Bumble foot?????

[dawg53]

Gout usually occurs in joints. Another possibility is mycoplasma synoviae (MS.).

 

[dawg53]

Here's a link to MS. Please read carefully how it affects the footpads and hocks. http://www.merckvetmanual.com/mvm/index.jsp?cfile=htm/bc/203405.htm

 

[chickngal98]

thank you for the info

 

[TwoCrows]

You know Jim, you may be on to something here.

Watch this birds foot joint. Generally with MS, the tendon sheaths and foot joint on the left foot only, will fill with thick yellowish fluid. Even the scales over the foot joint area will turn opaque due to the the fluid built up in the leg. The joint will get hot, the foot pad will swell and become infected. Sometimes even the hock of the left leg will become affected as well.

If this becomes the case, you will need to do surgeries on this bird foot, (I am dealing with this in my flock as we speak, LOL) and get this bird on Baytril, long term. If left untreated, it will cause permanent lameness and will destroy the liver.

 

[chickngal98]

Do you know why it only affects the left leg?

 

[TwoCrows]

That I can not tell you. But for some reason only the left foot is affected. Hopefully it is not MS. This is a wicked disease and hard to control.

 

[chickngal98]

Well, today I decided to try to open up her foot and what came out was "tons" of a hard, cheesy substance.....Hopper was an excellent patient. I had to perform this operation alone, as my hubby is out chopping silage and my two boys don't have the stomach for this. I packed her with neosporin and used vetrap to cover the wound. I don't know who is more upset...me or Hopper about this whole ordeal....should I change her bandage tonight or wait til tomorrow to do it?

 

[terryg]

I'm going through the exact same thing with my hen with bumblefoot, although what was inside my hen's foot looked more like two peanuts. I'd change the bandage the first day, clean it once more and make sure you got everything. Use the antibiotic ointment (I also dipped the whole foot in antiseptic) and wrap. My wrap of choice is a small pad and then duct tape (cut into thin strips.) No dirt or water gets in! My hen is walking with that bandage without a limp, and even roosting. I'll be changing it every few days from here on out until healed. Do wear disposable gloves, as the infective bacteria is usually a staph and you don't want to be infected.

 

[chickngal98]

Yes, I have been wearing gloves while messing with her foot. I just went outside to check on her and the flock and was throwing bread crumbs to them and she was out there spunky as ever. She is still limping, but more from the gauze and vetrap. So you say to change her bandage again today? If I soaked her epsom salts would that be okay as well? The stuff that came out was like chunky cheese curds...and kind of had a funky smell to it....the look of relief from her was all I needed to know that I did the right thing....

 

[terryg]

I did a soak in epsom salts and it helped to draw the rest of the funky stuff out. Can't hurt and it could help a lot.