Bumble foot help - antibiotics?

[broodyrachael]

Hi everyone,
I have a little Silkie mix that has quite a serious bumble foot infection on each foot. I was away for three months on work and someone else was caring for my chickens... it didn't get caught in time for conservative treatment. I watched a few YouTube videos on bumble foot surgery and did surgery on one foot. I soaked her feet in Epsom salts and removed the black scab. She bled a lot more than I expected so I stopped after pulling out a (HUGE) chunk of infection. She started to look a little pale, so I gave her 2 mL NutriDrench by mouth, sprayed the area with Vetrycin spray and wrapped her foot up with a tefla pad, gauze and vet wrap. I have (6) 100 mg packets of Doxycycline and 10 g of Tetracycline hydrochloride. I'm not sure if I was able to remove the entire infection, so I am wondering if I should put her on antibiotics to prevent the infection from going systemic due to how much vascularization and trauma was involved. I have read that bumble foot is caused by Staphylococcus spp. and I know that doxycycline is an effective soft tissue, Staph antibiotic...but have never used it in chickens for this purpose. Any help, advice or direction would be much appreciated! Thanks in advance!

 

[mack1233]

I've been using clindamycin on my ducks who have bumblefoot, I started 4 days ago and I'm seeing great improvements in their attitude and health. I plan on giving it to them for the full 10 days 50mg morning and night

 

[broodyrachael]

I've been using clindamycin on my ducks who have bumblefoot, I started 4 days ago and I'm seeing great improvements in their attitude and health. I plan on giving it to them for the full 10 days 50mg morning and night

Thank you! Did you have to get this prescribed by a veterinarian? Also, how big are your ducks?

 

[broodyrachael]

Post surgery...

 

[broodyrachael]

Post surgery...

 

[mack1233]

Thank you! Did you have to get this prescribed by a veterinarian? Also, how big are your ducks?

I have full grown pekin ducks, and the antibiotic I got was from a vet for my dog, but I looked it up online and said it's safe for ducks too so I've been using the leftover antibiotics on them and it's been working great, I think it's safe to say that one of my ducks would not be alive right now if I did t start giving it to her 4days ago

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@broodyrachael Do you have vet care available?

It may be best to treat with antibiotics, but without all the infection removed, the foot most likely won't heal. I would continue to soak the foot daily in epsom salts, Chlorhexidine (Novalsan) or Betadine to see if those help.