Bumble foot

[CariLynn]

I didn't want to take over the previous posting by a very nice young lady with her own ordeal with bumble foot in her hen so started my own thread. After cleaning out and trying to get what I could out of Lil Bit's feet, I realized that unless I cut open the left one I was not going to do any good rooting around in it so I came upstairs after cleaning them, applying ointment, and bandaging them up and gave her a treat.

Called my small animal vet, whom I love to pieces and after explaining what I need, what Lil Bit has, that I can't cut into my hen's foot without help, she agreed to see her tomorrow to look at her, along with one of their vet tech's who is a chicken expert and while on the phone with me, the doctor was looking up bumble foot so she could familiarize herself with it as well!

She said if I could, to call Quintessence at #608-251-6915 and order their C.E.H ointment as that is recommended for this type of ailment http://www.avianweb.com/bumblefoot.html.

Hopefully we can get this resolved. She is a sweet hen, I really am attached to her as she is so gentle and sweet and she was one of the 3 I bought out of a bad situation and paid quite a lot for them just to give them a better home and environment. She has a twisted beak so when she looks at you you can't help but love her, and I do what I can for my animals, be it our little field mouse we have as a pet or my chickens.

 

[Echobabe]

Thanks for the info.

 

[CariLynn]

Update on Lil Bit...the vet looked her over, opened up the foot some more for me on the right foot, cleaned out what she could then we wrapped the wounds for me. Were going to put her on a course of amoxicillin 2ml x3 a day until gone, vet said that we should see an improvement in about 5 days. Also, soak her feet in warm Epsom salt, put the C.E.H. ointment on the affected area along with a little Epsom salt paste, do this once a day. In about 2 weeks I suspect she should be okay and hopefully able to go back with the flock.

 

[janinepeters]

I have one with bumblefoot right now that I am treating with Tricide-Neo, which I found reference to in old posts. This is an antibiotic used to treat skin infections of Koi fish, and can be purchased where supplies for koi fish are found. You dissolve the powder in distilled water, and soak the foot in it once daily for about a week. No cutting. We are on day 5, and she is improving. I will post results when I see whether she fully recovers and whether or not she relapses.

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
I used Tricide Neo. It worked if the bumblefoot was small, healed up in less than 10 days without surgery, no relapse. However, with larger scabs/infections, I knew it would take much longer to clear it up and I opted for surgery thereafter...much quicker. You can soak twice a day for 7 minutes each time. I've read where others have used it for months on large infections and it worked. If you've got the time, go for it.

 

[CariLynn]

Would love to hear about how your experience with bumble foot goes Janine. Good luck with your hen. Dawg, did you have to clean out the foot or open it up where the little dark plug is?

 

[CinnamonQueen12]

Not 5 mins ago, I just pulled the black plug from my favorite chickens foot! It was soooooo bad! She just pulled her foot a bit, but make no noise or resistance. The milky pus came right out, but then I had to pull the other stuff out!

I couldnt. I chickened out. I covered the bleeding cut in noesporin and vetrap. Will it go away on it's own if I just keep lathering it in neosporin? I dont want to pay hundreds to the vet to get rid of bumblefoot for us, but I just cant do it myself!

 

[Pickaduck]

Quote:
You have to get the other stuff out, unfortunately, or it won't heal up on its own. Do you have a family member/friend/neighbor who would help you? I understand completely about the vet bill. If you have no other alternatives you are going to need to do it yourself as yucky as it is. Good luck!

 

[dawg53]

Quote:
Soak 20 minutes in warm epsom salts water. Cut it open and dig that stuff out, squeeze the heck out of it. Work that footpad around and squeeze some more til it's all out. Soak in warm epsom salts water for about 20 minutes and go at it again. It'll bleed, the chicken will let you know when it hurts, she'll jerk her foot. Soak again, then dry the footpad and pack the hole with neosporin. Then put a iodine soaked gauze over the neosporin packed hole and wrap it up with duct tape. Two days later, cut the duct tape off with sharp scissors and look and see if the swelling and redness have gone down. If it has, repack with neosporin and iodine gauze and wrap it up again for another 2 days. It'll be healed at the end of the 4th day.
If it's still red and swollen when take the duct tape off the third day, repeat everything...soak, dig, squeeze, soak etc....
If yall lived close by, I'd be happy to do it for you.

 

[CariLynn]

Our vet only charged me for the antibiotics and the office call...so total was $65, not bad I don't think. Today after I soaked it the left foot is a lot cooler now than the right, still not getting anything out of it and she will fight and jerk her foot away so we are still soaking, packing the hole with neosporin then the other ointment and wrapping the foot, doing this once a day right now. IF that right foot doesn't get any better I will have to take Lil Bit back in to get it cleaned out after they put her under general anesthetic. Her comb also has a lot more color, I get an egg a day from her and she is gobbling down the antibiotics mixed with a bit of bread or scrambled egg.

Thanks Dawg!! Would be great to have a neighbor like you!