Bumblefoot surgery - with pics and "how to"

[manoktok]

better clean the wound with antiseptic do not remove the scab.after cleaning it apply some rugby to coat the scab then air dry it for 30 minutes.then wrap it with gauze and plaster and after youre done wrapping the feet.inject .2 ml of pennicillin directly on the scab area.WHY DO WE DO THESE RUGBY AND WRAPPING THING?Because my friend bumble foot are caused by aerobic bacteria called staphylococcus which means it needs oxygen to survive and how do we stop it from surviving is to cut its supply of oxygen and that my friend is sealing the wound.better check the wound after 5 days.better put you bird in a slatted cage.if vever the wound still exist repeat the procedure since its a long process of healing.good luck

 

[samanthajosling]

i don't know if i got it all out? will it heal up? i put polysporin in the hole and wraped it with a bandage thingy

 

[mtnairmama]

Amazing that you took the time & energy to take pictures and document this procedure.Thank YOU!!!

I have one girl w/bumblefoot but heard the gunk inside is some horrible bacteria. Have you had any issues of contaminating yourself w/the bacteria or any of your other chickens?

Also was wondering do you anesthetize the area w/anything first? Doesn't the chicken try to wiggle out of the towel?

 

[weisserjon]

Just finished my very first bumble foot surgery on an 18month old hen that I acquired when a friend was no longer able to have chickens. This was incredibly helpful thank you. I actually also watched a couple youtube videos and purchased a couple surgical supplies from my local vet supply shop. It was super nasty. The one thing nobody ever mentions was the smell. But I pulld the scan off and then two large hardened pieces of infection from between her toes. She had a pretty sever case. I rinsed with iodine and will be checking on her every couple hours until bed time! THANK YOU for some of the best info!

 

[Toast n Jelly]

That is a very lucky hen to have you care for her! I've done a few of those too and they are like new again which makes me very happy lol!

 

[mcgillagorilla]

Well.....I just performed my first bumblefoot surgery. UGH!! I cannot say it was a nightmare but definately not something I wish to do in the near future again if possible but who knows as I need to check the rest of my girls thoroughly tomorrow.
The towel thing over the chicken works wonders and if you do it at night after dark I think it helps that much more as they are much more calm when you go to take them off their roost. During the day...I have to chase some around like crazy.
My girl was a trooper, especially with 5 german shepherds in the house - again THE TOWEL!!!
Cutting into the foot is something that did not go so smoothly for me, I guess I need to purchase a scalpel and not use a razor but that is all I had and she was a little twitchy when the blade entered her foot. Her bumble was between the toes and it all came out pretty well....smelled pretty darn bad though and when finished it just looked like a bunch of loose skin - wrapping looked a little uncomfortable as again it was between the toes so the gauze had to cover the hole so it was a little thick on one side. Of course I noticed that her other foot had a swollen bottom, nothing noticeable from top of foot - no swelling there so flip her over and start again, UGH! Got the black spot out and this one just bled and bled and bled but nothing cheesy, no smell, felt nothing hard so I washed - sprayed with veterycin, put a dab of neosporin and gauze and wrapped her up. Hope it was just the start of something and I did not miss anything important. Of course I will have to keep an eye on both feet to make sure.
Anyway....I was pertrified to do this but I am still here (so is the chicken!!!) and did this all by myself as my husband and children who said they would help managed to just slip upstairs when I was not looking.
So anyone who ends up thinking they can't do this well.... just buck up and do it as your chickens cant take care of this themselves. and if the chicken gets a little freaked just put that towel over their head, lie them on their side and breath deep.
Good luck to the rest of you who have to do this for the first time!!!!

OH MOST IMPORTANT THING....JUST WANT TO THANK EVERYONE ON THIS SITE WHO EXPLAINED THE PROCEDURE POSTED PICS ETC... Could not have done this without ya!!

 

[aoxa]

Can bumblefoot happen without a scab? :/

 

[ilikehorses2]

Will it hurt the chicken aaalllooottt!

 

[ilikehorses2]

What causes it?

 

[Arielle]

I like horses---

My understanding of Bumble foot is that an injury like a thorn or orther pokey punctured the pad of the foot pushing in a bad bacteria called staphyloccocus. Once it is sealed in because the tough foot material closes together quickly wiht a small wound, the bacteria starts to multiply. THe body tries to fight it off sending masses of white blood cells to try to eat up the bacteria. When the would doesn't break open and allow dramage the body continues to battle. THe bumble gets worse and then the body tries the next defense: wall off the infection. THis can make accessing the infection challenging.

Removing the pus and cheesy substance is the pus and bacteria combined. Removal of the bacteria is very important. When I worked for a vet, the procedure to clean any abcess in a cat or dog was to flush out the wound with hydrogen peroxide and a diluted solution of betadine ( about 5:1), and flush flush flush. THen apply a bacitracin type ointment until healed.

I'm sure the buble foot doesnt feel good either, so a little more pain to eliminate the bumble foot may be necessary. My understanding is that you cannot use any of the pain killers in the "caine family on birds.

Hope this answered your questions.