Bumblefoot surgery - with pics and "how to"

[ruth]

Quote:
CONGRATULATIONS !!!! Great job. She should heal just fine now. Those kernels can be very deep and almost impossible to get out. They take lots of soaking, digging and squeezing. Now that it's out - the source of the problem is gone and she should heal just fine. If you want to clean and rebandage in a couple of days that's good but she'll be o.k. if you can't. Just don't wrap the vetwrap too tight because it can shrink when wet or if the foot swells and can cut off circulation.

 

[EweSheep]

Well I HAD to know if she had bumblefoot, and yes, she did! AAAAARRRGH!

I followed the surgery on this forum and yep what a great help and what to look for! I had a pair of tweeters, fingernail clippers and no scapel. Hubby suggested a box cutting knife. Be very careful using box cutting knife but it did the job. I will have to search around the house for an extacto knife if I could find it.

She had it on both foot pads, one is larger than a pencil head eraser which I popped the scab off and dug as much as I can, some clear puss came out with some clots. At least the pad was deflated and it was not as "angry" pink as it was before. I didnt see any plug or hard kernel in this one after I popped the scab off but I dug as much as I can.

Her other foot, was a size of a very small pencil head and it was easier to pop out the triangle hard kernel in one piece. This time her pad was not as very angry reddish pink and now its pale.

She tolerated the procedure well and we neoporan her holes, cover with a bandaid gauze and wrap it with vetrap in flesh color. For an extra measure we wrapped her vetrap so it would not come loose.

I let her out loose with the others and she walked a little better! I am uncertain how long she had it but I did noticed her tenderfootness about a week ago.

Okay when will be my next time to look and inspect?

Now once my hen got it, is it likely all the others have it?????????? I checked all the others and they all have tough calluses. No redness or puffnesses yet.

 

[tink]

I might be wrong but these remind me of worts!! Are they kinda like that?
Tink

 

[EweSheep]

Quote:
Yes they are like warts but under the feet. Nasty little things!

 

[karen71]

Great post - One of my girls has this- Does it hurt the hen when you cut? Did you put her outside after or keep her inside in a cage?
I'll have a whole hospital one girl with a hawk attack and one with foot surgery .

 

[EweSheep]

I took my hen out with banaged feet and she did well so far during the night. She was comfortable perching on her perch with the others without any ill effects. I really do not see a need to put her in the cage unless she has something else going on with her. Just go ahead and treat her, wrap her up good and put her out with her companions.

I can not say if she felt pain, but I would imagine she did by trying to withdraw her feet but tolerated it. It was almost a immediate relief for her when I popped that plug and roots and she was able to put pressure or weight on her pad of her feet. Its almost like a very stubborn splinter on your feet. You would feel pain when someone is trying to dig out a glass thorn or unseen thorn out of your feet, wouldn't ya? I would imagine chickens have a better pain threshold than I would.

 

[obe10]

this is so cool heres a bump

 

[seminolewind]

Once in a while a great article comes out when you absolutely need it. This is one for me. Surgery is planned for tonight.

Ruth, I am so grateful for your post and pictures. I have searched the internet for months and never found pictures of the actual surgical proceedure and have never been sure if I did it right or not.

Thankyou

Can this be stickied??? This info is invaluable.

 

[DuckLady]

This is indeed a great thread.
We have added to the invaluable advice here
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=112920

 

[EweSheep]

Washed out her feet good, soaked and one pad of her foot looks very good and the other one is stubborn, so I picked again, made it bleed alot, medicate and wrapped it back up again. I sure hope she will heal sooner.

I love the Vetrap bandage, it really does help keeping the bandage/med on and keep the dirt and flies from it.

I hope her one foot will be better otherwise I will have to make another cut on her pad like a slice to gain access to it. Not sure if it is a wise thing but picking out thru that hole is more torture for her than for me which it is like digging for nothing. Her pad is hard and warm to the touch. Should I keep digging or should I slice across the hole to make it bigger?