Abscess on foot. **pic** UPDATE

[ivan3]

O.K., I'm gonna post up our roo soaking it up, one more time.

We started treating this in NOV.08 (soaking/debridement/dressings). as there was spread of infection up leg he got two rounds of Cephalexin (oral - ate it soaked on grapes - why he is so calm in photo - waiting patiently). When it started to heal up we cut back to changing dressing every three days and he was out with his flock.

He is as mean as ever and as good as new, but it took a while (almost 4months).

Main reason I'm posting here is to mention this reference, again: Avian Medicine Principles and Practice. The book can be downloaded for free from here: http://www.avianmedicine.net/ Click on the box near the top of the page that says `read this book in PDF format' If you don't have Adobe Reader download it here: http://get.adobe.com/reader/

If you have a slow connection you can download individual chapters here: http://www.avianmedicine.net/ampa.html

The chapter you'll want for Bumblefoot is 16/pg. 425. http://www.avianmedicine.net/ampa/16.pdf

Though this book focuses on companion/exotic birds, there is a chapter on chooks (galliformes), and a pretty extensive formulary with conversions (appendix is useful as well).

For sensitive souls, be advised, there are plenty of surgical techniques/methods illustrated as they should be...

ed:sp

 

[devora]

Hey ya'll--

Ivan3's gig is really informative. It was a bit more than I was ready for in my overly-emotional state , but for those of you not LOSING it like a crazy chicken nut, it's worth a read. Bumble starts on p9 (??) so page along until ya find it.

I sliced open two of my birds today, one foot on each bird. For those of you who have done this, hats off to ya. DH was right there, but what can anyone do when you're slicing into a pet? The hens were both great, but it was a bloody mess. I pulled out huge yellow plugs. Not neatly in one piece. Nothing was good about this process except how frickin' grump our hens were and how supportive, calm, and helpful DH was. Seriously, imagine watching that.

Having read other posts I was concerned about getting ALL the yellow mess, and that, naturally, made the task more emotionally arduous. "Will I miss something?" "Am I merely causing more pain?" UGH.

Thanx to all who talked about this b/c even if my girls don't make I know tried....and NO WAY would have done that wo/ this group to help out. BYC is IT.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Need to hi-jack this thread. Noticing our EE hen limping today, we checked her out and on the bottom of her foot pad was (what I think is a thorn) about the diameter if a Q-tip stem. Not all of it came out. How can I get the rest to come out? It is deep. There was no blood coming out as I tried to dig it out with a pin. She has a swollen area (abcess?) between her toes too. Just like on the OP pic but it is the size of a small pea. Do I have to lance it? I peroxide-d it and stuffed it with neosporin. Put her in a hutch. Will the rest fester out?? Is this the beginning of bumble foot? What is the next step to prevent it from getting worse?

 

[LilRalphieRoosmama]

That's how mine started but I let it go until the absess was bigger. Not as big as the OP's but big enough where she started limping. Mine didn't fester out; had to cut into the absess and pull out the plug. I would suggest you do that now while it's still small and hopefully you can get it all. Mine didn't bleed when I picked from the bottom of the foot but it did when I cut into the absess. Not alot - it was manageable.

I doubt I got it all, but I did remove her bandage and let her back out with the others yesterday. She isn't limping anymore and the swelling has definitely gone down but not totally. She's normal in every other way.

Definite kudos to everyone who has done this. It definitely wasn't easy for me to cut into my pet but it makes it easier knowing that it is necessary for their benefit.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Cindy, you just made my stomach churn.

I'll wait til morning when DH is available to do this for his Father's Day gift.

Guess I need to search this a bit more to be ready.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

BTW. the swelling between the toes is not yellow or pink yet. The skin is still the grey color as the rest of the EE's foot. Do I really need to lance it just yet?? Please say 'no'

 

[ivan3]

Henry'schickens wrote: Need to hi-jack this thread. Noticing our EE hen limping today, we checked her out and on the bottom of her foot pad was (what I think is a thorn) about the diameter if a Q-tip stem. Not all of it came out. How can I get the rest to come out? It is deep. There was no blood coming out as I tried to dig it out with a pin. She has a swollen area (abcess?) between her toes too. Just like on the OP pic but it is the size of a small pea. Do I have to lance it? I peroxide-d it and stuffed it with neosporin. Put her in a hutch. Will the rest fester out?? Is this the beginning of bumble foot? What is the next step to prevent it from getting worse?

Start soaking the foot in a solution of warm water, Betadine (10% povidone-iodine) just squirt enough into water so that you can barely see bottom of bowl/pan, and Epsom Salts (see pic I posted above - used a tablepoon in that amount of water). The Betadine will kill bacteria and the Epsom salts will draw out `fluid' (pus) from wound. Soak about fifteen-twenty minutes a day. While soaking work your fingers over scab (if there is one) after ten minutes and it should be softened up, pull it off gently and let foot soak another ten minutes.

After daubing dry with clean cloth, apply the topical antibiotic and dressing. She will need to stay on clean, soft bedding and given no opportunity to do any `vertical' chicken `things' (jumping up/down to roost).

You still may need to lance and or consider antibiotic but, give the soaking/dressing a shot. If you can post a pic that would be useful.

Good luck!​

 

[Brindlebtch]

This is great info! Ya'll are the BEST!

 

[ScoobyRoo]

Quote:
Start soaking the foot in a solution of warm water, Betadine (10% povidone-iodine) just squirt enough into water so that you can barely see bottom of bowl/pan, and Epsom Salts (see pic I posted above - used a tablepoon in that amount of water). The Betadine will kill bacteria and the Epsom salts will draw out `fluid' (pus) from wound. Soak about fifteen-twenty minutes a day. While soaking work your fingers over scab (if there is one) after ten minutes and it should be softened up, pull it off gently and let foot soak another ten minutes.

After daubing dry with clean cloth, apply the topical antibiotic and dressing. She will need to stay on clean, soft bedding and given no opportunity to do any `vertical' chicken `things' (jumping up/down to roost).

You still may need to lance and or consider antibiotic but, give the soaking/dressing a shot. If you can post a pic that would be useful.

Good luck!

Nik and I are going to do the soaking today. Just once a day? If there is no change in the swelling I'll go ahead and suck up and do the lancing.

I will read up on the lancing procedure to make sure I have everything ready. Oh, why me?!?!?! Thanks for the advice.

 

[ScoobyRoo]

After looking at it today, it was a thorn in the pad of her foot. We saw the flap of skin. The hole is still there but nothing coming out of it. She still has some swelling between both toes (smaller than a pea) DD says the swelling has gone down since last night. We soaked it today, cleaned it off real good, neosprined it and wrapped it up. If we don't notice the swelling going down by tomorrow or the next day, DH says he will lance it for me.

I'm still having trouble finding some details on how to do that. Is there a certain way it should be cut since it is between the toes? Do you just make a hole (X shape) on top of the swelling, slice down between the toes or across? Which will heal better for the hen? I assume I should have plenty of clean rags, water, iodine, neo, wrap and what else? Again, I have searched but not enough details to help a first timer like me.