Burgdorf-Moisuk Anne, Whittington Julia K, Bennett R Avery, McFadden Mike, Mitchell Mark, O'Brien Robert
Department of Veterinary Clinical Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1008 W Hazelwood Dr, Urbana, IL 61802, USA.
J Avian Med Surg. 2011 Sep;25(3):210-5. doi: 10.1647/2010-016.1.
A red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) and a Canada goose (Branta canadensis) were evaluated for unilateral pelvic limb lameness. Physical examination findings and results of diagnostic imaging revealed femoral neck fractures in both birds. Both birds were treated with a femoral head and neck excision arthroplasty. The affected legs were not immobilized, and the birds were encouraged to use the legs immediately after surgery to encourage formation of a pseudoarthrosis. Within 2 weeks, both birds were using the affected limb well enough to be either successfully released or transferred to a wildlife rehabilitation facility. Femoral head and neck excision arthroplasty without immobilization of the limb is recommended for managing avian femoral neck fractures, especially in free-ranging species in which a rapid and complete or near complete return to function is vital for survival in the wild.
