Lester Leroy, George, Olly Astro and Flapper
Little Lester Leroy is a little bit of a biter. I don’t blame him a bit as he has been through a lot in his life.
I’m pretty concerned that he may not be “fix-able.” His right leg is bent and stuck at an odd angle. I looked at his x-rays today and it isn’t broken or dislocated, so it’s just weird.
It’s constantly sticking up at an odd angle, and it can’t feel comfortable like that. I guess I’m still hoping that the antibiotics treating the bone marrow infection can help him, but that leg looks bad to me. I didn’t want to bend it or try any physical therapy until after I’d seen the x-rays, and tonight I tried to maneuver the leg a little bit. It doesn’t seem extremely painful but it’s not comfortable. I bent and held it down in a normal position for a bit, but it just pops back up when you let it go.
Whichever way you look at him, that right leg is always sticking up funny. Our friend Peggy said, “Maybe he just always has a question to ask.” Ha ha… “Waiter? Excuse me, waiter!? More lettuces please. Hello!? Waiter!”
He really is a cute kid. It’s unfortunate that he has been through so much. He’s missing chunks of feathers and has a few nodules on his neck that are probably old wounds. I was hoping that at the very least he could recover and live a happy life from here on out. But if he can’t get to the point of walking or even sitting normal… I’m not sure what his prognosis will be. He’s not super friendly like Flapper is, so it’s not likely he will enjoy being around me. He does enjoy Flapper’s company for now though. Right now he just needs to take his antibiotics and eat and be good, and he’s doing that really well. So for now, he’s doing his best.
In other news, George went to the vet today for a check-up. I wasn’t sure he was feeling 100%, and we needed to have his blood tested anyway before he can go to his forever sanctuary, so we took him for a check-up today. I think he’s fine, I just worry too much. George is as sweet as ever and a very good goose. His foot is still improving and the scab is down to a very shallow tiny scab of less than 1cm long. In a few more weeks it should finally finally finally be healed. Whew!
Olly Astro has yet another respiratory infection. When it rains, it pours! This is Seattle, after all. If you remember, she came to us as a rescue after being treated for eight weeks for pneumonia. She has had two more infections since then, and this week she got another one. It looks like she’ll always be susceptible to respiratory infections since she had a really bad one. Maybe she has some lung damage, I don’t know. But she is responding to antibiotics and doing well. Her latest trick is running right into the house when I open the door, like she owns the place.
Lastly, Flapper was extra sweet tonight. He must have missed me today, because I sat down with him and he snuggled for over an hour.
I hate to share photos of myself, but you just have to see this teddy bear snuggler. He cannot be contained.
He loves to be as close as he can be, and to tuck his beak and snooze and chat.
He couldn’t be any sweeter. It’s just impossible.
And as always, he is a great storyteller.
It was a busy day, so we’re off to get some rest.
Good night and quacks (and honks from George).
8 Comments
Man, Flapper, you are a smooth talker!
You must be tired of worrying, I would advice hibernating for the rest of the winter, but you have to many kids who need you.
I’m concerned about Lester too, I’ve never seen anything lik this. If the bones aren’t broken it must be the muscles. Maybe the blood supply of the muscles is blocked? I’m just guessing, looks like a permanent cramp. We’ve had a mallard girl with one leg at Foppe’s Acre for three years, she did really well, but ofcourse she could fly (and dissapeared one day, she might not have made it afterall).
I’m sure you’ve asked Jen.
We all worry to much, it goes with the territory, I do too, I tell myself that if I don’t worry I’ll miss something.
Good news about George, looks like he’s almost ready to start his new life. I’ll miss him and I’m sure you will too.
I’m sorry to hear about Olly but if she does well on medication that’s a relief and she could hang on for a long time to come.
Yes, Flapper is the sweetest (sorry Snuggles) and I’m grateful you get to spend so much quality time with him.
Good luck with everything that is on your mind, you’re doing all that you can and sometimes that has to be enough. Think about yourself too!
Poor Olly Astro! Does she still have a heat lamp? That might help. Some of them just can’t get warm enough in this cool wet weather.
Hi
I think Flapper is telling you what a great Mom you are and how much he appreciates what you do for him and the other birds and animals in your care and not to worry so much, that they know how hard you try to make them healthy and happy.
The chicken may be trying to tell you something if you figure out what she is trying to say be sure and let us know, has she always tried to come in? When I was a child we had chickens, an incubator for the eggs and everything, then the city said no more chickens in the city.
Lester sounds like he is still figuring things out, if he has been chased and chewed on as much as it sounds like , he may just be decompressing from the life he’s lived and trying to figure out if he is really safe. If his leg has to be amputated they have made great strides in animal prosthetics? Hopefully the meds and tender loving care will be enough.
Thanks for taking the time to share the gangs daily adventures with all of us.
Aw, I feel so sad about Lester’s leg. I’m hoping that he’ll have a reasonably good quality of life and that the, um, other option won’t be necessary.
George looks fantastic.
Sorry about Olly Astro, too.
Goodnight, sweet Flap. XXOO. You tell your human that she looks nice in the photos.
Thanks as always for the laughs and smiles, I needed them this week, my Dad had half his leg amputated this week and my oldest dog had 3 cancers removed last week, but they didn’t get all of the largest one, he is sore but doing ok and will probably start chemo soon, the cancers weren’t painful, and he hardly had any symptoms, the vet misdiagnosed the one on the lymph nodes back in October and we are very angry about that, it is costing a lot of money but my husband and I can always do without a lot of things to save money, our dog isn’t one of those things. Keep up the good work Flapper, lovings for your people are worth gold.
Tiff, you are taking such good care of Lester Leroy. You can’t always impact the prognosis, but you still give all your charges lots of TLC. I think the only one of your crew that didn’t make it into the pictures was Simon and he was present stage right. Good to see Flapper enjoying snuggles and feeling well enough to flap away the kitty.
It looks like Olly will continue to have those respiratory infections. The pneumonia, with it taking so long to get over it, must have taken a toll on her lungs for her to continue to get these infections. At least he is responding to the antibiotics.
I wonder if Lester Leroy was born with this leg ailment. The fact that he’s not skeletol must mean he had the means to get food for himself. He does look like he is raising his ‘hand’ for more lettuce for sure. LOL It looks like he would need 24/7 care and be inhouse especially for protection from other animals. So hope he can make it through all this. At least he has been indoors and has gotten great lovin’ from Flapper and you, Tif.
Loved Flaps video. I sure wish you could keep George but he does need to be with other geesies. I love his photos of him peeking out of the carrier at the vet.