March 11th, 2011

So a few days ago a woman randomly showed up here. She was very upset and on the verge of tears. Apparently her beloved goose had become ill and no one could help her. She had been to the vet numerous times and tried all kinds of meds etc. Ricky tried to explain to her that we only do wild bird rehab but since we have basically no patients I figured I had time to talk with the woman. Apparently one day she came home and her neighbor told her that the goose had been in the pond for over twenty four hours. They got her out and realized she couldn't stand. if the woman lifted her to her feet she would stand and use her beak for balance but otherwise the goose could not stand up on her own. I honestly really didn't have any advice for this woman, especially if the vet had already looked her over. I explain this and then say it would be hard to tell anything without seeing the goose.
 "Not a problem, I brought her with me."
Yup, this woman was so desperate to get her goose help that she drove all the way here after hearing about us in town with her goose in hopes that we could help.
We take the goose out, kind of watch her and what not. I suggest arthritis maybe or capture myopathy. Also her diet was mainly just corn so maybe a deficiency of some sort. I end up giving the goose an injection of vitamins and giving the woman some cans of dried worms to add to the food. The woman is very thankful and the goose seems happy to be out on the lawn watching us chat.
 After she left I contacted a rehabber in the states who has geese and is amazing with animals. (Shout out to Jennifer Gordon! http://www.cwrescue.org )    She suggested a possible pelvic injury. Of course! This makes perfect sense since the woman said the duck seemed to be getting better slowly but not really. Pelvic injuries take forever to heal.
A few days go by and I call the woman to see how the goose is doing. The woman is ecstatic and tells me that for the first time in a month the goose got out of the pond on her own. Usually the woman puts her in and takes her out. Then she walked by herself up to the house. I was so excited. I swear with the way the week has been going I thought for sure the lady was going to tell me the goose was dead.
 I'm glad I got the opportunity to meet this woman and her goose. They were both very nice and definitely brightened up my day.