This morning our favorite hen was very sore on her right foot. She is a 3 y/o red sex link. She is a little overweight for her size. She would not put weight on the foot or leave the coop this morning. After getting the other ladies corralled back in the coop, I picked her up and checked her leg and foot. I found the telltale black scab that is seen with bumblefoot. However, there was absolutely NO swelling. I have never dealt with this, but I had found this article: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/236649/bumblefoot-surgery-with-pics-and-how-to and followed the instructions and photos there. I cleaned and cleaned and rinsed and rinsed and got nothing that looked like pus or cheese or a plug out of the hole. The hole was not deep and seemed to have no "feelers" going up into the pad of the foot. Once I had the scab off, it looked like just a shallow hole. I still dug around for quite some time, carefully cut in with a scalpel, etc. After I finished, even though I got nothing out, I packed the hole with polysporin and mupirocin and then covered with a sterile cotton square and vetwrap. I will check it in the morning.
Here is my question: Is it possible that I caught it early and the infection did not get a chance to set in? I am worried that I found no infection or plug. The article seemed to stress the importance of getting that out. But I had not seen mention of this with no swelling, either, so not sure if my situation was different? Maybe time will tell?
Here is my question: Is it possible that I caught it early and the infection did not get a chance to set in? I am worried that I found no infection or plug. The article seemed to stress the importance of getting that out. But I had not seen mention of this with no swelling, either, so not sure if my situation was different? Maybe time will tell?