Another Bumble Foot Question

[ChickNanny13]

Noticed my WTG doing more sitting than usual (Jun 5th) but she'd walk, scratch and was eating, pooping, laying so didn't think much of it. The next morning when I went to feed she was limping. Checking saw a pink/red lump on her left upper foot between her outer & mid toes ... Suspecting bumble foot expected to see a scab on the underside but nothing, didn't see any opening.
Applied Prid to her foot pad & wrapped. The next day (Tuesday) opened the wrap, thought I saw a tiny slit, squeezed gently & a drop of clear liquid came out (wearing gloves). Called Vet to see if he'd cut it out, he suggested soak treatment as cutting sometimes lead to more problems. I started soaking in Epsom Salt/Water for 15 minutes, reapplying Prid & wrapping. She's the perfect patient, has been limping and sitting but eating/pooping/laying, still roosting at nite ... Had added more shavings into their CH.
Did this every day, on Friday got some white pus out but not much this was prior to soaking. Again applied Prid & wrapped. Next day when I squeeze got more white pus out but the lump on top was still there & her foot pad felt hard although the section with the "slit" was going down. Yesterday (Monday) morning found she removed her dressing, washed with Vetrycin and rewrapped. Later in the afternoon I tried squeezing but nothing, did her soak & rewrapped, had noticed she wasn't limping & walking about with less sitting all day. Today (Tuesday) she's walking and fine but the lump is still there ... Did the soak again & wrapped, thinking it's not over, I should insist the Vet cut it out? Sorry I can't bring myself to do it, or should I just remove wrapping and see what happens?

Opinions @Wyorp Rock @Kiki @Eggcessive @azygous @casportpony Everyone?
Thank you all in advance

In the picture of under her foot, that's a crease not the slit ... To the right of that crease is "hard" lump but no color to it.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm not keen on cutting into feet, so I'd consider continuing doing what you're doing or you can try using Tricide Neo to see if that helps.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...ure-that-avoids-surgery.1568704/post-26631630
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/treating-bumblefoot-with-tricide-neo.513183/post-6526194

 

[azygous]

I agree. No need to cut into the foot. Take your cue from her behavior that the wound is improving. Keep up with the soaks and Prid.

 

[ChickNanny13]

Thank you, just needed to reinforce my choice
That's the route I'll treat, may take longer ... I've got the time and she's loving the soak. This morning she's walking normal, will continue with the soak & Prid.
@Wyrop Rock ... Will try some Tricide Neo soaks after this week of Epsom Salt (2wks)

 

[ChickNanny13]

UPDATE: 2wks of soaking and wrapping, hen's was walking and kept removing her wrap so decided to let her go. There was never any scab on the under foot but the lump was still on the top of her foot but not bothering her. Noticed Jun 5th, stopped soaking & wrapping on the 21st.

Yesterday noticed the lump looked bigger & it had a white "bullseye" on top, it wasn't bothering her but I knew it was festering. Gave her a soaking, they really enjoy soaking, I was going to apply Prid & wrap her foot but decided to try squeezing to see if I could get anything out. White gunk came out so I applied more pressure which must have hurt cause she made a fuss. I got it all out but then had a hole to deal with, yes it did bleed. Flushed it out with Vetrycin, packed it with Triple Antibiotic and wrapped her. It took a few hours before she was walking & scratching around.

Today she's fine, wanted to change the dressing but decided to wait until tomorrow. Will be keeping a close eye on her, thankfully (knock on wood) she's not messing with the wrap and neither are the other two. I know IF I didn't get all that gunk out, it would continue and I'm hoping I didn't make things worst.

 

[Henfla]

UPDATE: 2wks of soaking and wrapping, hen's was walking and kept removing her wrap so decided to let her go. There was never any scab on the under foot but the lump was still on the top of her foot but not bothering her. Noticed Jun 5th, stopped soaking & wrapping on the 21st.

Yesterday noticed the lump looked bigger & it had a white "bullseye" on top, it wasn't bothering her but I knew it was festering. Gave her a soaking, they really enjoy soaking, I was going to apply Prid & wrap her foot but decided to try squeezing to see if I could get anything out. White gunk came out so I applied more pressure which must have hurt cause she made a fuss. I got it all out but then had a hole to deal with, yes it did bleed. Flushed it out with Vetrycin, packed it with Triple Antibiotic and wrapped her. It took a few hours before she was walking & scratching around.

Today she's fine, wanted to change the dressing but decided to wait until tomorrow. Will be keeping a close eye on her, thankfully (knock on wood) she's not messing with the wrap and neither are the other two. I know IF I didn't get all that gunk out, it would continue and I'm hoping I didn't make things worst.

I've been dealing with bumblefoot now for over a month and I've learned that it's really hard to get everything out. My chicken had scabs though from the first time I noticed it, but on one of her feet the infection had spread up to her ancle, and there was no scab there, so I had to take her to the vet to get the pus out from under her skin. That foot still has some redness, so I don't know if it will heal completely without any more revisions, but I removed her bandages today after I did a wound revision on friday (now she has had dressings on for over a month) and we are going on holiday this weekend, so I just hope it doesn't get worse while we are away.

 

[Lillith37]

Something that is a really great option for non-surgical bumble removal is salicylic wart pads. You stick the appropriate sized pad over the bumble, cut the cover plaster to size and stick on, then wrap as usual. You can do the epsom soaks as well with this method. The salicylic acid softens the skin until whatever nasty business is under there will lift out. Then you can use Vetericyn/sugardine and gauze to protect the wound and it should heal. Takes time but bumble always takes time. I’ve had a lot of success with this method (along with drawing salve like magnoplasm for more complex bumblefoot) and learned it here on BYC.

 

[ChickNanny13]

I've been dealing with bumblefoot now for over a month and I've learned that it's really hard to get everything out. My chicken had scabs though from the first time I noticed it, but on one of her feet the infection had spread up to her ancle, and there was no scab there, so I had to take her to the vet to get the pus out from under her skin. That foot still has some redness, so I don't know if it will heal completely without any more revisions, but I removed her bandages today after I did a wound revision on friday (now she has had dressings on for over a month) and we are going on holiday this weekend, so I just hope it doesn't get worse while we are away.

I unwrapped her wrap to check the spot ... So disappointed. The hole is scabbed over but the "lump" is still there, not pink anymore but white. Applied Prid & wrapped again, will leave for a few days and wanting to ask what you all thought. There is no redness on her foot or leg, for that I'm grateful.

I would not have done anything, after my first attempt IF the lump hadn't gotten so pink & the "eye" appeared. I really thought I got all of it out but maybe not. Will be trying @Lillith37 method after I gather the supplies. I got the time ... Did read about the "wart cushion" remedy which sounded interesting but thought it was a done deal after the all the gunk removed & bled.

Her foot is a pink cause I was pressing to feel the lump, feels solid and thinking it's more gunk or scaring? Thought of leaving it as it's not bothering her now but don't want it to get to the point of a very serious infection. Comparing the lump from the first picture, it had/has gotten bigger. Ideas welcomed ...

 

[Lillith37]

My guess is that there is quite a lot of hardened pus in that lump.

I would either use the salicylic patches, one big enough to cover the scab on top and a little of the surrounding skin. Eventually it will soften and you can peel it off.

Or another thing you can do is use a scalpel blade or xacto knife to gently score the scab before applying the salve. This creates an opening for pus and infection to actually be drawn out. Generally it shouldn’t hurt them if it is just hard pus under there. If they protest or bleed, stop immediately.

Keep up with epsom salt bath every evening and wrap it to protect it but being on top of the foot hopefully it’s less likely to be bothered by the chicken’s activities of daily living.

You’ll get on top of it. Sometimes bumblefoot can take several attempts. Consistency, patience and gentleness are my principles when it comes to dealing with this sort of thing.

 

[Henfla]

I unwrapped her wrap to check the spot ... So disappointed. The hole is scabbed over but the "lump" is still there, not pink anymore but white. Applied Prid & wrapped again, will leave for a few days and wanting to ask what you all thought. There is no redness on her foot or leg, for that I'm grateful.

I would not have done anything, after my first attempt IF the lump hadn't gotten so pink & the "eye" appeared. I really thought I got all of it out but maybe not. Will be trying @Lillith37 method after I gather the supplies. I got the time ... Did read about the "wart cushion" remedy which sounded interesting but thought it was a done deal after the all the gunk removed & bled.

Her foot is a pink cause I was pressing to feel the lump, feels solid and thinking it's more gunk or scaring? Thought of leaving it as it's not bothering her now but don't want it to get to the point of a very serious infection. Comparing the lump from the first picture, it had/has gotten bigger. Ideas welcomed ...

I also think it is alot of pus inside that lump. My vet can give chickens gas to sleep on and give them a proper wound revision. I think if I did it again from the start with my chicken I would do that to save the chicken stress and some pain and also save me alot of time, and I think I would do that in your case (or at least get the vet to prescribe pain medications for your chicken to give her first. I gave my chicken meloxicam). I did not want my chicken to be in alot of pain ofcourse, so I used alot of time just carefully peeling away the pus a little by little with a scalpel, so I didn't cut into her foot with the scalpel or anything like that, just scraping with it and picked away some pieces of hard pus with surgical tweezers. She did bleed a little, and then I had to apply pressure with a dry compress to stop the bleeding. I flushed the wounds with NaCl, and cleaned them with chlorhexidine 1% before and after, and put on a pea-sized amont of antibiotic ointment and medical honey before putting on some sterile gauzepads that I had cut to fit just over the wounds, and then vetwrap on top.
I repeated that about every other day for quite some time and it obviously worked because her feet are so much better now than they were.