Re broken legs again - I forgot (how???) when I wrote above that somehow Woody ended up with a broken leg (seen as incidental finding on xray) and I didn't notice anything was amiss - testament to injury/illness hiding capability I guess