Bumblefoot question

[awagnon]

In treating Bumblefoot I have a question. Is soaking the foot completely necessary or does it just help the condition resolve earlier? I am treating one of my girls with this for a little over a week now. I soaked her the first couple of days, but it turned cold here and I was worried brining her into a warm house for a while to soak her and then putting her back into the cold after making sure she was dry might shock her system. I have been keeping it bandaged with PRID on the injury each day. I think it looks like it is getting slightly better. There was never any severe redness or any warmness at the infection site so I don't know how bad of a case this is.

I am attaching a couple of pics for those who may be more knowledgeable with this issue. The first pic is about day 3 with Neosporin/Bandage and the second pic is day 8 of treatment using PRID/new bandage each of the last 5 days. The infection is in the center of her foot. The reddish brown in the second pic is just left over iodine stain after cleaning the spot. The pad of her foot is soft except for immediately around the scabbed spot. She is not limping and is acting/eating normally and still laying daily. Really trying NOT to have to cut into her foot to get the infection out. Does it appear to be getting better to those who are experienced with this?



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[Momma-Hen-Misti]

How cold is it there? I'm not sure about the soaking if it's necessary to do every single day. I'd definitely keep it wrapped with prid or antibiotic ointment without pain medicine. I would soak it every 3 or 4 days to just check on it. Get out the blow dryer to dry before putting back outside. My ladies LOVE the blow dryer! Good Luck!

 

[Certified Chicken Lover]

Soaking is not absolutely necessary but it helps relieve the pain for a time. What is absolutely necessary for it to cure is making sure the foot stays clean, but if you prefer to clean it another way it's completely up to you.

 

[Happy hen lover]

In my experience soaking softens the scab so you can pull out the "seed" ( like draining an abscess) then it should heal faster. It looks better 2nd pic for sure so good job on wrapping it, but that brown scab should be removed IMO.

 

[awagnon]

How cold is it there? I'm not sure about the soaking if it's necessary to do every single day. I'd definitely keep it wrapped with prid or antibiotic ointment without pain medicine. I would soak it every 3 or 4 days to just check on it. Get out the blow dryer to dry before putting back outside. My ladies LOVE the blow dryer! Good Luck!

It has varied from the low 50's to the 40s for highs on different days. The wind chill is the kicker for the most part. Usually runs about 10 or so degrees cooler than actual temps. This crazy girl loves being right out in the open while her sisters are huddled behind the break wall installed on the run. I have an open area with just cattle panels with an overhead netting they can walk out to and THAT is her preferred place of course. This one particular girl does NOT like the blow dryer. ALL her sisters that I have had to clean up for various reasons, however LOVE it. It's only gonna be in the 40 most of the week next week. ugh I still may try to get her inside and force the issue just to get her over this before the REALLY cold weather gets here.

 

[awagnon]

Soaking is not absolutely necessary but it helps relieve the pain for a time. What is absolutely necessary for it to cure is making sure the foot stays clean, but if you prefer to clean it another way it's completely up to you.

I am cleaning it well with antiseptics and then applying the ointment and PRID on gauze pad then wrapping well with the sport flex bandage material. Despite the moist dirt in the run from recent rains, the wrapping has stayed surprisingly clean.

 

[Momma-Hen-Misti]

It has varied from the low 50's to the 40s for highs on different days. The wind chill is the kicker for the most part. Usually runs about 10 or so degrees cooler than actual temps. This crazy girl loves being right out in the open while her sisters are huddled behind the break wall installed on the run. I have an open area with just cattle panels with an overhead netting they can walk out to and THAT is her preferred place of course. This one particular girl does NOT like the blow dryer. ALL her sisters that I have had to clean up for various reasons, however LOVE it. It's only gonna be in the 40 most of the week next week. ugh I still may try to get her inside and force the issue just to get her over this before the REALLY cold weather gets here.

I don't think that's too cold to do it. I'd try to pick the "warmest" of the days for a soak & recheck & do it at the warmest time you can. She won't be in over a long period of time or for long enough for it to shock her. If it was close to freezing, I'd say that might do more harm. You know your chickens the best so do whatever you feel comfortable doing. I'm sure it will heal up with whatever you choose to do.

 

[awagnon]

I don't think that's too cold to do it. I'd try to pick the "warmest" of the days for a soak & recheck & do it at the warmest time you can. She won't be in over a long period of time or for long enough for it to shock her. If it was close to freezing, I'd say that might do more harm. You know your chickens the best so do whatever you feel comfortable doing. I'm sure it will heal up with whatever you choose to do.

yeah that sounds like a plan. Actually I checked the weather and it's gonna be a toasty 62 today and around 56 tomorrow. Can't wait to break the good news to her! She gets TWO spa days in a row! She's gonna be SO EXCITED!! Well, probably not so much since she's not so keen on being picked up and carried around. LOL She tolerates it, but you can def tell she'd rather not be bothered. I hope she doesn't tell her sister the Diva. I will be getting the stink eye from that one for weeks for not inviting her. LOL That one would probably sleep in my bed if I let her. She's like a needy puppy!

 

[awagnon]

So this is a pic of my hen's foot at just under 2 wks of treatment. Should I keep it wrapped for a bit longer with anti bac ointment on it or do ya'll think it's OK to leave alone at this point?? Looks so much better and I don't feel any hard kernel even around the tiny dot where the scab was.