Bumblefoot + Medicine question

[DucksOhio]

Hi all, on Sunday I saw one of my welshies limping, and sure enough, bumblefoot.
I was able to get to our vet yesterday. Since the clinics are still closed to the public, we have to wait in the car and talk with vet over the phone.

I didn't think my girl had THAT bad a bumblefoot. The vet (not our regular one, another doctor) suggested that they operate to remove the gunk. I had reservations about that -- and said let's try antibiotics first while you take an xray and run a culture.

He agreed and started us on metacam and baytril. I was disappointed with the baytril choice and I know that doesn't always work for infection.

I've also had 3 $$$ visits to the duck vet in the last 2 months. I'll do anything within reason to care for my ducks, but, ouch.

I've attached a pic of her infection....should this be surgically cleaned or should I continue with the meds and wait for culture results?

Thanks!

 

[CoriM]

I totally feel your pain. I just took my welsh to the vet Monday for bumblefoot - I have two that have it, but this one wasn't walking after I did the initial probe to get the infection out, and I wanted antibiotics for her. I hated that I couldn't go in and talk in person to the vet, but at least he came out and spoke with me outside afterwards. I also feel your pain about spending money at the vet for ducks. I spent sooo much last year trying to figure out one of my pekin's mystery skin ailments. I never would have thought I'd take a duck to the vet, but one thing led to another. In the end, she still has the issue and I'm much poorer!
I think you can do the "surgery" yourself. Soak her in warm water with epsom salts until the skin softens, then try to pull the scab off. I used a paper-cutter with a razor blade on the end (sterilized of course) to pry the scab off. At first I was only able to scrape off some yellow gunk, but the next day I pried off the scab and it seemed like the kernel of infection was stuck to the scab. After you do that pack the whole with neosporin, then I put a two inch square piece of gauze under the foot and wrapped it with vet tape. I was also adding a small plastic sandwich bag on top of that and holding it in place with vet wrap to keep it dry. Changing that twice a day, then after a day or two, no bandage at night. My vet said that a wet and dirty bandage is worse than no bandage at all, just try to keep their area as clean as possible (so hard!). Anyway, when I was at the vet he said my duck's foot wasn't too bad, that there was just a little residual infection of the tissues. He just pried the scab off and cleaned the wound and put some meds on it and prescribed clavamox. There are lots of pictures on BYC of people performing the surgery on their animals. I was terrified to do it, but it wasn't that bad. You can wrap your duck in a towel and kind of tuck her under your arm. Just make sure you have lots of light, and I needed my reading glasses!

 

[DuckyDonna]

@Miss Lydia what do you think? That's a whopper of a bumble!

 

[Miss Lydia]

If that was mine I’d try and get that out. Soak in warm Epsom salt water then try and remove the scab with you finger nail the kernel my pop out with some manipulation. Keep up with the meds until finished with them.

 

[DucksOhio]

Thank you all for your advice. It’s only been 3 days on metacam and baytril but I’m not seeing any improvement, other than she is limping less.

Quite honestly I don’t have the confidence to try to remove this myself, but I admire that you all can. I feel like I’m torturing her just giving the medicine.

i guess it’ll be back to the vet.

 

[Miss Lydia]

When I took my Runner to the vet she only made the diagnosis I guess she thought the meds would clear it up. But after a week it was still the same so that is when I decided to go in and get the bumble out. No black scab I had to use a scalpel make an small slit and pop that thing out of there then she finished up on her meds. If you feel better having a vet take care of it by all means go that route.

 

[CoriM]

@DucksOhio - how is your duck and what did you end up doing?

 

[DucksOhio]

@DucksOhio - how is your duck and what did you end up doing?

Thanks for asking. I am keeping up with baytril and metacam. She is staying in the house with my recovering other duck.

her foot is not looking worse, but I’m not seeing a big improvement with baytril alone.

this morning I went to CVS and got Epsom salts, neosporin (not the pain reliev kind).

Tomorrow, I’m going to attempt giving her a feet soak for about 10 minutes, then put on the neosporin, and wrap up with bandage and vet tape.

If it looks like it might come out easily, I might try, otherwise, I’ll continue with the soak and meds.

my ducks hate me to handle them. So this will be tough. Are any ducks easy to take medication or care?

 

[Miss Lydia]

Is the Baytril liquid?

 

[JanR1]

Thanks for asking. I am keeping up with baytril and metacam. She is staying in the house with my recovering other duck.

her foot is not looking worse, but I’m not seeing a big improvement with baytril alone.

this morning I went to CVS and got Epsom salts, neosporin (not the pain reliev kind).

Tomorrow, I’m going to attempt giving her a feet soak for about 10 minutes, then put on the neosporin, and wrap up with bandage and vet tape.

If it looks like it might come out easily, I might try, otherwise, I’ll continue with the soak and meds.

my ducks hate me to handle them. So this will be tough. Are any ducks easy to take medication or care?

Let me ask a question. Do you have children? Did they ever get a splinter in them and you only found out after it swelled up and looked infected? The difference is the duck can't scream as loud as a child and probably not fight as hard either. Wrapping in a towel and holding under your arm sounds like a good way to manage something that probably won't take long. If soaking it hasn't softened it and drawn it up enough wait and soak again in a few hours. If you have an exacto knife to work under the edge of the scab (if there is one yet) and pry it loose. Otherwise you may need to make an X in the affected area. If you don't get anything continue with the soaks and meds and see if it draws it out.

I avoided treatment like that on my children by getting an ointment called Icthamol (black draw). It is expensive and hard to find now but it works wonders for drawing out infection, stickers and splinters. It is a very old remedy.