Parakeet swollen foot

[daisyandsnowy]

Hey, I’m new to this forum!

Yesterday my parakeet, Snowy who is 3 years old, flew into a window because she was panicking. I noticed when I was feeding her she was holding one leg awkwardly and the leg was limp. It wasn’t bleeding and didn’t look different but she was holding it weirdly. I went to the nearest pet store (since I didn’t want to go to the vet because they’re very far away and only wanna go if there is a problem) and the lady said it’s a swollen foot and there’s nothing I can do about it.

Is it true? It’s the second day and she’s still holding her foot awkwardly. She’s flying, eating and drinking normal and still playing with her toys. Is there anything I can do to help her swollen foot?

 

[Elysianblight]

A swollen foot *is* a "problem" You do need to take her to the vet.

Ideally she probably needs a cast/bandage to give her something to support herself with and keep her from damaging it further, and anti-inflammatory pain medicine.

I have been told by a vet that the swelling can cause permanent nerve damage in their tiny little legs and even a "sprain" may cause a bird to not regain full use of it's foot.
Birds rely on their feet. It's important.

 

[Talven]

When you say limp do you mean relaxed and being held up close to the body or limp as in floppy and not under the birds control? If it's the latter it is most likely broken and in need of immediate attention by a vet. If it is the former it's less serious but still in need of veterinary attention. Birds bones are fragile and can get broken pretty easily.

 

[daisyandsnowy]

A swollen foot *is* a "problem" You do need to take her to the vet.

Ideally she probably needs a cast/bandage to give her something to support herself with and keep her from damaging it further, and anti-inflammatory pain medicine.

I have been told by a vet that the swelling can cause permanent nerve damage in their tiny little legs and even a "sprain" may cause a bird to not regain full use of it's foot.
Birds rely on their feet. It's important.

Oh I didn’t know that! How soon do I have to take her to the vet? Ideally I want to wait until the travel cage I’ve ordered came since the vet is a very long trip and my current travel cage is too big for that distance. However if it’s an ASAP thing I’ll go first thing tomorrow.

I’m not really sure if it’s a swelling, she seems to be using it still. I see her gripping the perch (sometimes fully, sometimes awkwardly) and she can climb he cage and fly around and everything. Is there a way to know for sure if it’s swollen?

I’ve attached some images (the first one from yesterday, the rest from right now)

Image links:

Thank you so much

 

[daisyandsnowy]

https://pasteboard.co/JjYgXkv.jpg
https://pasteboard.co/JjYhfc1.jpg
https://pasteboard.co/JjYhzaB.jpg
https://pasteboard.co/JjYhTSU.jpg
https://pasteboard.co/JjYic5i.jpg

 

[daisyandsnowy]

When you say limp do you mean relaxed and being held up close to the body or limp as in floppy and not under the birds control? If it's the latter it is most likely broken and in need of immediate attention by a vet. If it is the former it's less serious but still in need of veterinary attention. Birds bones are fragile and can get broken pretty easily.

This is how she’s holding her feet:

https://pasteboard.co/JjYgXkv.jpg
https://pasteboard.co/JjYhfc1.jpg
https://pasteboard.co/JjYhzaB.jpg
https://pasteboard.co/JjYhTSU.jpg
https://pasteboard.co/JjYic5i.jpg

She seems very relaxed but sometimes holding her leg close to her body, and other times using it regularly and holding the perch with it, when I said limp I meant the leg kind of looked splayed out.

I’ll try to get vet help ASAP but in your opinion do you think it may be swollen or something else?

Thank you so much

 

[Talven]

Well I don't think it's any kind of serious break or anything like that if she is using it to perch. No discolouration just some mild swelling from what I can see in the pictures. Most likely it is a mild sprain. Still worth a checkup ASAP but nothing to panic about.

I went to the nearest pet store (since I didn’t want to go to the vet because they’re very far away and only wanna go if there is a problem) and the lady said it’s a swollen foot and there’s nothing I can do about it.

In my experience pet stores are only interested in selling you something. If there isn't anything they can sell you they will dismiss any injury as "nothing to worry about". It's in their best interest for you to lose your pet so they can sell you a new one. Not a big fan of pet stores.

 

[daisyandsnowy]

Well I don't think it's any kind of serious break or anything like that if she is using it to perch. No discolouration just some mild swelling from what I can see in the pictures. Most likely it is a mild sprain. Still worth a checkup ASAP but nothing to panic about.

I went to the nearest pet store (since I didn’t want to go to the vet because they’re very far away and only wanna go if there is a problem) and the lady said it’s a swollen foot and there’s nothing I can do about it.

In my experience pet stores are only interested in selling you something. If there isn't anything they can sell you they will dismiss any injury as "nothing to worry about". It's in their best interest for you to lose your pet so they can sell you a new one. Not a big fan of pet stores.

Thank you so much for your help, I’ll get it checked as soon as I can.

The same lady told me that my yellow parakeet has an internal chest tumor but a vet said that it’s very unlikely that an avian vet, let alone a pet store lady, can tell just from sight that a parakeet has a tumor growing inside. I just hope that’s right and I can’t believe that last part about them wanting you to lose your pet just to buy a new one from them. I feel silly for believing her since she probably wanted me to replace my bird by convincing me that he’d die