Bumblefoot surgery - with pics and "how to"

[N F C]

You can sprinkle cayenne pepper in your wild bird feeders to keep the squirrels from eating the seed...the wild birds don't mind it but the squirrels do.

 

[dawg53]

Fried squirrel mmmmm!

 

[N F C]

Thanks @dawg53 , but I'll pass!

 

[Ciqala]

Thanks so much for posting this how to with bumblefoot. I just did my 1st bumblefoot surgery on my 2yr old black australorp hen that I noticed the lump between her toes yesterday. Thanks to this thread I knew what to do and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it actually is

 

[StachiaB]

I can't figure out how to post a question... Not sure what's up. I have a hen with bumble foot and I was wondering if anyone experienced lives near the Benicia, CA area that could help me with the surgical procedure? I am a nurse and have the skill set to do it, but I'm not sure I have the guts to cut into my own hen. Thank you!
Stachia

 

[casportpony]

I can't figure out how to post a question... Not sure what's up. I have a hen with bumble foot and I was wondering if anyone experienced lives near the Benicia, CA area that could help me with the surgical procedure? I am a nurse and have the skill set to do it, but I'm not sure I have the guts to cut into my own hen. Thank you!
Stachia

Welcome to BYC!

Maybe someone in this thread could help you:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/25/california-northern/62660#post_15525621

If you want to start your own thread click here:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/threads/add/forumId/10

-Kathy

 

[MrsBachbach]

I can't figure out how to post a question... Not sure what's up. I have a hen with bumble foot and I was wondering if anyone experienced lives near the Benicia, CA area that could help me with the surgical procedure? I am a nurse and have the skill set to do it, but I'm not sure I have the guts to cut into my own hen. Thank you!
Stachia

I believe there is video of the procedure on this site. Do a search under this topic.

If your hen has an obvious scab, there really is no cutting involved, just soakings, poultices, bandaging, then lifting of the scab and squeezing and removing of infection. Then more poultices and bandaging until it is healed. It's a long process, but doable. See my pics of hen I did:

https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/236649/bumblefoot-surgery-with-pics-and-how-to/630#post_15105279

 

[MrsBachbach]

I can't figure out how to post a question... Not sure what's up. I have a hen with bumble foot and I was wondering if anyone experienced lives near the Benicia, CA area that could help me with the surgical procedure? I am a nurse and have the skill set to do it, but I'm not sure I have the guts to cut into my own hen. Thank you!
Stachia

I highly recommend warm epsom salt soakings and then applying a poultice of iodine/sugar on the scab/foot and then bandaging. Change it every couple of days, soak and apply again. Do this for a couple of weeks before attempting to remove the scab. I think it helps draw the infection down and makes removal a bit easier.

 

[froggiesheins]

Is this bumblefoot?
Soaked, dug and poked with no puss ,kernels,or anything that felt lumpy or ouchie when squeezing. And I felt like I was digging to China I went so deep.
The pad has a hard callous like feel to it.
There really was no scab, just gnarly looking tissue on the surface. I have not gone thru the top of the foot between the pads yet.
What do you guys think?

 

[MrsBachbach]

It does look like it. Although, I've never seen the whole foot and leg look swollen like that. Unless it's just the photo making the leg look swollen? If the leg is swollen, the infection has spread. I'm not sure the best treatment option in that case, but if it was me, I would start with some penicillin shots in the thigh. Pick up some PenG(found in their refrigerated section) at the feed store or a Tractor Supply along with an 18gauge needle and a 1 ml syringe if you can find one. The dose is about a tenth of a ml, no more, per day and probably no more than 5 days. I would also put a drawing poultice on that foot. Make a paste of sugar and iodine/betadine and apply it to the wound, put a gauze pad on it, then wrap it with strips of vetwrap. I usually also wrap bandaging tape or sports wrap tape around that to keep the dirt out. Looks like this when I finish:



I would change the dressing at least every other day, clean the wound, apply more poultice and rewrap. Hope the poultice draws any infection down and the swelling starts going down. Could take a few weeks. I would be a little leery of cutting on top of the foot, it may or may not reveal anything, but if you do, also apply poultice to that area. That's about the only thing I can suggest short of a vet visit. You're going to have to do alot of bandaging over the next few weeks to keep the foot clean. If you live in a wet area, might be best to cage her on some shavings for awhile.