Bumblefoot PLEASE HELP

[MigoAvril]

Hi, I recently discovered my favorite hen has bumblefoot in both feet (stage 3 or 4 I think).

The vet and they told us to give her foot baths with bio tex twice a day, painkillers twice a day, oral antibiotics once a day for 4 days, and to apply honey-O3 gel to to scab twice a day.

I’ve been following this treatment plan, but I’m unsure whether it will actually work and would like to know whether I should be doing something else.
Should I remove the scab and core? I don’t think the vet wanted to do this, but I don’t really know why. Everything I see online recommends it.

I can’t go back to the vet, because it’s too expensive, so I really need help.

Thanks in advance for the advice!

 

[coach723]

Yes, I would soak the foot in epsom salts or a chlorhexidine solution to help soften the scab, and then remove it (or even mild soapy water). Clean out any gunk/pus underneath it, flush it out well. Chicken pus is firm, cheesy like, not liquid, and is a creamy or pale yellow color. It may come out attached to the scab, or may be in chunks underneath. It may take a fair amount of squeezing and manipulation to get it all out, sometimes tweezers help. Once it's all out you can use the honey ointment and then bandage the foot to keep it clean. Sometimes it may have to be done more than once, if anything remains in there it will regenerate. Change the bandage every couple of days and reapply the ointment until you know it's healing well, then you can change the bandage less often. I keep them bandaged until it's completely healed. Every foot is a little different. And usually antibiotics alone will not get rid of bumblefoot, the infection has to be cleaned out first. When the lesions are very small then sometimes topical treatments will work, but it takes some time. Bumblefoot tends to heal slowly that way. Once the lesion has become larger, deeper, and there is swelling in the foot, then it usually has to be removed manually in order for it to heal up.

 

[MigoAvril]

Yes, I would soak the foot in epsom salts or a chlorhexidine solution to help soften the scab, and then remove it (or even mild soapy water). Clean out any gunk/pus underneath it, flush it out well. Chicken pus is firm, cheesy like, not liquid, and is a creamy or pale yellow color. It may come out attached to the scab, or may be in chunks underneath. It may take a fair amount of squeezing and manipulation to get it all out, sometimes tweezers help. Once it's all out you can use the honey ointment and then bandage the foot to keep it clean. Sometimes it may have to be done more than once, if anything remains in there it will regenerate. Change the bandage every couple of days and reapply the ointment until you know it's healing well, then you can change the bandage less often. I keep them bandaged until it's completely healed. Every foot is a little different. And usually antibiotics alone will not get rid of bumblefoot, the infection has to be cleaned out first. When the lesions are very small then sometimes topical treatments will work, but it takes some time. Bumblefoot tends to heal slowly that way. Once the lesion has become larger, deeper, and there is swelling in the foot, then it usually has to be removed manually in order for it to heal up.

Once I get the scab out, I think I would use Vetericyn and triple antibiotic ointment on the wound.

Do you know whether also putting on the honey gel will be helpful, or do you think the other two things are enough or that the Vetericyn and antibiotic ointment and honey gel might not react well together?

(Thank you for your advice)

 

[ChickNanny13]

I used Vetricyn for cleaning and Triple Antibiotic, never tried honey gel although it's said to be a good healing remedy. Once you get the scab out, you need to remove all the puss (white & cheesy not liquid) and PLEASE wear disposable gloves.

Here's a link to my time with BF ... Unfortunately I couldn't take pictures of the removal of the puss, short on hands

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/another-bumble-foot-question.1585166/