NOT BUMBLEFOOT...FEVER AND SWELLING PICTURES- WHAT DO I DO NOW?

[ChurkLover]

My hen, Ruby, was limping for about a week until one day she just quit walking on it. I took her to the vet a week ago and the vet said she did not think it was bumble foot because there was swelling only in one foot. She said it looked more like a puncture wound. We managed to break open the scabby part and remove "the plug" of pussy gunk. The vet wrapped it, offered antibiotics for $115 (Clavamox 250mg) and pain pills $45 but I cannot pay that kind of money so I declined. She said amoxicillan would likely not help with a puncture wound. I brought Ruby home and have kept her isolated in a crate. I have been soaking her foot in iodine solution once/day as directed by the vet and then applying triple antibiotic ointment and wrapping the foot. The scab has healed over now but it is still swollen and feels warm, like it has a fever in it. Ruby is eating well and seems well-spirited but I don't notice her drinking much. When I let her out, she stands on her good foot and holds the other up but extends the bad foot like she is trying to put it down to walk on it. Her poops is runnier than usual, but not watery, white and dark green.

Should I remove the bandage now? What do I do about the fever/swelling in the foot? Should I try to break the scab back open and see if more puss is in there? Should I try getting penicillin or amoxicillan from a farm store if she may still have infection?

 

[Hannah159]

Treatment : Washing in warm water and applying boric acid ointment (to make boric acid ointment add one part boric acid to five parts vaseline).

Method :

1. Hold the foot in warm water for about ten minutes
2. Apply boric acid ointment
3. Repeat this once each day for three days, keeping the bird confined on soft earth or in a coop with some sort of soft bedding.

Hope this helps!
Hannah

 

[TwoCrows]

I am going thru the exact thing right now....and for the past 3 months. Your hen does in fact HAVE bumblefoot. An infection from a puncture wound to the foot. It is very difficult to treat. And the bumbles will turn up on the top side of the foot between the webbing. From your pics, this bird does not need to be bandaged although I would keep an eye on the scab as it does look a bit tender still.

My girl was on 2 types of antibiotics from the vet, surgery 4 times on her foot, and still 3 months later I am still dealing with it.

BUT....here is what I have been doing to help with the inflammation and swelling. I have been soaking her foot 2 times daily for about 8 mins each in a warm epsom salt bath. What epsom salts will do is draw the infection toward the skin and keep it out of the bone and joint of the foot. If the infection moves to the bones, the bird is doomed. So get soaking her foot 2x a day.

Next...after each soaking and at bed time, I liberally slather on Preperation H and Hydrocortizone cream on the foot, top and bottom. These two meds have GREATLY reduced the inflammation and swelling. Prep H is known to reduce deep tissue inflammation and the cortizone cream also helps with inflammations. I started using these about 2 weeks ago, and I am seeing good results in the heat of her foot and swelling.

You can also, at bed time, apply neosporin (without pain killers) on the wound. That will penetrate deep into the infection.

Now, if the scab turns black, you will need to go surgery on it. Wrap up the bird in a towel and lay on your lap, belly up. Cover the birds head to keep it from panicking. You will need to dig out the infection and if there is a "Kernel" in there, you will need to remove it. Like a big puss cheesy ball. Keep squeezing the gunk out of it as best you can. Pack it with neosporin and bandage it up. Keep the foot dry for at least 24 hours. Every day, unwrap the foot and soak in an iodine solution for one week. When the scab is scabbed over, start soaking in epsom salts. And don't stop til it is healed.

This bumblefoot thing takes a LONG time to heal, so it seems for me. But I am making headway, finally.

Good luck! I am with you on this one!!

 

[klmclain1]

Tell your vet bumblefoot does not normally occur in both feet at the same time.

You need to do the surgery. Bumblefoot is a staph infection caused by some sort of wound to the foot. It can be from a sticker, from jumping onto a sharp rock, a rough roost, etc. If it is showing in both feet, then the staph is probably systemic which is deadly. Here are two sites to help you with the procedure:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/a/bumblefoot-how-to-treat-your-chickens-with-surgery-graphic-pics
http://successwithpoultry.blogspot.com/2009/09/bumblefoot-chicken.html

One more thing, if you end up resorting to antibiotics, penicillin is what you want, 1/2 cc IM for 4 days alternating right and left sides of the breast.

 

[ChurkLover]

Are you saying I need to do a second surgery? If so, I will get right on it. I just didn't want to open it back up if I didn't have to.

 

[RedDrgn]

While I'm new to the bumblefoot arena, when I noticed our BA standing around on one foot once in awhile yesterday and took a look, she had a scab a little less than half of that size on the bottom of her foot. She exhibited NO swelling and very little redness in the immediate vicinity. For all intents and purposes, it looked just like a wound well on its way towards healing. If she hadn't been favoring her other foot, I probably wouldn't have done anything, but it was apparently hurting her.

When I removed the scab, the infection and pus plug were apparent; it was not healing at all, just sealing the infection in. That said, with as swollen as her foot is, I'd soften the scab up in warm water (like an epsom salt soak that others have recommended) and then peel it off and take a look at what's underlying it. I've dealt with enough skin infections in cats, dogs, and humans to know that scabs can be very deceiving and do not necessary indicate healing.

 

[ChurkLover]

Thanks. I will soak it in the morning and try to reopen the scab to see if more is in there. I think the epsom salt soaks alone have helped very little but it's only been two days!

 

[klmclain1]

You need to cut into each of the swollen areas. I am not sure where your vet cut into... but those swollen places on top - feel them and see if you feel any small lumps. I had to cut a big X across the bottom of the foot (fairly deep) and then cut deep slits on top between the toes to get all the lumps out and my girl's feet didn't look as swollen as yours. Mine had 5 or 7 lumps...can't remember now. You have to be quite aggressive. Not fun, but if you're thorough now, you won't have to put her through this again. Good luck and hang in there!

 

[jc194]

I keep tetracycline on hand. it mixes in the water. i got a small bag for $8.00 at agway that mixes 100 gallons. ours survived but lost a toe

 

[ChurkLover]

Well...I had every intention of making the slice and removing whatever may be causing the swelling on the top of her foot but then I looked at the bottom of her foot and the scab is gone. The swelling seems to be down on top and on bottom, although the top swelling is still significant. I am going to see how it looks in the morning and feel for any bumps on the top swelling of her foot. Also, I may run down to the local feed store to get some tetracycline for her. Thanks everyone for the information! Poor girl is a real trooper!