Seeking help: treating bumblefoot in quail?

[le_bwah]

So I did my weekly "foot inspection" on the flock and found two hens with startling cases of bumblefoot, one on the foot pad and one on the toe. Will post pics as soon as I have another set of hands to hold the camera. I have general knowledge of treating this condition in chickens, but my question is:

• Any quail-specific tips or tricks to make treatment (abscess removal) easier and less painful for both parties?

I'd appreciate hearing from anyone who's successfully treated bumblefoot in quail before. Any advice is much appreciated.

 

[igorsMistress]

Hi! Long time no see.

I found this thread on treating it without surgery on chickens. Maybe it would work with quail.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/vet-suggestion-for-non-invasive-bumblefoot-cure.303829/

 

[le_bwah]

Hi! Long time no see.

I found this thread on treating it without surgery on chickens. Maybe it would work with quail.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/vet-suggestion-for-non-invasive-bumblefoot-cure.303829/

Hello and thank you!

I just ordered some Tricide-Neo, hoping it arrives before I'm forced to pursue the alternative. Anecdotes look promising, tho—here's hoping it helps resolve the infections.

 

[igorsMistress]

Hello and thank you!

I just ordered some Tricide-Neo, hoping it arrives before I'm forced to pursue the alternative. Anecdotes look promising, tho—here's hoping it helps resolve the infections.

I'll keep my fingers crossed!

 

[Chip76]

One of my quail had bumblefoot at 4 weeks old. I treated with daily epsom salt soak, followed by veterycin or triple antibiotic cream. Took a couple weeks, but she recovered without hurting her.

 

[Hils]

One of my quail had bumblefoot at 4 weeks old. I treated with daily epsom salt soak, followed by veterycin or triple antibiotic cream. Took a couple weeks, but she recovered without hurting her.

How many minutes would you soak in Epsom salts and how often?

 

[Chip76]

Depends on how cooperative she was that day, we did about 10-15 minutes of epsom salt soak once a day and put the veterycin/ triple antibiotic cream 2-3 times a day whenever I could sneak it on. It seemed like it took a long time to heal, but it did eventually go away.

 

[Mhays]

Hello and thank you!

I just ordered some Tricide-Neo, hoping it arrives before I'm forced to pursue the alternative. Anecdotes look promising, tho—here's hoping it helps resolve the infections.

I did this, except I went to the Merck website and they suggested erythromycin for bumblefoot, which is also available for fish. (API E.M. Erythromycin)

So, our Magenta got a 10-min epsom/medicated pedicure once or twice a day (she had it on both feet - came with it.) Started with a foot soak in warm water (protip, make the soaking container small, put it on a larger container so they poop outside the solution) Had to hold her wings and give her mealworms, but she was pretty amenable.

Then I'd inspect the sore, cover it in Manna Pro Myacin AH, and then Country Comfort Salve Goldenseal /Myrrh over that, and let her go back to the flock.

We did this for about a week and a half, tried once unsuccessfully to squeeze the bumble out (it's like a little rock in there) did it for a few more days, then successfully got the thing out with the aid of a pair of nail clippers (just to grab it well enough, we didn't cut her at all.)

Covered the hole in Myacin, made a little bandage out of a tiny square of bandage gauze and some medical tape, and she was off. She hated the bandage (cute little dance to try to shake it off) but it stayed on for a couple of days, which was long enough for the scab to form.

Checked her today, it's all healed up. The bumble on the other foot was small enough that it went away with just the soaking.

I think the major difference from chickens is that the feet are smaller, so you really need a tool to grab the thing.

Good luck! I was super-stressed about it but I think it was really no big deal in hindsight.

drawing salve

 

[le_bwah]

I did this, except I went to the Merck website and they suggested erythromycin for bumblefoot, which is also available for fish. (API E.M. Erythromycin)

So, our Magenta got a 10-min epsom/medicated pedicure once or twice a day (she had it on both feet - came with it.) Started with a foot soak in warm water (protip, make the soaking container small, put it on a larger container so they poop outside the solution) Had to hold her wings and give her mealworms, but she was pretty amenable.

Then I'd inspect the sore, cover it in Manna Pro Myacin AH, and then Country Comfort Salve Goldenseal /Myrrh over that, and let her go back to the flock.

We did this for about a week and a half, tried once unsuccessfully to squeeze the bumble out (it's like a little rock in there) did it for a few more days, then successfully got the thing out with the aid of a pair of nail clippers (just to grab it well enough, we didn't cut her at all.)

Covered the hole in Myacin, made a little bandage out of a tiny square of bandage gauze and some medical tape, and she was off. She hated the bandage (cute little dance to try to shake it off) but it stayed on for a couple of days, which was long enough for the scab to form.

Checked her today, it's all healed up. The bumble on the other foot was small enough that it went away with just the soaking.

I think the major difference from chickens is that the feet are smaller, so you really need a tool to grab the thing.

Good luck! I was super-stressed about it but I think it was really no big deal in hindsight.

drawing salve

Thanks so much for sharing your experience! I'm starting to see results with the neomycin (would have likely seen them sooner if I'd soaked their feet more often). I plan on getting the "core" of the bumbles out soon; got some forceps that should do the trick.

 

[Hils]

I did this, except I went to the Merck website and they suggested erythromycin for bumblefoot, which is also available for fish. (API E.M. Erythromycin)

So, our Magenta got a 10-min epsom/medicated pedicure once or twice a day (she had it on both feet - came with it.) Started with a foot soak in warm water (protip, make the soaking container small, put it on a larger container so they poop outside the solution) Had to hold her wings and give her mealworms, but she was pretty amenable.

Then I'd inspect the sore, cover it in Manna Pro Myacin AH, and then Country Comfort Salve Goldenseal /Myrrh over that, and let her go back to the flock.

We did this for about a week and a half, tried once unsuccessfully to squeeze the bumble out (it's like a little rock in there) did it for a few more days, then successfully got the thing out with the aid of a pair of nail clippers (just to grab it well enough, we didn't cut her at all.)

Covered the hole in Myacin, made a little bandage out of a tiny square of bandage gauze and some medical tape, and she was off. She hated the bandage (cute little dance to try to shake it off) but it stayed on for a couple of days, which was long enough for the scab to form.

Checked her today, it's all healed up. The bumble on the other foot was small enough that it went away with just the soaking.

I think the major difference from chickens is that the feet are smaller, so you really need a tool to grab the thing.

Good luck! I was super-stressed about it but I think it was really no big deal in hindsight.

drawing salve

Thanks for that info and the tip about bowl size and feeding treats whilst doing it. I think I have to do this and I'm very to new to keeping quail or any birds. I know Epsom salts is what our pharmacy recommended for drawing out splinters, but that bumble you pulled out - what exactly is it?