Bumblefoot - 2 weeks since vet visit

[duckduckSPIDER]

I have two ducks, 2-year old golden layer, Banana (brown duck), and a 1.5 year old Indian runner, Kiwi (white duck). I noticed Kiwi had a mass on her heel and when I checked the bottom there feet there were two black scabs, one in each foot. Banana didn't have these but did have some small red marks in her heels that looked like minor cuts. I took kiwi to the vet. They didn't mention anything about surgery and sounded shocked when I brought it up. A lot of what I read online about bumble mentions having to cut it out...so I kinda felt doubtful of my vet's experience with this due to her reaction. Anyways, I followed her instructions for two weeks- gave Kiwi swim time to get off her feet, used hay instead of pine shavings, washed her feet with iodine, scrubbed, rinsed and soaked them in Epsom salt water. While she soaked I gave her an antibiotic and antiinflammatory prescribed by the vet. After the soak I dried her feet and applied silver sulfadiozine ointment to the bumbles, put bandaids on and wrapped with vet wrap. I did all of this twice a day, morning and evening. The vet recommended I use booties and not vet wrap but my duck couldn't keep them on. I ordered a smaller size but they're on back order. After 4 days the bigger black scab of the two fell off after her nightly soak. The vet didn't say to squeeze it so I just bandaged it up with some ointment and put her to bed. By the next morning it had a new, lighter colored scab on it. The smaller scab started to look more red/pink and less black but never came off. The vet saw her today (after 2 weeks) and said I'm on the right track and I could now limit the routine to once a day. I just don't want the same thing happening to my other duck. I scheduled an appointment for her to make sure she's healthy but if anyone else can tell me their thoughts on her feet (brown duck), I would be grateful!

 

[Miss Lydia]

If what your vet said to do is working then continue. Bumble does take a good while to treat and heal. If the first picture is the bumble and the others are from treating I'd say you have done a good job. As for Banana getting bumble the places you see that look like cuts should be treated because that is how bumble starts by bacteria getting into a cut or scrape. Keeping them off of cement and stickers things like this that would cause injuries is the best way to avoid it.

 

[duckduckSPIDER]

If what your vet said to do is working then continue. Bumble does take a good while to treat and heal. If the first picture is the bumble and the others are from treating I'd say you have done a good job. As for Banana getting bumble the places you see that look like cuts should be treated because that is how bumble starts by bacteria getting into a cut or scrape. Keeping them off of cement and stickers things like this that would cause injuries is the best way to avoid it.

Thank you for the response. I know I'm probably just worrying too much especially since I already have taken her to the vet and gotten good feedback. I think I'm just still skeptical of the vet since she told me they forgot to take pictures from the first time I brought her in so she admitted it was hard to tell if there was any progress...(annoying!) But she said due to the fact that the tissue around the wound was soft and not red and firm, she felt it was getting under control. I've learned my lesson and am taking pictures myself now the moment I see something suspect.

Sorry, I should have been more clear about the photos- the first two pictures are of Kiwi's feet, she has bumblefoot on both feet. The big mass on the heel used to have a black scab on it. The wound looks better but the lump is the same. The last two pics are of Banana's feet. I am wondering if the lump of tissue ever goes away once the infection is treated? And if Banana's feet need to be wrapped and treated as well based on the little pink marks I see on her heels. Has bumblefoot ever gone away completely without surgical intervention?

It seems that the ground they are walking on is too firm and hopefully, by keeping a thick layer of hay and shavings on the ground throughout the garden, which they have daily access to, should help. (Their coop is kept very plush and clean and they spend most of their time there, especially in this heat)

I appreciate the advice! I am a beginner urban farm girl in LA and there's not too many resources locally available to me. I am Googling a lot and I know that's not the best way to get reliable info, so being able to talk this out with actual people who have experience is immensely helpful!