I've done a few bumblefoot surgeries over the years. Soak the foot in a container of warm epsom salt water for about 30 minutes. Then snuggly wrap the bird in a towel. Make sure the infected foot is exposed where you can easily operate. You can tuck the other foot in the towel as best as you can so she doesnt try kicking her way out.
I've always used a razor blade to cut into the scab, then squeezing the heck out of the footpad working the infection out the hole. It will look like yellow corn but not necessarily one piece. Ensure you get all the infection out and continue squeezing hard. You might have to use tweezers to dig it out. There might be alot of blood, just soak it up with paper towel as best as you can.
If the infection is still deep in the hole, resoak the foot again in the warm epsom salt water, it will help draw out the infection. Then continue squeezing the footpad as before.
Once all the infection is removed, flush the hole with betadine, pat dry, then fill the hole with neosporin.
Then put neosporin on a gauze and cover the hole with the gauze. Then wrap the footpad, including over the gauze with vet wrap or duct tape. I prefer duct tape because I release birds back with the others. They step in dirty water and mud and the duct tape is almost waterproof preventing germs from penetrating the gauze and into the wound, keeping it dry and safe. Dont wrap the duct tape or vet wrap too tight.
After 3 days, remove the vet wrap or duct tape. For duct tape, it's easier to use scissors cutting vertically up the leg, and away from the leg out to the toes.
Then remove the gauze and inspect the wound.
You should see signs of healing; scale/skin regrowth, no swelling nor redness.
If there's swelling or redness, that means there is still infection in the hole and will have to repeat everything from start to finish.
Otherwise, put a new gauze on the hole with neosporin on the gauze like before, then wrap it up again. Leave it wrapped up for another 4 days and remove the wrap or duct tape as before as well as the gauze. It should be completely healed.
I've always used a razor blade to cut into the scab, then squeezing the heck out of the footpad working the infection out the hole. It will look like yellow corn but not necessarily one piece. Ensure you get all the infection out and continue squeezing hard. You might have to use tweezers to dig it out. There might be alot of blood, just soak it up with paper towel as best as you can.
If the infection is still deep in the hole, resoak the foot again in the warm epsom salt water, it will help draw out the infection. Then continue squeezing the footpad as before.
Once all the infection is removed, flush the hole with betadine, pat dry, then fill the hole with neosporin.
Then put neosporin on a gauze and cover the hole with the gauze. Then wrap the footpad, including over the gauze with vet wrap or duct tape. I prefer duct tape because I release birds back with the others. They step in dirty water and mud and the duct tape is almost waterproof preventing germs from penetrating the gauze and into the wound, keeping it dry and safe. Dont wrap the duct tape or vet wrap too tight.
After 3 days, remove the vet wrap or duct tape. For duct tape, it's easier to use scissors cutting vertically up the leg, and away from the leg out to the toes.
Then remove the gauze and inspect the wound.
You should see signs of healing; scale/skin regrowth, no swelling nor redness.
If there's swelling or redness, that means there is still infection in the hole and will have to repeat everything from start to finish.
Otherwise, put a new gauze on the hole with neosporin on the gauze like before, then wrap it up again. Leave it wrapped up for another 4 days and remove the wrap or duct tape as before as well as the gauze. It should be completely healed.
