Beginnings of Bumblefoot?

[MiniChickenMommy]

Hello,
My hen has developed a bruised like squashy area on the underside of her foot which I suspect is the beginnings of bumblefoot - although I'm now doubting myself maybe it is just a bruise?... I have booked her to the vets on Monday but just wanted to know if I am thinking the right way. I have uploaded photos. She has had issues with SLM ever since before I got her, when she came to me she had already lost 2 toes on each foot and I have been struggling with managing the condition. I vaseline them and dip in surgical spirits regularly, I also use DE in their coop where they are bedded with straw. I have used ivermectin (if that's spelled right) in the past also but have none left now.
I also found a hard lump that is scabbed on her underside too, I have no clue what this could be- Does anyone have any suggestions??

 

[MiniChickenMommy]

Anyone??

 

[coach723]

Not sure what's up with the foot swelling, probably good to have the vet take a look, make sure there is no infection going on. With the toe loss she may be more prone to injury from walking different. Her feet probably make roosting an issue, so if she's sleeping in straw then she may be resting her keel there and the pressure, or sometimes rubbing can cause what's called a breast blister. Kind of like bumblefoot but on the breast or keel. It can be worse if the bedding is wet, damp, or soiled, so if she's unable to roost I'd be vigilant about keeping it fresh. Birds with foot or leg issues that make roosting difficult can have this happen. If they roost you can pad the roost where they sleep with an old towel to help. If the spot is just scabbed and irritated then treating it topically might be enough, clean it off with hibiclens (chlorhexidine) and apply plain neosporin a couple of times a day. If it's got pus in it (like bumblefoot) then it would need to be cleaned out, flushed, and then treated. Since you are seeing the vet I'd ask them to look at that also.

 

[MiniChickenMommy]

Not sure what's up with the foot swelling, probably good to have the vet take a look, make sure there is no infection going on. With the toe loss she may be more prone to injury from walking different. Her feet probably make roosting an issue, so if she's sleeping in straw then she may be resting her keel there and the pressure, or sometimes rubbing can cause what's called a breast blister. Kind of like bumblefoot but on the breast or keel. It can be worse if the bedding is wet, damp, or soiled, so if she's unable to roost I'd be vigilant about keeping it fresh. Birds with foot or leg issues that make roosting difficult can have this happen. If they roost you can pad the roost where they sleep with an old towel to help. If the spot is just scabbed and irritated then treating it topically might be enough, clean it off with hibiclens (chlorhexidine) and apply plain neosporin a couple of times a day. If it's got pus in it (like bumblefoot) then it would need to be cleaned out, flushed, and then treated. Since you are seeing the vet I'd ask them to look at that also.

Thank you very much for your reply and advice.

They dont actually sleep on the roost and prefer the nestbox. I actually took the roosting bar out today as I'm wondering if she has fallen over on it (I saw her stumble over it to get to her feeder) so I'm thinking that may have caused the bruised like area on her foot and possibly the injury on her underside too. I'll see what the vet says on Monday, hopefully it's not bumblefoot!