Bumblefoot Advice

[lavenderforluck]

Our 9 month old Oliver Egger, Fern developed bumblefoot just over a week ago. Upon first inspection she had the telltale black spot on the pad of her foot and swelling between two of her toes. This is our first case of bumblefoot and I believe a thorn caused it. We regularly clean our coop and use First Saturday Lime - it’s been a damp summer but we keep the coop dry. The girls free range.

About 4-5 days ago we began cleaning it with Vetricyn and applying PRID. Then after two days of soaking we removed the black scab and removed a bunch of gunk (pus, infected material) out. When the opening looked clear we cleaned it thoroughly, packed with DuoDerm and bandaged. After two days it now looks like the images I’ve attached. Is this normal healing or did we not remove everything and need to do the removal process again?

Any insight you can provide would be helpful. Top swelling went down a lot but is still there a bit.

 

[M-H-Fielding]

When my hen had bumble foot, I removed the scab and cleaned it out every day.
Not sure if you are supposed to do that .

 

[Chicalina]

every third day is what a nurse friend told me is appropriate wound care.

 

[Chicalina]

I would see if the swelling goes down over the course of the next week or more. If no, give it another excavation, but it needs to settle down first

 

[lavenderforluck]

I would see if the swelling goes down over the course of the next week or more. If no, give it another excavation, but it needs to settle down first

I think our primary concern is that the infection isn't spreading and doesn't need antibiotic treatment. If the swelling is going down and not getting worse, is that a good sign? When would we need to get her to the vet?

 

[claudiabostic]

I have a hen that has had bumblefoot twice on the same foot, and now she has been clear of it for months. The first time I soaked the foot and removed the scab etc several times and only released her back into the run when she showed no sign of infection at all. A few months later she had a black scab again. That time it was small, similar to what is in your photo. I took her out of the run again and smeared her foot with Triple Antibiotic ointment twice a day for several weeks and left it with no bandage. It was a total pain because we had to give her a buddy in sick bay with her or she would yell all the time. BUT we didn't have to soak her foot or do surgery and at the end of the treatment she showed no sign of infection and it has been over a year now with no recurrence. If you can keep them out of the mud I think they do better with no bandage so the area is more exposed to oxygen.

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

I think you should remove the scab then for the next week, soak the foot with Epsom salt and warm water.

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

And see if that helps?

 

[Little Parrot]

I think you should remove the scab then for the next week, soak the foot with Epsom salt and warm water.

I think it will work, that's what I did to my peacock when she got bumblefoot and her foot healed.

 

[Desertvalleychickens]

I think it will work, that's what I did to my peacock when she got bumblefoot.

ok!