Bumblefoot surgery - with pics and "how to"

[Reinbeau]

Well, my poor girl had the start of bumblefoot on the other foot!

I soaked that one, and removed the scab, there wasn't much behind it yet, it didn't bleed much at all. Then the bad one, that was obvious what needed to be removed, when it was all down to red tissue I knew it was pretty much cleaned out - I hope! She's got bandages on both feet now, so she's inside here in a big dog crate. Unfortunately the two cats are extremely curious, if she catches sight of one of them she goes a bit bonkers. Poor girl. Any idea how long it takes for this all to heal up?

 

[BarkerChickens]

Thanks so much for this tutorial! Where we live, there are always a nice share of goat heads around. Even though we hadn't had a case of bumblefoot, I routinely check their feet at night when they are on their perches. I check for scaley legs (mites), torn toe nails, bumblefoot and anything else that may catch my attention. Well, today I spotted one of my BRs had VERY minor swelling between two toes. I immediately checked her pads on both feet and sure enough, a scab in the middle of both pads (one small and one medium) and each foot had a large scab between the pad and toes. The swelling wasn't real noticeable, but I was looking for it, so it was caught early. After running to vet supply for a scalpel and vet wrap, we proceeded to do as you describe. The large scabs (between the pad and toes had large corn kernel sized plugs, but little to no puss or cheese. Both scabs on the pad did not have puss or cheese (we cut deeper into the hole to ensure). I think the reason there was little puss or cheese was because it was caught so early. Again, thanks so much!

 

[Glenda L Heywood]

Reinbeau
The Teapot Underground/Moderator

generally as bad as you say it was it will take a good 6 weeks of healing to even get it some what normal

If you can put her in a dog crate in the garage she would be happier and not be so stressed from the cat's attn

also be sure and feed her daily some wet mash probiotic with vit's

since the bird had infection and stress anixiety
3 tbsp of dry crumbles
4 tbsp of milk
1 tbsp of yoguart
mix vit's
1000 mg of vitE by cutting tip of capsule off and squeezing liquid into the wet mash
1 vit B complex crushed and put in the wet mash

now mix good and put 1 tbsp of applesauce on top for taste of chicken
she should eat it in 30 minutes or so then clean the wet feeder and restock dry crumble feed

feed her this once a day till she is healed.
email me any questions

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Hi - I answered on your other thread about your girl - the gist of which:

"...while bumblefoot typically is in the feet and contains a "bumble" or kernel that is the source of the problem - they can get abcessed infection from any kind of injury that will look the same and need to be treated the same - meaning: clean out the wound, possibly lance deep into the swollen area over the wound in order to get out all infection - then pack with Neosporin and wrap."

 

[ruth]

Quote:
I check, clean and rewrap the bandage in about a 4 days - to a week. (I don't want to pull the bandage off a healing wound and cause it to reopen so I give it as many days as possible, just visually checking for swelling or tightness of the bandage). Then give it a few more days and check again. Normally I've taken the bandage off because the pad has healed - in about two weeks. I don't isolate them because it makes it harder for them to integrate back into their place in the flock. The way I wrap the foot allows them full use of the feet and they just go back to their normal everyday routines. I normally have to wait till night to catch them and check/change their bandages.

 

[ruth]

Quote:
Good job - those are the easiest ones to "fix" - when it all comes out in one plug of gunk - kind of like the one I posted pics of.

 

[Reinbeau]

Quote:
Ruth, I don't think I did a very good job wrapping her feet, she can barely walk as it is, now with both feet wrapped she's not moving around at all. I'm afraid if I put her back out there they'll be even worse to her than they already are - she's the lowest hen on the pecking order. She's taken to roosting all day long up on the nest boxes, now she can't get up there to get away from them. I am kind of at my wit's end with it, I'm afraid I'll go out there one day and find they've killed her (nasty little witches).

I'll try rewrapping her feet tomorrow (I did put a pad on the wound, that can stay in place) in a better way and put her back in there tomorrow night - think that will work? I just don't know now....

Glenda, the cats aren't bothering her anymore, just so you know - they just look at each other now. The boys watch the chickens out the window, they've had their up close look now, and are pretty unimpressed

 

[seminolewind]

Poor thing. Maybe you can keep her separate with a friend?

My bandages have sometimes been gauze, and tape, which is thinner, or maybe you can find something thinner?

 

[EweSheep]

Vetrap is the best one I found and also, hubby is an EMT, he found first aid supply with some bandages that looks like Vetrap but it is the none sticky kind. It held up really well with the walking and so forth. Flexi-wrap I think it is called.

I would not isolate the hen from the flock because of the chances of her being pecked on badly. Other than that, pick a friend or two to be with her and isolate them from the rest.

 

[MaggieRae]

Wow, that's got some great information! Thanks!

But I was curious, what causes bumblefoot?