Budgie leg problem

[Nasimbrisa]

Few weeks ago when Billie was perching on my finger I noticed he was leaning on his left foot. I put him back in cage hoping he would get better but he kept getting worse and started holding his leg up and wasn’t able to move around as well as he used to.
I had been to two vets near my city before (one of them avian) and I felt like I knew more than them about budgies. The avian vet gave some medicine to another one of my budgies which made her illness much worse and she died after 10 days.
So I tried finding one in a near city and took Billie there. The vet said his foot is probably just scratched and gave some kind of cream called vetanyl (Phenylbutazone) to apply on it two times a day. Also the vet cut his wings (too much it looks bad and he can barley fly without falling on the ground:/) and after getting visited by the vet Billie had panic attacks for almost a week
I feel like his leg injury is more than just a scratch. I just can’t trust the vets anymore they all seem like they don’t know much and only care about getting money. Also noticed his feet looks a bit swollen. don’t know what to do now. Tried taking out the perches and put his food on the floor of the cage but he kept trying to climb up the bars and I got worried his foot would hurt more so I put them back
It’s been more than two weeks and he still hasn’t recovered
He seems happy and eats well and flirts with my female budgie but still can’t walk properly and as fast as he used to
I tried applying the cream a few times but he would peck at it and then get it all over himself and the cage and sometimes would even panic so I stopped
He walks when he’s outside(It looks like it’s a bit painful for him) and then usually holds his leg up when he gets back inside the cage. I also feel like he mostly tries not to move the right toe facing backwards
I live in Iran I couldn’t find any other vets near. Is there anything I can do myself?
I might be able to go to a vet in other cities(2h+ away) but my budgies usually have panic attacks in the car because it moves too much and they fall of the perches.

 

[Laurasea]

I would suggest some different perch type options. Those flat rectangle tyoe ones in bottom picture are hard on feet. And the other looks chewed up and abrasive for feet. They need more than dowel types too.

If he has developed a bumble foot, tgey do take a long time to heal.. different perches even some wide ones will support the foot better.

You can also have him stand in warm water with a few drops of betadine 4 times a day. The soaks will clean and the warmth promotes healing and increased blood flow. Or you can hold a cloth or gauze soaked in the warm betadine water in his foot for a few minutes several times a day.

 

[HeatherG]

Laurasea gives good advice. Since I can’t see the injury, I don’t know what else to say. I guess I’m surprised the vet did not bandage the foot, but maybe they think that is unnecessary or will make the injury worse. Certainly put a small amount of the cream right on his foot sore twice a day (small amount to avoid getting it all over) and make sure perches are clean.

Soft rope perches or boing would be easy on his feet, too. In particular, I wouldn’t use a pedicure perch or sandy perch, especially when he has a foot injury.

Very handsome budgie!

 

[Nasimbrisa]

Thank you for your advices
I honestly can’t see any injury on his right foot. But it looks a bit swollen compared to the other foot. Does it mean it’s fractured? He can sometimes use his right leg and move its toes but I think it’s painful for him so he tries to avoid using it
Also noticed under the left foot looks a little red. Is it because he has been putting his weight on it most of the time?
I tried taking some pictures.Had to put him on a glass because he doesn’t like being touched (makes it a challenge for me to apply the cream on his foot)and hates being grabbed
Also is this other perch better? It’s persimmon tree wood

 

[HeatherG]

A question: what’s the purple line on the photos for? Which foot is indicated by the purple line? Are you saying the right leg has been painful and subsequently the left foot is now showing reddish marks on bottom? I’m sorry that I am not clear about what’s happening.

In the photo showing the bottoms of his feet, you can see dark pink hotspots on one foot. Is that the injured foot or the other foot? The cream the vet gave you is an nsaid pain reliever only (I believe). I am worried that, if your budgie has a foot infection (bumble foot), it might not be adequate just to give him pain relief. Is there another vet you can take him to? Or can you bring him back to the first vet, or call and tell them that the other, ‘good’ foot is now discolored? (If that is the case)

Laurasea’s betadine recommendation is a good idea but I wonder if that’s enough.

Any variation in perches is good! Having the Same perches all over means that the same part of the foot gets stood on and gets pressure. That can damage the foot skin and lead to infection.

When my Quaker hurt her leg and foot, she was in a big Rubbermaid box and then in her cage with no perches for a few weeks. Just chuck pads on the floor. I changed them daily or more so she wouldn’t walk through her poop. That could be an option. She also had wide rope perched to stand in when she got her perches back. I wanted something soft under her feet.

I wonder if your bird has a foot infection and needs more than pain relief. No, I’m not an avian vet, and your photo of his tiny foot bottom isn’t super clear, but I lived 22 yrs with a bird with a leg injury whose feet I had to watch for hotspots, pressure sores, bumblefoot. Anyhow, I am concerned if your bird is putting his weight mostly on one foot that’s now discolored.

 

[HeatherG]

Few weeks ago when Billie was perching on my finger I noticed he was leaning on his left foot. I put him back in cage hoping he would get better but he kept getting worse and started holding his leg up and wasn’t able to move around as well as he used to.
I had been to two vets near my city before (one of them avian) and I felt like I knew more than them about budgies. The avian vet gave some medicine to another one of my budgies which made her illness much worse and she died after 10 days.
So I tried finding one in a near city and took Billie there. The vet said his foot is probably just scratched and gave some kind of cream called vetanyl (Phenylbutazone) to apply on it two times a day. Also the vet cut his wings (too much it looks bad and he can barley fly without falling on the ground:/) and after getting visited by the vet Billie had panic attacks for almost a week
I feel like his leg injury is more than just a scratch. I just can’t trust the vets anymore they all seem like they don’t know much and only care about getting money. Also noticed his feet looks a bit swollen. don’t know what to do now. Tried taking out the perches and put his food on the floor of the cage but he kept trying to climb up the bars and I got worried his foot would hurt more so I put them back
It’s been more than two weeks and he still hasn’t recovered
He seems happy and eats well and flirts with my female budgie but still can’t walk properly and as fast as he used to
I tried applying the cream a few times but he would peck at it and then get it all over himself and the cage and sometimes would even panic so I stopped
He walks when he’s outside(It looks like it’s a bit painful for him) and then usually holds his leg up when he gets back inside the cage. I also feel like he mostly tries not to move the right toe facing backwards
I live in Iran I couldn’t find any other vets near. Is there anything I can do myself?
I might be able to go to a vet in other cities(2h+ away) but my budgies usually have panic attacks in the car because it moves too much and they fall of the perches.
View attachment 38904View attachment 38905

I do see how he’s holding his right foot up off the perch. Poor guy. I think that med is only pain relief cream and maybe he needs more treatment than that.

 

[Nasimbrisa]

A question: what’s the purple line on the photos for? Which foot is indicated by the purple line? Are you saying the right leg has been painful and subsequently the left foot is now showing reddish marks on bottom? I’m sorry that I am not clear about what’s happening.

In the photo showing the bottoms of his feet, you can see dark pink hotspots on one foot. Is that the injured foot or the other foot? The cream the vet gave you is an nsaid pain reliever only (I believe). I am worried that, if your budgie has a foot infection (bumble foot), it might not be adequate just to give him pain relief. Is there another vet you can take him to? Or can you bring him back to the first vet, or call and tell them that the other, ‘good’ foot is now discolored? (If that is the case)

Laurasea’s betadine recommendation is a good idea but I wonder if that’s enough.

Any variation in perches is good! Having the Same perches all over means that the same part of the foot gets stood on and gets pressure. That can damage the foot skin and lead to infection.

When my Quaker hurt her leg and foot, she was in a big Rubbermaid box and then in her cage with no perches for a few weeks. Just chuck pads on the floor. I changed them daily or more so she wouldn’t walk through her poop. That could be an option. She also had wide rope perched to stand in when she got her perches back. I wanted something soft under her feet.

I wonder if your bird has a foot infection and needs more than pain relief. No, I’m not an avian vet, and your photo of his tiny foot bottom isn’t super clear, but I lived 22 yrs with a bird with a leg injury whose feet I had to watch for hotspots, pressure sores, bumblefoot. Anyhow, I am concerned if your bird is putting his weight mostly on one foot that’s now discolored.

The purple line is right leg

 

[Nasimbrisa]

A question: what’s the purple line on the photos for? Which foot is indicated by the purple line? Are you saying the right leg has been painful and subsequently the left foot is now showing reddish marks on bottom? I’m sorry that I am not clear about what’s happening.

In the photo showing the bottoms of his feet, you can see dark pink hotspots on one foot. Is that the injured foot or the other foot? The cream the vet gave you is an nsaid pain reliever only (I believe). I am worried that, if your budgie has a foot infection (bumble foot), it might not be adequate just to give him pain relief. Is there another vet you can take him to? Or can you bring him back to the first vet, or call and tell them that the other, ‘good’ foot is now discolored? (If that is the case)

Laurasea’s betadine recommendation is a good idea but I wonder if that’s enough.

Any variation in perches is good! Having the Same perches all over means that the same part of the foot gets stood on and gets pressure. That can damage the foot skin and lead to infection.

When my Quaker hurt her leg and foot, she was in a big Rubbermaid box and then in her cage with no perches for a few weeks. Just chuck pads on the floor. I changed them daily or more so she wouldn’t walk through her poop. That could be an option. She also had wide rope perched to stand in when she got her perches back. I wanted something soft under her feet.

I wonder if your bird has a foot infection and needs more than pain relief. No, I’m not an avian vet, and your photo of his tiny foot bottom isn’t super clear, but I lived 22 yrs with a bird with a leg injury whose feet I had to watch for hotspots, pressure sores, bumblefoot. Anyhow, I am concerned if your bird is putting his weight mostly on one foot that’s now discolored.

Yes the right foot is swollen and he holds it up and his left foot has those marks than I’m not sure what they are
How can I tell if it’s fractured or a foot infection?
I’ve been searching for other vets but they are all too far. The last time I took him to the vet even though it was a 20 minutes ride, he was really scared and kept falling of the perch and would climb the bars which I’m worried it could hurt his legs more
I also tried taking of the perches but I think he hates being down because he would climb the bars and stay there even though his foot was hurt

 

[Laurasea]

so myself personally I don't put cream on feet, or use on burds at a really. It holds yucky stuffy, like bacteria and debris, and burds will preen and ingest.

Brilliant in having him stand on glass!!@@@!!

Betadine is excellent in help healing wounds!! It does stain your stuff so be careful. And you really need to do as many times a day as you can , at least 4. I look for my wound care link.

It may seem counterintuitive, but wider perches support and distribution of weight better in the foot. Make an ok symbol with your fingers and move your index finger to the first joint of your thumb. You need at least one perch that big around. Those other perches need to be thrown away.

Whenever an infection gets in the foot from a wound especially the bottom pads of feet, its difficult to heal. There isn't much soft tissue there is more ligaments and tendons that don't receive a big blood supply. They notoriously take weeks to months to heal. And may require antibiotics. But you will go a very long way to healing with better perches. And the Betadine soaks. I've experienced healing from this alone, but it took lots of soaks and a good month of doing this. Including a toe bite amputation in a budgie. Even great avian vets have difficulty in treating feet in tiny untamed budgies.

When one foot is sore, they put more weight on the other foot, resulting in 2 sore feet..
Truly a wide perch is the best option. My budgies even sit on log size perches.

A slight toe nails trimmed will also help. They are a little long. As they have access to wider perches in tge future goes a long way to prevent overgrowth of nails, perches with varied diameter.

I do not believe is a fracture

 

[HeatherG]

The red marks are pressure marks where his skin is a bit injured and at risk because all his weight is on that foot.

The right foot doesn’t look red or puffy and all I can say is: his right foot or leg hurts for some reason, maybe he’s got a fracture, but his left foot is suffering from him standing on it all the time.

He really needs treatment, I think.

When I transport my birds I have them in a carrier if possible with swinging toys taken out and with perched low or out. I cover the carrier so the bird doesn’t see scary stuff going by and flap or thrash around.

That’s what I’d do: prepare his cage or carrier and take him in to a vet. Those hotspots on his left foot are telling you the skin is not happy and starting to break down.

I’m sorry to tell you this and be blunt but I can’t tell you how to ‘fix’ your bird especially when I’ve no idea what the original issue with his right leg was. All I can see is that he doesn’t want to put his weight on it. I assume that is a substantial injury.

 

[HeatherG]

so myself personally I don't put cream on feet, or use on burds at a really. It holds yucky stuffy, like bacteria and debris, and burds will preen and ingest.

Brilliant in having him stand on glass!!@@@!!

Betadine is excellent in help healing wounds!! It does stain your stuff so be careful. And you really need to do as many times a day as you can , at least 4. I look for my wound care link.

It may seem counterintuitive, but wider perches support and distribution of weight better in the foot. Make an ok symbol with your fingers and move your index finger to the first joint of your thumb. You need at least one perch that big around. Those other perches need to be thrown away.

Whenever an infection gets in the foot from a wound especially the bottom pads of feet, its difficult to heal. There isn't much soft tissue there is more ligaments and tendons that don't receive a big blood supply. They notoriously take weeks to months to heal. And may require antibiotics. But you will go a very long way to healing with better perches. And the Betadine soaks. I've experienced healing from this alone, but it took lots of soaks and a good month of doing this. Including a toe bite amputation in a budgie. Even great avian vets have difficulty in treating feet in tiny untamed budgies.

When one foot is sore, they put more weight on the other foot, resulting in 2 sore feet..
Truly a wide perch is the best option. My budgies even sit on log size perches.

A slight toe nails trimmed will also help. They are a little long. As they have access to wider perches in tge future goes a long way to prevent overgrowth of nails, perches with varied diameter.

I do t believe is a fracture

I think the bird’s right foot was hurting first, and it still hurts, but his left foot now has pressure marks on bottom.

 

[Laurasea]

A perch option like this might be nice

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To me its an easy jump that the perches in the second picture of your original post led to this. Scrapes/splinter and abnormal perch foot position on the rectangle perch. To even begin to heal those need to be replaced.