Bumblefoot help

[Tolayducks]

Hello friends! I’ve tried posting this on 2 different threads (while trying to read up and find info out) so I think I’m doing something wrong (please advise if I am… still learning how to navigate) …
The other day I noticed the top of one of my girls foot looked swollen down the middle so I picked her up and I’m pretty sure she has bumble foot. I clean their pen every other day and the free range from about 6:30am - 8:30 pm in a pretty large backyard.. there are wild blackberries along one part of the the fence line . I want to make sure I’m taking care of this correctly.. soak 1-2 times daily in warm epsom salt bath.. spray with vetericyn.. Neosporin (without pain relief) and wrap? Is that correct? And am I supposed to cut off the scab with a scalpel or try to “pick” it off after the soak? Im waiting for my duck boots to arrive so all I have is vet wrap and non-stick gauge pads. I’m guessing it should be changed minimum 2x a day since they have a large area and a little pond that I try to keep as clean as I can . First time duck mom so want to make sure I’m doing this right! Thank you all! I’ve included a picture of Stevies foot.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Good plan you have there. Looks swollen is there a scab? hard for me to tell. If there is keep soaking until the scab begins to easily pull up. Once you can get the scab off you'll probably have to take a pair of sterile tweezers and pick the bumble out, Have yet to see runny pus in ducks. Once you open that bumble up you are to spray then use the neo then the nonstick gauze then vet wrap and booties but keep her from getting her foot wet at least till the open wound has scabbed over. You'll need to check the opening at least every other day to make sure you got all the infection out too.

 

[Tolayducks]

It

Good plan you have there. Looks swollen is there a scab? hard for me to tell. If there is keep soaking until the scab begins to easily pull up. Once you can get the scab off you'll probably have to take a pair of sterile tweezers and pick the bumble out, Have yet to see runny pus in ducks. Once you open that bumble up you are to spray then use the neo then the nonstick gauze then vet wrap and booties but keep her from getting her foot wet at least till the open wound has scabbed over. You'll need to check the opening at least every other day to make sure you got all the infection out too.

It doesn’t look like there is a scab. I’ll try to get a better picture tonight although I won’t have any help so I’ll be trying this one solo . If there is no scab… do I just keep soaking?

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Great job! You're certainly off to a wonderful start! Is the duck still getting around OK or is she limping? I may be the odd one out but I found that soaking at night before lock up, spraying with Veterycin, allowing to dry and then really slathering on a thick coat of triple antibiotic ointment before bandaging up, worked better for my ducks bumble foot. I would repeat this every night. Within a few days, I would start to see a white plaque looking area (pus) that I was able to pick away, then repeat the same procedure. You'll eventually have a crater remaining where the pus was. Some nights, her foot would bleed as I peeled away the pus. If this happens, I would apply pressure to slow/stop the bleeding, bandage and try again the next night. If I had some pus that was stuck at one area but hanging everywhere else, I would cut the pus that was hanging, but not too close to the skin. Once the swelling is gone and there is no more pus, pack the crater full of triple antibiotic ointment and bandage up. Continue until healed.

So basically, the same thing as you typed, but a tiny bit less

If she's limping, you'll want to take measures to keep her more comfortable throughout the treatment time and healing

 

[HeatherKellyB]

Also, @Miss Lydia is super helpful and knowledgeable. She was a huge help to me while dealing with bumblefoot in two of my girls. Take what she says to heart ♥

 

[Tolayducks]

Great job! You're certainly off to a wonderful start! Is the duck still getting around OK or is she limping? I may be the odd one out but I found that soaking at night before lock up, spraying with Veterycin, allowing to dry and then really slathering on a thick coat of triple antibiotic ointment before bandaging up, worked better for my ducks bumble foot. I would repeat this every night. Within a few days, I would start to see a white plaque looking area (pus) that I was able to pick away, then repeat the same procedure. You'll eventually have a crater remaining where the pus was. Some nights, her foot would bleed as I peeled away the pus. If this happens, I would apply pressure to slow/stop the bleeding, bandage and try again the next night. If I had some pus that was stuck at one area but hanging everywhere else, I would cut the pus that was hanging, but not too close to the skin. Once the swelling is gone and there is no more pus, pack the crater full of triple antibiotic ointment and bandage up. Continue until healed.

So basically, the same thing as you typed, but a tiny bit less

If she's limping, you'll want to take measures to keep her more comfortable throughout the treatment time and healing

No limping! Night time or early morning would be easiest for me since she isn’t too fond of being caught lol. Thank you for all the help!

 

[Miss Lydia]

If there isn't a scab then there is a dilemma. My Runner had a pretty good size lump come up on the bottom of her foot.. I had never had bumble in my ducks only a few chickens and every time there was a scab. So getting back to my Runner I had no idea how I was going to treat this bumble so I ended up taking her to the vet. I wasn't even sure it was bumble Of course me being me I was worried it was a tumor, so the vet diagnosed bumble put her on an antibiotic and pain meds and that was 14 days worth, after 7 days no change so I decided I was going to have to get that out of there. DH held Pearl and I used a scalpel made a slice on the bottom and popped that bumble right out. Maybe the antibiotic made it easier to come out I don't know but after I popped it out I packed it good with triple antibiotic bandaged and put on a duck shoe she healded up great. Getting some better close up pics will help. Looks like there is a scab on yours foot lower right hand cornor looking at the pic.

 

[Tolayducks]

If there isn't a scab then there is a dilemma. My Runner had a pretty good size lump come up on the bottom of her foot.. I had never had bumble in my ducks only a few chickens and every time there was a scab. So getting back to my Runner I had no idea how I was going to treat this bumble so I ended up taking her to the vet. I wasn't even sure it was bumble Of course me being me I was worried it was a tumor, so the vet diagnosed bumble put her on an antibiotic and pain meds and that was 14 days worth, after 7 days no change so I decided I was going to have to get that out of there. DH held Pearl and I used a scalpel made a slice on the bottom and popped that bumble right out. Maybe the antibiotic made it easier to come out I don't know but after I popped it out I packed it good with triple antibiotic bandaged and put on a duck shoe she healded up great. Getting some better close up pics will help. Looks like there is a scab on yours foot lower right hand cornor looking at the pic.

There is a scab! I tried to pop it out last night but she wasn’t too keen on it, today I’m having a friend come over so I have a second set of hands and can get in there and hopefully get it out. The picture I took is before soaking it last night. Thank you so much for all the help!

 

[Newfowler1]

I feel your pain. Dealing with this issue and a possible loss from it.

I soaked my ducks in epsom baths several times a day until I softened the scab/kernal loose enough for it to be removed.
sometimes I had to apply greater pressure and a few others required minor use of 10 or 20 blade scalpel. Some of the abscessed or colonel was very elongated and was sharp edges deep into the foot one over a quarter of an inch long. I simply can’t imagine how painful and uncomfortable it was. This particular duck is now getting vet treatment from a second veterinarian and finally getting antibiotic. I didn’t realize that the medication the first vet had prescribed were in fact not anabiotic treatment medication,??? WTH

 

[BlueHorse17]

There is a scab! I tried to pop it out last night but she wasn’t too keen on it, today I’m having a friend come over so I have a second set of hands and can get in there and hopefully get it out. The picture I took is before soaking it last night. Thank you so much for all the help!

How did it end up going? I’ve only dealt with bumble foot once and it was on a hen earlier this year. Unfortunately I lost her…