Bumblefoot problems - please help!

Hi,
About 1.5 weeks ago we had to do "surgery" on one of our chicken's feet because she had bumblefoot. We followed the directions on this and other sites and it seemed to go fine. Since then, we have been redressing her foot each day, first soaking in an epsom salt bath and then applying the new bandage with neosporin. I would have thought that by now she'd be okay, but she's not. She is still limping and today when I took off her bandage I noticed that although the cut from the surgery is healing well, her foot seems swollen again - could she have more pus inside? I really hope we don't have to do the surgery again?!?

If anyone has any suggestions, I'd appreciate it. We haven't given her any oral antibiotics. I don't even know if I can get any - I live in NY and I wouldn't be surprised if antibiotics are not readily available for just anyone ... we may have to see a vet to get them prescribed. But I can find out.

Thanks!

bump

If you search, you will find a 20+ page thread on treating BF. I don't want to paraphrase the whole thing but it is worth a look-see and there are tons of treatment options listed there.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/303829/vet-suggestion-for-non-invasive-bumblefoot-cure

Feed stores sell antibiotics and no you don't need a vet visit to get them.

I just gave up and took mine to a vet to get it all out. If any is left it will swell again and after 2 attempts myself I realized I cannot see well enough and don't have the tools I need to do it. From what I understand, your only choice is to get it out. Good luck. I feel your pain.

Tricide Neo is a powder that you can order online. It isn't an antibiotic, but it is supossed to work really really well on bumblefoot. I recently had to deal with bumblefoot on one of my girls and did the surgery. I went ahead and ordered the tricide neo to have on hand for any future cases. I did have to do the surgery 2x on my girl, and it finally looks like it is healing. Hopefully it is. Instead of doing another surgery on her if it isn't though, I will be using the powder stuff (it is actually made for koi fish). A poster above already posted the link to the thread that explains all about this stuff.

Good luck!

holyhart said:

Tricide Neo is a powder that you can order online.  It isn't an antibiotic, but it is supossed to work really really well on bumblefoot.  I recently had to deal with bumblefoot on one of my girls and did the surgery. I went ahead and ordered the tricide neo to have on hand for any future cases.  I did have to do the surgery 2x on my girl, and it finally looks like it is healing.  Hopefully it is.  Instead of doing another surgery on her if it isn't though, I will be using the powder stuff  (it is actually made for koi fish).  A poster above already posted the link to the thread that explains all about this stuff.

Good luck!

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I bought this too but I don't think it works well if the problem is very advanced. I tried to cut it out of my hen's feet and could not see to get it all so I thought I would give the neo a try. It would keep the infection tamped down but if I missed a day it would reflare. After a month and a half I gave up and too her to the vet. I don't know yet from experience but I would think it would certainly have a better chance at working if caught earlier.

That was my experience with it last fall. It worked like magic on the 2 hens with minor problems, but not so well on the other girl. She is still alive and laying almost a year later, and her feet aren't painful, but the scabs are back (well, actually, still there). We have trees with some thorns and I suspect that is where the problems are starting.

welasharon said:

I bought this too but I don't think it works well if the problem is very advanced. I tried to cut it out of my hen's feet and could not see to get it all so I thought I would give the neo a try. It would keep the infection tamped down but if I missed a day it would reflare. After a month and a half I gave up and too her to the vet. I don't know yet from experience but I would think it would certainly have a better chance at working if caught earlier.

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sharol said:

That was my experience with it last fall.  It worked like magic on the 2 hens with minor problems, but not so well on the other girl.  She is still alive and laying almost a year later, and her feet aren't painful, but the scabs are back (well, actually, still there).  We have trees with some thorns and I suspect that is where the problems are starting.

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That's good to know. That stuff wasn't cheap after paying shipping too.

welasharon said:

That's good to know. That stuff wasn't cheap after paying shipping too.

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Tell me about it! Also, good to know it doesn't work all that well on the more advanced cases. My girl got hers after my son accidental shut her toe in the coop door, breaking the toe. I had never seen bumblefoot before, so hopefully I won't again. But hopefully if I do, I will catch it early enough and be able to successfully use the tricide powder, because doing that surgery.....bleck!