Bumblefoot!!! equine thrush treatment???

[DaniLovesChickens]

I read in Backyard Poultry magazine about someone using a treatment for horse hoof thrush on chickens that have bumblefoot. From what I understand, thrush in horses is a bacteria, unlike in humans.
I thought that I had a chicken that needed to be treated for bumblefoot but it turns out there are more. I am not sure yet how many. We are going to have to go through and look carefully at every chicken to make sure. I guess I'll mark their heads with a marker when I'm done?!

If this horse stuff will work, it would be easier and I think probably cheaper than trying to stuff neosporin into incisions on a bunch of feet. It sounded like it's much stronger than neo.

Anyone ever heard of this? I would really appreciate any insight!

 

[beachchickie]

Never heard of it but let us know how it goes. I hate bumblefoot surgery

 

[DaniLovesChickens]

I attempted surgery once already. I used an exacto knife that I thought would be sharp enough but was evidently not!

I was unable to get thru the scab cleanly and therefor unable to get the bumble out. Her one foot came unwrapped and I went to rewrap it the next morning and the scab looked fully returned!

I was able to get an actual scalpel blade from the vet's office. It's much sharper and both edges will cut. That was an incredibly weird conversation - calling and asking if I could buy a scalpel. I don't want to sound llike Jeffrey Dahmer!

With any luck I will start surgery tomorrow (wait, it's after midnight, so I guess that would be today). A big bottle, bigger than a 20 oz pop bottle, was almost $12 for horse thrush stuff. I'm thinking maybe that on/in the wound with a little neo on the gauze to keep everything from sticking!

Wish me luck!

 

[Sweetpeaswan]

There are quite a few thrush treatments on the market for horses, thrush buster, koppertox,horseshoers secret thrush treatment.
Yes thrush in horses is nasty and stinky... and some of the treatments can be messy. Thrush buster is violet....i find it works
very quickly...however...shud you get the purple nastiness on your hands it will stain and then your husband will be asking
if you robbed a bank lately I'm going to have to look on the bottle, will check if theres any poultry info.

 

[farmin'chick]

Based on my experience using Coppertox (Copper Napthenate 37%) on horses hooves for thrush, it probably WOULD help for bumblefoot ... BUT!!!! Not if you are ever going to eat that chicken! And it might transfer into egg production. The warning that goes with the product says "CAUTION: Do not use on animals which are raised for food production."

 

[chkn]

It seems last time I was down at the Farm Supply there was something for thrush in horses.

 

[seminolewind]

I would bet that the stuff called "Today" works. It's actually for cow mastitis, but people are using it for hoof thrush. What I've been doing with bumblefoot is buying something for hoof abcesses called "Magnapaste", slopping it one the foot, covering it with plastic wrap and then bandaging. Every day. Most b.foot comes to a head and is easy to pick out in a week, or it will open on it's own. Better than digging with a scapel, yuk.

 

[DaniLovesChickens]

Should I be able to find Magnapaste at the feed store? There's a ton of stuff for horses but I don't remember seeing anything specifically for cows. The hen that I first noticed had bumblefoot is quite old. I think that is why I noticed it. We had a wicked hot, humid stretch and she was acting like she wasn't feeling well.

I keep telling my husband that that is why you keep some old hens in the flock. They are affected by everything quicker and more than younger, healthier hens. She was very lethargic and walking funny. I thought she was egg bound or something by the way she was walking. I noticed the bottom of her feet by accident after looking at her for several days!

I would be willing to try to just put stuff on her feet without cutting her and see if it works. I love her and everything, but her days are winding down. I don't feel like I could risk that on the younger girls. I'm just not looking forward to having to catch every single chicken and examine their feet that closely. Did I mention I don't like feet?

Is there any special way I need to clean the coop? Just wondering. Thank you all!!

 

[lurky]

I had my first chicken with bumblefoot recently. We soaked her foot in epsom salt warm bath for 5 min and put a thin gauze covering the hole from the plug and wrapped it in gauze tape.
We did this every other day for a week, after taking the plug off. We did not dig it out or anything to resemble surgery. After the hole healed we stopped and the foot went back to normal.
I dont know if i just got lucky, but thats all we did to correct it.

 

[chicknfishn]

lurky

So did the plug come out after you soaked it in the Epsom salts, or did you have to get that part out?