bumblefoot treated, now there's limping...

[M EGG]

Hi, I have a 22 month old (16 lb) leghorn/rhode island red rooster who back in June had bumblefoot, took about a month or so to treat at home & it all seemed to clear up. He developed a mild limp on the same foot that would come & go after it healed & now for the past 2 months it's constant & it doesn't respond to any pain meds. Xray revealed inflammation in the foot pad(vet said possible soft tissue related). Xrays were done without sedation so vet didn't get rest of leg. I've examined the rest of his leg & no sign of pain is present anywhere in hock, knee or hip...the leg he's limping on the foot pad feels a bit less cushioned than the other & from the hock to the claws on the limping leg seems thinner than the other(muscle weakness or a bit atrophied??)
Mycoplasma test was negative(was tested for this because he had pneumonia too).
Vet gave Sulfa-Trimethoprim while we waited for the mycoplasma results but after 2 doses his crop got impacted we cleared it out, tried the meds again in case not related but same thing happened after 2 doses...
My questions: If it's an infection wouldn't it spread up the leg?
When treating the bumblefoot a small "cork" did come out. I never bandaged it up because I kept him in the house(he's my only chicken) & cleaned it & packed with antibiotic cream several times per day. The opening was 1/4" if that. So, not sure if this limping is related to the old bumblefoot or a soft tissue injury? If anyone experienced something similar, please share.
Thank you

 

[azygous]

I admire your devotion to your roo. I'll bet he's an amazing boy.

I do have an EE hen that appears to have something similar to your rooster going on in her foot pad. She's never been seen by a vet because we have no vets that know the first thing about poultry.

When I got Olive a couple years ago after her flock was killed by a bobcat, she came to me with the worst case of bumblefoot I'd ever dealt with. I've been battling it ever since.

After the last surgery, I put her through a month of a potent antibiotic, and it seemed to reduce the bumblefoot to a small black scab, but the swelling on the adjacent foot pad has refused to go down. She doesn't limp, but she has trouble getting up onto the roost at night, so we have a nightly routine where I call her into the coop (yes, she comes running in when I call), and she lets me pick her up, put her on my knee, and from there, she is able to get onto the perch, but the swelling sometimes causes her to falter. Sometimes, she loses her grip, and falls off the other side. Then we try it again.

I've put her through enough painful surgeries, and no, she's not a cooperative patient. She fights me every step of the way. So, we're done with surgeries. The antibiotic had only partial success, so we're done trying that.

I wish I could help my Olive and your rooster, but I'm all out of ideas.

 

[Kathy Golla]

That's a good story/insight @azygous .

Am I reading correctly that he is 16 lbs? Is that a normal size for his breed rooster or is he overweight?

 

[Welshies]

That's a good story/insight @azygous .

Am I reading correctly that he is 16 lbs? Is that a normal size for his breed rooster or is he overweight?

I've personally never seen a chicken over 13 pounds excluding jersey giants. Even brahmas only average at 14 pounds.
Leghorns I see at about 8 or 9 pounds. RiRs at about 8 or 9 also. My personal experience.

Have you tried taping a cotton ball to the bottom of his foot for cushioning?

 

[ChickNanny13]

2x Welshies ... try taping some padding under his foot, maybe he's still tender. Could we get a picture of him?

 

[M EGG]

I admire your devotion to your roo. I'll bet he's an amazing boy.

I do have an EE hen that appears to have something similar to your rooster going on in her foot pad. She's never been seen by a vet because we have no vets that know the first thing about poultry.

When I got Olive a couple years ago after her flock was killed by a bobcat, she came to me with the worst case of bumblefoot I'd ever dealt with. I've been battling it ever since.

After the last surgery, I put her through a month of a potent antibiotic, and it seemed to reduce the bumblefoot to a small black scab, but the swelling on the adjacent foot pad has refused to go down. She doesn't limp, but she has trouble getting up onto the roost at night, so we have a nightly routine where I call her into the coop (yes, she comes running in when I call), and she lets me pick her up, put her on my knee, and from there, she is able to get onto the perch, but the swelling sometimes causes her to falter. Sometimes, she loses her grip, and falls off the other side. Then we try it again.

I've put her through enough painful surgeries, and no, she's not a cooperative patient. She fights me every step of the way. So, we're done with surgeries. The antibiotic had only partial success, so we're done trying that.

I wish I could help my Olive and your rooster, but I'm all out of ideas.

 

[M EGG]

Azygous- you mentioned swelling on Olive's adjacent foot pad hasn't gone down...is this the same foot with the bumblefoot? My protocol was Epsom salt foot soaks, coconut oil, antibiotic ointment(when skin was opened), increased probiotics on feed & some minced garlic.
I kept him on softer ground and no perches just flat surfaces that I could cushion up for him with hay, pine shavings or a folded up blanket. I had some ramps for him to use too instead any steps. How is she doing now?

 

[M EGG]

2x Welshies ... try taping some padding under his foot, maybe he's still tender. Could we get a picture of him?

 

[M EGG]

ChickNanny13- here he is in my (avatar?)photo. It's been 2 days with his cotton taped under his pad. He did take a few steps with no limp and then started to limp....so maybe this is a step in the right direction...

 

[M EGG]

That's a good story/insight @azygous .

Am I reading correctly that he is 16 lbs? Is that a normal size for his breed rooster or is he overweight?

He was 18lbs that was overweight-16 seems good