Baytril

[Taisce]

Hiya,

Two of my girls have developed bumblefoot, it seems to be early with little swelling as of yet. The vet gave me baytril to put in their water, 1ml per litre for 5 days.
This is the first time any of the hens have been ill and I'm a bit worried about it. (nervous new mum)
I looked up baytril online, and have read lots of different things about it, it's not safe to eat the eggs for 28 days, it's not safe to ever eat the eggs again, it is safe etc etc. Lots of conflicting stuff.
Can anyone here help me out please? anyone have any experience with it?
We are in the throes of an exceptionally cold winter, -7C during the day, -15 at night. The girls have straw in their run to keep them off the ground a bit.
Oh, the vet didn't give me antibiotic cream because he said it was too cold and it wouldn't work, stay on I guess.
I'd really appreciate some advice,
Thanks!

 

[ND]

It's safe to eat the eggs again...and I would in about 14 days, the 'standard' withdrawal time for most medications. Actually, it's perfectly SAFE to eat them anyway (and some people do), but the MAIN reason for the withdrawal period is to limit your exposure to trace amounts of the medication. This isn't because it's NOT SAFE for you to ingest these trace amounts, it's because Baytril, or a very close formula to it, is used in treating humans. Unnecessary exposure to medications, even at trace amounts, that are used to treat infections in US causes drug resistance. Meaning... it's possible that if/when you need to be treated with a drug in that same class, it could be ineffective because of the resistance built up to it. On an individual basis... there isn't HUGE concern of this becoming a threat...but you can imagine what kind of drug resistance could be built if these things were used in commercial egg production where many, many people were 'exposed'. THIS is the #1 concern/problem and the reason for 99% of the withdrawal periods on meat/eggs after medication...with MANY classes of drugs, even dewormers. One less significant reason would be the possibility that there could be enough trace amounts to cause an allergic reaction IF any given person was allergic to the medication.

Two weeks is the standard withdrawal time for eating eggs. You can go up to 30 days if you want to be extra cautious if you are concerned about it. I, personally, would not...


Having said that, my rooster was treated with Baytril for something else, but ALSO had/has bumble foot. It (the baytril) didn't do anything for the bumblefoot. Nothing at all.

I have tried the bumble foot surgery, and one foot got better once I got the bumble out, but I cannot, for the life of me, get the bumble/infection plug out of his foot that is worse. I'm probably not being aggressive enough... and I haven't attempted again yet.

I hope you have better luck with the Baytril helping it, but there's not much blood flow to the bumble area, in general...and without removing the 'plug', there doesn't seem to be a lot of luck getting it healed. I'd search the the forum for bumble foot surgery...there's a thread with pictures... and you might find more information.

 

[Taisce]

Thanks for your reply, that's great to know and I feel better about it now.
Why would the vet give me the meds if they won't work on bumblefoot though? seems pretty pointless.
I saw the thread on bumblefoot but would be way too scared to try that myself, the feet aren't swollen yet, and the scabs are still very small so maybe the drugs will help?
I hope so as I really don't want to try surgery myself

 

[ND]

Honestly, the vet may not *know* much about treating birds...or treating chickens... or bumblefoot. Baytril would be very effective at treating a lot of other infections or abscesses..just not terribly effective in bumblefoot, in my experience. There's just something about the way the foot encapsulates the infection that makes it nearly impenetrable to topical or systemic antibiotics...without physically removing that plug somehow. My rooster had both feet affected... one worse than the other. On one, it was a small spot..and I was able to work out a small bumble/plug. That one healed. The other I could never get any plug out... I likely didn't get deep enough to find it despite digging and digging and digging. (ugh!) I tried two different times.

The scab always comes back...


Hope you have good luck!

 

[Taisce]

I'm sorry you didn't have any luck with your poor Rooster though, is he managing alright with the bumble still in his foot?
Poor you having to try twice too... x