I copied your post from the other thread so that it can get better exposure. Here it is:

Posted by msugat (My Page) on Mon, Jul 10, 06 at 16:08

"My gander broke his leg and we took him to the only vet who really had no idea about geese. He was fine after a few days and then he was down again, it was the other leg, it was hot, swollen and looked infected. My husband lanced the infections, he's on antiboitics, vitamins etc. His appetite is still good. Does anyone have any ideas as what to do or recommendations? Please help if you can!!!"

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Okay, msugat, a question first... What do you feed him? According to Dave Holderread (The Book of Geese) some leg problems can result from too little niacin, too much calcium while immature, or a calcium/phosphorus ratio imbalance. I have too little understanding of the fine points of goose rations to comment further... but I am a great believer in geese getting almost all their feed by grazing when good pasture is available.

I am assuming, however, that this is an injury rather than a dietary problem. It sounds to me as though your gander was favouring his broken leg at the expense of the other and that it has given out as a result. Keep him as quiet as possible in a confined area with clean litter or - preferably - on a patch of clean pasture. Make sure he has food and water within easy reach when he is sitting. This will help keep him from using the leg too much. Please remember that he is more vulnerable to predators right now and take appropriate steps to protect him.

If you must confine him indoors, try to pick dandelions, grass and clover to supplement whatever feed you are giving him.

It is fairly common for a goose with an injured leg to overstrain the other one. I have never seen it recommended for geese, but I would be tempted to try a cold pack if the gander will let you. It may help to reduce the inflammation. Just don't overdo it!

If you can let the gander spend time in the water, swimming provides gentle exercise and takes the weight off his feet. Just make sure he can get in and out without further injury.

My American Buff has injured her legs a few times. It typically takes her ten days to two weeks to recover. I did not treat with antibiotics, but then she did not seem to have any inflammation and did not react as though she was in pain when we examined the leg -- she was just lame.

Good luck with him. And please post an update to let us know how he is getting on.

Ask your vet about getting you a 2-3 day dose of Metacam (meloxicam). It is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory which is safe to use in just about any species. Geese would be dosed the same as mammals (0.1 mg/kg once daily) - again I wouldn't use it for more than a few days. Of course make sure to keep him confined because if he feels better he will overuse the leg and possibly cause more injury. My little gosling got her leg caught in a fence not too long ago and after about a week of confinement and some meloxicam she is fine now.