Bumble foot operation 1st time..

[1 acre willows]

First time I've seen it first time I've had to fix it. Hopefully these pictures are good enough you guys can tell me if the wife and i got it all out. Soaked her for close to 45 min warm water and Epsom salts also a few drops of iodine to help kill anything. Just found her limping yesterday. Packed it full of triple antibiotic ointment topped with nonstick gauze wrapped in coban. Hoping that If we have to go back in the ointment will keep tissue soft.

 

[dawg53]

It looks like you did a good job to me. You can do bumblefoot surgery on my birds anytime! I've done quite a few bumblefoot surgeries and you're correct, getting the infection completely removed is priority number one.

As a matter of fact, last week I had to do bumblefoot surgery on my RIR, both feet. It's been a long time since I did the last surgery.
How she managed both feet is beyond me. All roosts are sanded smooth, free from burrs and small splinters. Roosts are low enough that there shouldnt be any issues, nothing in the pens that could cause her to cut her footpads. I installed some pavers under the hanging feeders several months ago, so there could be a problem that I'll take a look at in that regard.

Once I cut into the scab after soaking the feet, I squeeze the heck out of the footpad while manipulating it at the same time to force out all the infection. Sometimes I'll dig around in the hole using tweezers to remove it, then dig around some more, soak and squeeze again. I keep paper towels close to soak up blood.

Like you, I pack the hole with either triple antibiotic or neosporin, soak the gauze with betadine and put it over the hole. Then wrap it up using duct tape, not too tight and not too loose.
I've never had a bird successfully remove the duct tape and they can walk in dirty mud holes without compromising the gauze.
Three days later I use scissors to remove the duct tape. I cut it off vertically going up or down the leg and foot.
If the swelling and redness has disappeared, I apply the ointment over the wound, soak the gauze in betadine and wrap it up with duct tape again. Then about 4 or 5 days later I remove everything and it has always been nicely healed over with newly grown skin. I then release the bird back with the others.

Of course if there's swelling and/or redness 3 days after the surgery, that means all the infection wasnt sufficiently removed. That means starting all over again. Fortunately I've only had it happen once, lesson learned long ago lol.