Need Input on Bumblefoot Treatment in Ducks

[duckfanatic01]

Alright @ilovebirds2010 , if I were to use the creams you suggested, can I / should I use both the Healx Soother Plus and the hemorrhoid cream? I'm unsure of how bad one duck's bumblefeet are, and one of them is not too bad, but he'd have to wait to get Healx since I have to wait for shipping. Also, should I worry about getting little duck shoes or socks with zip ties for protection and/or as a way to add more vitamins and such? Thanks!

 

[Masonz75]

A number of us have had good success with either triple antibiotic ointment or clear iodine. Here are the details on the iodine (posted by Haunted55) [COLOR=333333]On July 1st, I found one of my Pekin ducks with what I would consider a bad case of Bumblefoot. Both feet were involved and I'm ashamed to say, the only way I found it was she was limping. One foot had 7 and the other had 3. I was able to grab her and bring her into the house and put her into a warm bath to clean and soak. Two water changes later and softened feet, all I had time to do was paint the bumbles with colorless iodine, grabbed the wrong stuff, and put her into a dog crate in my house until I could get everything ready to operate and get them gone. Did I mention the thought of this scared me half to death?[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]Sad to say it took 6 days before i was able to get everything together and someone to help out with the 'cure'. The following pictures are what we found after the bath we gave before the planned surgery to remove these things.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]As can be seen, there really wasn't much to operate on, even though I was prepared to do just that. No matter how much squeezing or prodding or soaking, there just wasn't anything more to come out, it was all on the scabs that were covering the sores. The swelling was down from the 'marbles' I saw when I first found them. I poured betadine over the ones I had opened and painted the ones that I hadn't again with the iodine and put her back into her crate with clean bedding. [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]the next pictures are of the same Pekin and anothe duck, Dottie the Mallard, who was also found limping.[/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]As can be seen in the first two pictures, the bumbles have been dramatically reduced on the Pekin with just the iodine application and the smaller ones totally gone. The last four pictures are of the Mallard who is still under going the iodine applications. [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333] [/COLOR] [COLOR=333333]As can be seen, this is how the left and right foot look tonight on the Pekin duck. The heels being the worst are still showing infection and need for more treatment. tomorrow, I will again give a bath and pull/cut out the scabbing and treat with straight iodine this time. These spots are now flat or as flat as they should be considering the part of the foot they are on. I will still touch up the places that had the spots before as well. [/COLOR]

I am going to try your method! So I give them a warm bath and clean off there feet. Then I just put the iodine on them and gauze wrap? I don't pull anything off? And if I do when do I?

 

[Amiga]

@Masonz75 no gauze wrap - just soak to clean and soften the foot, then a couple of drops of clear (clear, clear, clear, not brown) iodine, let that dry - it dries quickly - then wait several days, soak again, try very gently to pull the darkened part off. If it's ready, it should come off with the plug also called the kernel. If it's not, or if it comes off but looks like there's some more in there, another couple of drops of clear iodine, wait several days, try again.

Of course while you are waiting the several days you want to watch the duck to make sure the duck is otherwise okay - sometimes bumblefoot infection gets into the bloodstream and oral antibiotics are needed.

 

[Masonz75]

What anti

@Masonz75
  no gauze wrap - just soak to clean and soften the foot, then a couple of drops of clear (clear, clear, clear, not brown) iodine, let that dry - it dries quickly - then wait several days, soak again, try very gently to pull the darkened part off.  If it's ready, it should come off with the plug also called the kernel.  If it's not, or if it comes off but looks like there's some more in there, another couple of drops of clear iodine, wait several days, try again.

Of course while you are waiting the several days you want to watch the duck to make sure the duck is otherwise okay - sometimes bumblefoot infection gets into the bloodstream and oral antibiotics are needed.

What Antibiotics and how do I know if it's in the bloodstream. I have a picture of her foot on my page. And can I give the antibiotics just to help her even if it's not in the bloodstream

 

[Amiga]

When the leg is warmer than normal. I have seen Duramycin-10 recommended.

Each person needs to balance the concern about overuse of antibiotics with staying ahead of infection.

 

[LadyIsadora]

Earlier in this thread there was information on using a product called DMSO,
DO NOT USE DMSO if you eat or sell the eggs, if you eat or sell the meat or if your animal is around other flock members that come into contact with a duck treated with DMSO. This is a big FDA no, no. A responsible vet will tell you this. A good country vet will likely tell you they would not personally worry about it after 3 months or so, but cannot make any other recommendation that counters FDA guidelines. According to the FDA its a lifetime sentence. (I wouldn't be surprised if they condemned the property the animals are on forever, FDA is weird)

. I have been battling bumblefoot for a long while this year. I have all ready had to put one duck down as the infection was extensive and she had a malfunctioning oil gland that made it very unlikely for her to be able to survive our winter.
I have had little success with the soaking and the triple antibiotic ointment, clear Iodine etc. Cut into the foot of one duck last week and she seems to be limping more than ever. Back to the drawing board. I will try some of the other things in this thread. I just had to chime in about the DMSO. Though it is evidently effective in helping cure the infection, it was a deal breaker for me.

 

[debking8262]

I inherited a beautiful Pekin with a nasty case of bumble foot - she has been on several courses of antibiotics and we treat foot daily however nothing was really making a huge difference until a friend gave me some tuff rock she uses on her horse. This poultice has been fantastic - we apply daily and she wears booties to keep it in place and the difference is amazing... Swelling reduced quickly and the infection is finally coming under control. Thought if share as I was afraid it would never come good!

 

[holysmokinkitty]

Thank you all so much for the invaluable resource. My Cayuga developed a limp then a day or so later we noticed the bumblefoot on the opposite leg.We were able to confidently perform some investigative poking and started the healing process with your help. I was able to find microcyn ah instead of vetericyn today so we will start that. I am still worried about the origional knee as it is still swollen but we will keep bathing her in the Epsom salt as well.

 

[eli77722]

I am new I tried doing research but this is my best bet I thought I just got 4 ducks like 2 months ago so I am new they are pretty big now and everything was going fine until we noticed one of our ducks was not walking the biggest one I don't know breeds I'm sry but we looked and it has a swollen foot and it is warm to the touch plz help it will not walk on it at all but eats very well and drinking lots of water

 

[Amiga]

@eli77722

Please closely read post 32 above. And please also read the responses afterward that clarify questions.

I think you need to get some Duramycin, and also treat externally with the soaks and clear - clear - clear iodine.