A flock with bumblefoot: Journey back to health

[deacons]

I will start by admitting my extreme embarrassment: 6 out of 8 of my girls have bumblefoot. I don't know how long it's been going on, but about a week ago, I noticed one of my Golden Laced Wyandottes limping. Did a foot check that night, and almost all of them had it. I thought I'd start this thread because in my frantic internet searching, I only turned up one other post from someone dealing with this in a full backyard flock- so I hope my experience can be helpful for anyone else unfortunate enough to find themselves in my position. I intend to keep up with this thread until the last foot is unbandaged!

I am guessing the cause is a high roost + rocky soil in their run. The high roost issue has been addressed. But now we're on to treatment.

The girls and their feet
I have the following:
-4 Golden Laced Wyandottes. 2 had very bad, whole-pad black scabs on both feet. 1 was completely clear (my perpetual broody). 1 has a fairly bad big black scab on one foot
-2 Golden Comets. 1 had a very bad, whole-pad scab on 1 foot, other foot clear. The other has one small scab on one foot.
-1 Barred Rock. Completely clear
-1 RIR. 1 small scab on one foot

Pre-Treatment
Every night last week, I sprayed everyone's feet with vetiricyn at night as they were roosting. For those with the small scabs, this seems to be helping, as the small scabs are shrinking. For now, no surgery for them, just continued spraying. For 4 of the others, bumblefoot surgery was necessary.

Day 1 Treatment (Sunday)
I started with the most critical cases, who were going to need the surgery.
GLW #1, "Ro"- Caught Ro and gave her a 10 minute soak in an epsom salt bath. Wrapped her up "papoose style" and flipped her on her back with a helper holding her still (though she didn't fight much). Both of her pads were essentially given over to scabs (sorry I didn't think to get pictures), BUT, the good news was that the edges of the scabs were quite raised and separating a bit from her feet. With tweezers, I tugged firmly on the edge of the first scab, and it tore back pretty instantly, with a large cone attached to it. Sprayed down with Vetricyn, packed with triple antibiotic, then applied a sterile gauze pad also soaked with Vetricyn and another glob of neosporin. Wrapped all that up with "CVS Breathable Gentle Tape" and some vet wrap over that. Moved on to the next foot, repeated. This one bled a lot, but the kernel that came out was much bigger, and left a really gaping hole in her foot. Flushed, packed, taped. Sent her back to the run with the others. She seemed agitated with the tape on her feet and pecked at it some, but generally went about her business as though she was feeling fine.

GLW #2, "Robin." Robin was the one that initially tipped me off with her limping. Started again with the epsom salt soak. Her feet looked bad when I got her wrapped in a towel and flipped over. The pads were pretty swollen, and the feet were a bit hot. My problem here was that there was no way in to the scab- it had no raised edges, no area where it was torn back anyway. Essentially, I had no way "in" to the foot. I didn't have a scalpel, just tweezers. I soaked the foot some more, hoping to continue to soften it. I got it soft enough so I could sort of take the tweezers, squeeze the whole thing together (almost like squeezing a pimple) and pull away at some of the scab. I definitely didn't get the whole thing open though, and was only able to pull small pieces of the scab back in hopes of getting some neosporin down in there. Same problem on both feet. Not feeling great about her.

Golden Comet #1, "Goldie." Goldie had a huge scab on just one foot. Gave her a quick epsom salt soak. Raised edge on the scab, so grabbed it with the tweezers, gave a twist, and the hole scab + kernel popped right out cleanly. Flushed with Vetericyn, packed with neopsorin, and sent her back with the rest. She did not like the feeling of the bandage and did a bit of a hop/limp, but she zoomed around like normal.

GLW #, "Pretty Girl." Put pretty girl in the tub to soak, and she fought every step of the way and escaped. She managed to allude capture for well over an hour, at which time my helper was no longer available. So she will have to get her scab removed today.

Day 1 "Recovery"
Robin was looking really uncomfortable afterwards, way more "ouchie" than she had ever been before the attempted surgery. She would take two small hops at a time, using her wings as crutches, and then just lay down, refusing to move. This continued all day, and she looked absolutely pathetic. I decided to try another epsom salt soak, knowing I definitely didn't get the foot drained properly. I ran into a big problem when I went to unbandage her feet- the CVS tape was virtually impossible to get off- I do NOT recommend using it for this purpose! I had been running low on vet wrap, which is why I used it, but it was a disaster, I had to cut it off. Got some more vet wrap and will use that exclusively now.

Anyway, got Robin's feet unwrapped, plopped her back in the epsom salt soak for 15 minutes, still no luck getting any more of the scab off after that. Her feet were really hot and swollen looking. I rebandaged after spraying again with Vetericyn and adding neosporin. Worried that the heat means I spread the infection- is that possible that poking/proding made it spread?

Because she was so sore, I put her in the large dog crate deeply bedded in hay with her own food and water. She fought it at first, but I covered it with a towel, and she looked pretty pleased to carve out a little nest for herself. Her color looked good and bright, and she is eating and drinking.

Because of the disaster with the too-adhesive CVS tape, I grabbed Ro and Goldie and changed their bandages. I also had to cut the tape off of them, but figured would be easier to just get it over with now rather than waiting. Both of them were looking great- no swelling, heat, or redness, just clean little holes. Took the opportunity to flush and repack with neosporin, then rebandaged with only vet wrap. Both roosted with the flock for the night. I am planning on an every-other-day bandage change with these two unless things go south.

Here are a few pics-
Medical supplies (I followed directions from the many bumblefoot threads here, plus the Chicken Chick's popular thread)


Poor Robin, walking a little right after the surgery, but she quickly refused to walk much more:


Ro and Gold on the roost- excuse the poop on the roost, it is kept clean but both headed there immediately after being released from surgery and had some "nervous poop" that I cleaned off.

 

[seminolewind]

It sounds like you are doing really really good! With the horse I used Magnapaste, a small kitchen towel or wash cloth folded and wrapped it with duct tape. But there was something else wrong.

I really am in awe of your organization and dedication! And the pics are great! You know there are probably hundreds of lurkers learning from this !

 

[rnchick74]

RN, can you explain how that punch works? I picture it being almost like an epi pen, where you have to use a bit of force to deploy the sharp part in the skin? With something as thin as a chicken's foot, how to you ensure you don't punch a hole straight through?

Actually, just when I thought I had read every blog and watched every video about bumblefoot that is out there, I came across this one (if you're squeamish this may not be your favorite video):

http://citygirlfarmingblog.com/2013...r-whats-that-chicken-doing-in-a-cat-hospital/

This woman had a vet friend who talked her through the process in the vet office- the video at the end shows use of the biopsy punch (though the infection was on the top of this particular chicken's foot).

@rnchick74 - is this similar to your process? I think I would trust myself to do this correctly more than I trust having a steady enough hand to use the scalpel.

She says the chicken didn't vocalize or seem to be in too much pain- how much do we agree with that? It does seem pretty invasive!

There are several different types of biopsy punches. Some are spring loaded & some are not. The one used in the video was not - those can be pushed through the foot with enough force. The spring loaded ones are harder to do that with since the blade only comes out so far. I personally use the non-spring loaded ones since those are more readily available. You only need to go down as far as the blade is, then start twisting as you saw in the video. The main pro to using a biopsy punch vs a scalpel is that the punch gives you more control over the cutting where a scalpel is easier to get away from you unless you have practiced quite a bit to get the feel for it.

The curette that they used in the video (scoop or spoon) is really nice to use after a biopsy punch (or even a scalpel) - they also come in a variety of shapes & types. Since you are making a hole, the curette helps you scoop out any nasty dead tissue that is left in there. Some people use tweezers but curettes can also cut away still connected tissue without additional pulling or pain. The ultimate goal is a nice, clean, bleeding hole with no debris, kernels, pus, or other nastiness in it.

 

[rnchick74]

Just did one foot on my sweet little girl lehorn, now, time for the other. So glad someone posted that of Chicken Chick..thought I was going to see the other one that's been out for a while, but it was the one showing the punch. I just ordered one after watching that! Looks great, and a lot easier!
Now, for that spoon curette...where to get one of those? Amazon also? And what size? Has anyone used one before. I don't like using the exacto..or however you spell it..lol... thanks!

Why do they always go in two's? If not two feet at a time, two chickens at a time. My Two RIR's did this last year. They cleared up so nicely.



I put white tape over the bandage, for an extra stick to it job. They lay while they are wrapped up.

Amazon or Ebay should have currettes - the size you want depends on the size punch you use. You need to be able to get it in the hole you have created. There are a couple of different types - the one on the video was a spoon currette. There are wire types but I would try to find a spoon type. Here is a 3 piece set that is reasonable: http://www.amazon.com/Meyhoefer-Cha...8&qid=1413129165&sr=8-36&keywords=curette+set

 

[welasharon]

I put a towel on my legs and lay the chicken on her side with wings held firmly to sides. I can them flip a smaller towel over their head and then I can operate on them by myself. You need to get a scalpel. It makes it easier.

 

[iwiw60]

You are such a good chicken mama taking such loving care of your girls...I'm sure they're getting spoiled rotten by now!!

 

[welasharon]

I'm following. It's very interesting. I think there is still a lot to learn and reading other people's approaches helps too.

 

[seminolewind]

Yes , I was following too. They are a lot of work and you have a few to deal with. My roo had one that was huge and I got a kernel out the 2nd time. However, it looked like two more bumps forming. Sometimes I think that they can get them from a bruise.

I wish they all popped out under the scab!

Good job!

 

[seminolewind]

This is what I do with tough ones. For 5 or so days, I buy this stuff called Magnapaste or like that at a tack store for horses. It's an Epsom salt gel. I goop it on the foot and wrap, usually at night so they are in one place for the night. It might help to wet the gauze as well. But it gives me a good soak for hours x 5 days. That might shrink that thing enough that you can feel it move around. And that may decide whether you should attempt a cut. Like a slit in the skin may let you see what's in there. Look at it this way, you have to do something. Magnapaste mixes real well with a bit of iodine or betadine as well.

If you think you should, maybe put her on antibiotics at the same time. Like Pen G injectable 0.5 ml x 5 days. LS 50 powder in the water, or anything that kills staph. It might also help shrink that thing.

Sometimes I cut off a baggy and put that over the foot with the goop inside and wrap it all up and around the ankle.

Maybe I've given you some methods or maybe it sparks a method of your own. I'd like to hear what happens.

 

[seminolewind]

I leave the Magnapaste on for 5 days, just changing it if it's dirty. On horses it's great for drawing abcesses out.

I think you should use your judgement about antibiotics. If she looks down or in pain I would think about it. I hope you can get that thing out, whatever it is.