Lameness: Limping / Foot & Leg Problems
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Lameness is generally defined as the lack of, or partial use, of one or both legs.
Toe Curling
It's a sign of weakness or nerve damage. It could be caused by trauma, tumor, stroke, heavy metal toxicity – amongst other possibilities.
Improper perches could also cause this over time. Perches of various widths are recommended.
Causes for Limping:
Overgrown Nails: Limping can occur if the nails are so long that the tips of the nails cause the first joint of her toe to raise off the surface or if the nail lays over sideways. Having the nails trimmed or using a grooming perch will rectify this problem.
Vitamin D deficiency: A lot of the health problems associated with low calcium levels can be prevented by providing sufficient natural sunlight to our pets. Even those situated by a window will not benefit from the sun because the window blocks the UVA and UVB rays needed to synthesize vitamin D necessary for bone health. Birds use sunlight by preening their feathers. The substance on the feathers will undergo a chemical reaction from the sunlight producing Vitamin D3 which the bird ingests with further preening of the feathers. The indoor bird does not have the benefit of this reaction.
- The most common health problems associated with vitamin D deficiency are: weakened immune systems / susceptibility to diseases, soft bones, bent keels, splayed legs, abnormal beak development, reproductive problems (egg binding, soft-shell eggs, dying chicks) as well as seizures and, to a lesser extend, Stargazing (twisted back)
- In areas where access to natural sunlight is limited (such as in the northern hemisphere during the winter months), full-spectrum lamps can be used to provide UVA and UVB rays.
- Please click here for natural food sources rich in Vitamin D
- Potentially discuss supplementation with your vet. Supplementation needs to be carefully screen ed and supervised by a vet since an excess of vitamin D (in the form of a supplement) causes kidney damage and retards growth.
Heavy Metal Toxicity . Paralysis or weak legs may result. An x-ray may be recommended.
Gout: Especialy a problem in older birds that are primarily fed seeds or pellets. Recommendation: The vet should check the uric acid levels
Arthritis (usually seen in older birds or birds that are provided improper perches)
Foot Infection: An infection of the foot may cause limping. The foot is likely to be swollen and may feel hot. An antibiotic topical ointment may be an appropriate treatment.
Leg or Toe Dislocation
Nutritional Deficiency (unbalanced diet) - Please refer to Bird Nutrition
Tumors (usually a tumor of the kidney that is pressing on nerves and blood supplies to the legs)
Head or spinal injuries may also cause limping as they disrupt nerve messages to the legs
Flat-footedness
Possible cause: Vitamin A deficiency. Mostly seen in Amazon parrots.
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