Bumblefoot surgery - with pics and "how to"

[Woobsie]

Yes if your duck allows, get it to stand in a epsom salt bath, just his foot, for 20 minutes and then massage and gently squeeze the area to see if you can get anything out. Usually something embedded will work its way out eventually as will the pus with bumblefoot.

I will try to get one by tomorrow. 

So just squeeze without making a cut? Okay, thank you. Is it possible that a epsom salt soak would help?

 

[Amiga]

With ducks, often the pus is not fluid at all, it's more like chunks of cottage cheese.

The clear iodine method has worked for a number of people - it depends on how far along it has gotten before treatment.

See Post 9 here https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1024041/bumblefoot-calling-all-crunchy-natural-folks

 

[MrsBachbach]

I will try to get one by tomorrow.

So just squeeze without making a cut? Okay, thank you. Is it possible that a epsom salt soak would help?

Epsom salt soaks wouldn't hurt. It's worth a try. But, it's an everyday thing. Not just one soak and done.

I would like to add, if you cut into that toe, be prepared to confine her to a clean cage for a few days along with wrapping the foot. I saw a picture once of what someone used to "wrap" a duck foot to keep it clean. They used a playtex glove. I think they slipped the duck foot in the hand part of the glove, put the wrist part up around the leg and fastened it by wrapping tape around it and then I think they cut the fingers off the glove. Not exactly a sealed environment, especially if the duck is walking in muddy muck, but in a drier environment it should keep the foot out of poop and not interfere with it walking.

 

[NathanZee]

Yes if your duck allows, get it to stand in a epsom salt bath, just his foot, for 20 minutes and then massage and gently squeeze the area to see if you can get anything out. Usually something embedded will work its way out eventually as will the pus with bumblefoot.

I'm sure she will stand in there. I'll try that.

With ducks, often the pus is not fluid at all, it's more like chunks of cottage cheese.

The clear iodine method has worked for a number of people - it depends on how far along it has gotten before treatment.

See Post 9 here https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/1024041/bumblefoot-calling-all-crunchy-natural-folks

I used clear iodine on my goose, I had to pull the scab of a few times, never got any pus out but he healed somehow. He didn't have it very serious though. Problem with my duck is that there isn't a scab.

Epsom salt soaks wouldn't hurt. It's worth a try. But, it's an everyday thing. Not just one soak and done.

I would like to add, if you cut into that toe, be prepared to confine her to a clean cage for a few days along with wrapping the foot. I saw a picture once of what someone used to "wrap" a duck foot to keep it clean. They used a playtex glove. I think they slipped the duck foot in the hand part of the glove, put the wrist part up around the leg and fastened it by wrapping tape around it and then I think they cut the fingers off the glove. Not exactly a sealed environment, especially if the duck is walking in muddy muck, but in a drier environment it should keep the foot out of poop and not interfere with it walking.

Haha, I am prepared for a lot of soaking! I did three months for my gander.

A playtex glove is a great idea, if I cut I will do that for sure.



Thank you all for the help, I'll let you know how she does. I haven't done anything but clear iodine yet, a few days ago, but today her swelling seemed a little reduced and she wasn't limping as severely.

 

[Davo n Lisa]

Hi Ruth, our rooster has been limping so we washed his foot with epson salt water and discovered a massive scab. Is this bumblefoot as its bigger than your pics and he wasn't reall happy about us cutting it??! Wrapped it up until some extra advice cld be sought...just seems so big? Pls help hes our pride n joy!!

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[Davo n Lisa]

 

[NanooseDeb]

Hi and thank you for all the information Ruth.
I will be performing this little operation as soon as I can. We have 3 out of 11 with it so I was wondering if their house wasn't clean enough, but again ours do free-range over 5 acres as well. I am thinking that if we do it in the evening she can go to roost with her flock, less of a shock to her.
Here is a photo of 'Aurora', I'd appreciate any input, especially if it isn't Bumblefoot.

Thanks again for everyone's thoughts and information.

Aurora

 

[Amiga]

Have you thought about using the clear iodine method? @Miss Lydia has done that - no cutting involved.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Have you thought about using the clear iodine method? @Miss Lydia has done that - no cutting involved.

My hens foot looked very similar and I used the iodine [clear] every other day and once scab peeled off easily I can get the bumble out or there isn't anything in there to get out. Just kept it clean and covered till a new scab forms for healing. I didn't soak my last hens foot I just washed out the foot with Epsom salt water or sprayed the heck out of it with Veterycin.

 

[MrsBachbach]

Hi and thank you for all the information Ruth.
I will be performing this little operation as soon as I can. We have 3 out of 11 with it so I was wondering if their house wasn't clean enough, but again ours do free-range over 5 acres as well. I am thinking that if we do it in the evening she can go to roost with her flock, less of a shock to her.
Here is a photo of 'Aurora', I'd appreciate any input, especially if it isn't Bumblefoot.

Thanks again for everyone's thoughts and information.

Aurora

I would start treating it as bumblefoot. As others have said, you can try treating it without cutting into it. Epsom salt soaks, and then put an iodine/sugar poultice on it, put a gauze pad over it and wrap with some vetwrap. Do this procedure at least every three days and the poultice will draw infection down, and after a few weeks, you can soak the foot and then attempt to lift up the scab and hopefully the infection or plug will come up with the scab. Just make sure you wash the foot well and sterilize with some betadine and your knife or utensils are sterile and clean. And wear disposable gloves. After you get that scab off and any infection (cheesy or curd looking stuff under it) out, rinse the hole with sterile water, put some triple antibiotic cream on it and then put gauze pad on it and wrap with vetwrap. Put bird in a clean cage with shavings for at least three days after ward so the foot will stay clean while it closes. Then change bandages applying more antibiotic cream or spray, and wrap it again. Just change the bandages every few days until the wound is closed up very well. Don't want to remove bandages too soon because birds step in all kinds of mess and foot can get infected again. Bumblefoot can take weeks to cure, but done right and kept clean, it can be done. Very little cutting involved this way and little blood because you hope the poultice and the epsom salt soaks draw the infection out of the foot toward the scab. Then it's just a matter of lifting the scab off after a few weeks. The scab may even get bigger. I use a small sharp blade and lift around the under edges of scab very slowly and carefully all the way around and then lift out with tweezers. Sometimes there is a plug attached to it, sometimes not. Just depends on how swollen and infected foot is. Then when scab if off you can squeeze and see if any solid pus comes out or makes itself visible.

On cases where it has just started and there is only a small little scab and not much swelling, I just put the poultice or neosporin on it and wrap it up and let the chicken go about her business. I change and reapply every few days and in a few weeks it may just fall off and not need anything else done to it.