bumblefoot not healing well

[fuzzybutt love]

Hello, this was a definite case of bumblefoot that developed last fall in my favorite hen. I attempted to do the surgery then, pulling off the scab and a bit of stuff, bluecote and bandage, healed back together but continued growing.

So i tried again first thing this spring, cutting in deeper and same thing, healed back up but got bigger. (I actually found a couple corns in this one, but mostly stringy rubbery material.)

A week and a half ago i soaked, cut deep in and i got out much more Stringy rubber-y mess, it didn't look like the pics i'd seen before at all. No corns, just a semi solid mess in there. I just kept soaking in epsom salts after the initial surgery, it drew more out. This was all through the pad. I got as much out as i could, except for a few bits that seem to be string and attached deep, maybe to the bone. There may be a tiny corn in between one toe, i can't get the swelling down enough to see and i picked out that area as best i could. She doesn't seem sick acting, very vigorous.

I have soaked in peroxide, bandaged daily with triple antibiotic ointment. It refuses to close up this time, just gets infected. I even tried the blue cote, thinking it would be more drying. than the ointment... There is no scab forming, only puss.

I am aware this can infect the bone, but is there something that would at least help her knit back together? I have never had this happen before. I am not able to take her to a vet If it is that bad, would she act sick? How long would i have with her?

Thanks,
Amie

 

[nurse_turtle]

Squeeze the tissues around the open area, hard, to try to express as much ick as possible. There are antibiotics available at feed stores that you can give her. You can also add iodine solution to her salt soaks. I would perform the dressing changes and soaking every 3 days instead of every day.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

OK, i have been squeezing the infection out..... would you still delay the bandage changing in the case of infection? Is there an oral antibiotic that works best on this? She is not for meat, and i am not concerned about the eggs. She is my favorite lap buddy, the main reason i got more chickens..... (Little gal in my avitar)

 

[nurse_turtle]

The antibiotic is given usually in the water I think. There are several different kinds and I've never had to use any. Try searching on this site and you'll find tons of info and dosing. I think I would use a dry dressing after the soaks. The dry gauze will help absorb some of the pus and encourage healing.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

The only reason i haven't given antibiotics yet was because i was unsure if they were needed, and if so which one. Most cases don't need them, looks like mine does. I'm not against giving her a penicillin shot, but my DH is deathly allergic to penicillin. Soooooo i was hoping for something besides???

I have been looking at ordering a product online called "bird biotic", (doxycycline) A little overkill? Do i have time to wait?
http://www.firststatevetsupply.com/content/view/18/43/

 

[fuzzybutt love]

Ok, a few days after typing that i started penicillin shots anyway, since that was the only medicine available on short notice.

the first 2 days went ok, at .50 doses. the third day i couldn't get the needle in for anything, gave up. 4th day did ok. i stopped there because i read that you should only give it up to 5 days. Looked like it was healing, so i left it alone.

Started swelling, a liquid swelling on the ankles and top of foot between toes..... So i put her back on the penicillin but this time at .75 the first 4 days and 1 ml the 5th (going by another article that stated up to 1 ml for up to 10 days)

Am i going too far? is the liquid swelling because of the healing and her bumping around, or does it sound bad?
A different antibiotic???? Any help would be appreciated. I also found out today that she has roundworms or something similar, and i wonder if that is hindering her healing.

Again, any help is appreciated.....

 

[GoodyChickenShz]

My rooster has had bumblefoot for a long time. Last summer I did the whole operation thing, soaking, squeezing out the puss, penicillan injections, etc. It got a bit better from that but it never completely went away. The last month or so, the foot has gotten swollen up and I've noticed the boy limping. Except for that, he seems happy and healthy. When I was researching this last year, I remember reading about some special medicine that simply soaking the affected foot in is supposed to cure the bumblefoot. That's what I came here looking for when I found this post. I guess my main point is the bird can live a long time with bumblefoot. If I find the info on this special medicine, I'll post it here.

 

[fuzzybutt love]

I have read about mixing a Tb of sugar with a bit of iodine, and applying this daily, but from what i know this is getting to the serious stages. If it gets to the bone, there is nothing that will stop it, i am praying it isn't. My girl was the same, i have operated several times and it never quite healed itself, kept coming back. This time she started limping, and her foot was swollen at the top of the foot between the toes also, not good at all.

I have heard that in some cases different antibiotics are needed for different strains of staph, but i don't know what the other meds are????

 

[GoodyChickenShz]

Here's the thread about the special medicine I talked about in my previous response. It's not the sugar/iodone mixture. It's a medicine for fish that apparently works on the bumblefoot spaph infection. Check out https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/303829/vet-suggestion-for-non-invasive-bumblefoot-cure. I'm probably going to order it and give it a try.

 

[klmclain1]

I'm not sure I totally understand exactly what steps you've taken along the way. So bear with me if I say something you've already done. Also, I haven't tried the above mentioned method of treatment so you'll have to decide if that's the route you want to go or not. But here's my two-cents for what it's worth.

First, no more peroxide. Peroxide damages tissue.
Second, you should cut directly into all swollen areas to remove as much infection as you can, spray with blukote, then LOAD it with neosporin, wrap first with gauze, then with vetwrap. Keep your girl in a cage or box inside where it's clean, dry and quiet.
Soak in very warm epsom salt water twice a day for the first 5 days and redress completely spraying with blukote, then loading it again with neosporin each time. Then, if it looks like it's healing, drop it to once a day for a few days - but without the soaks.

The dosage for Pen G is .10cc (1/10th of a cc) for each pound of weight. Do not skip doses. Put it directly into the breast alternating sides each day. I did it for four days, but in this case I think I would go a full 7 days if I were you.