Bumblefoot?

[AdamD77]

I picked up one of my 1 year old runners earlier to have a look at his feet, since I'd heard about bumblefoot a while ago and thought it might be a possibility for my ducks as they were on fairly rough/uneven concrete for a while. A couple of months ago I covered to concrete with straw to try and reduce the risk of them getting it, but I think some damage might have already been done - there seem to be some unusual bits on his feet and one bit on each of his middle toes that look like a cut :S He's walking, running and swimming fine, not showing any signs of limping or pain, but they're my babies and of course I'm worried about them. The other duck's feet don't seem as bad but still don't look completely right.

I read somewhere that Hemorrhoid cream can help reduce symptoms but wanted to check if others think it's worth trying. I would prefer not to have to take them to the vet if possible but if he definitely needs some sort of proper treatment of course I will take him, I don't want to start cutting and bandaging and doing all of that on my own at home. For the moment I have put some general antiseptic cream on which I usually use for any little cuts or scrapes

 

[Amiga]

AdamD77,

It is good you are watching and not waiting for things to get really bad before doing anything. Could you post pictures? Yes, it is crazy difficult if you have no one to take them while you hold the duck, but pictures really help.

Sometimes ducks just get callouses on their feet. They aren't infected, but they look a little bumpy.

I have had a couple of runners get mild cases of bumblefoot. So far, treating the foot at least once a day (just before they go into their house and night pen) or perhaps twice a day (morning and evening) has worked and is working. But it is slow. Right now Zehn's bumble is very slowly going away, after several days of cleaning off with hydrogen peroxide, then swabbing with povidone iodine solution (generic Betadine), slathering with triple antibiotic and putting on a booty to try to keep it cleaner (at least until she kicks it off, which she does sometimes).

The thought of cutting Zehn's bumble open has occurred to me, but right now it is such a mild case, it is slowly responding to topical treatment, and cutting her foot, even to remove some of the yuck inside, makes her even more susceptible to infection and would require (for me to be satisfied) that I keep her in sick bay for 24 hours or so to give the foot a chance to seal up well before putting her back out with the flock.

There are some sites for instructions on treating the problem. Sometimes I am not sure if we are all clear enough when we talk about how to treat something that it depends on how far along the situation is. I recently bought a book on poultry diseases, and the photo's of bumblefoot they showed were dramatically worse than anything we have had.

Duckyfromoz uses stick-on bandages (I think they are called moleskin), and many people here have treated their ducks. I am sure some good information will be forthcoming.

 

[AdamD77]

Thanks for the reply

Hmm, I'll try to get pics tomorrow but he doesn't really like being picked up so it'd be hard, but we'll see

Ahh all these medical names

That's why I think I'd have to take him to the vet for any treatment - cutting and removing infected bits sounds yucky, don't think I have the stomach for it!

I can do putting cream on but the rest sounds too technical for me.

At what point does it become life-threatening? Not that I think it's life-threateningly bad now but any ideas?

 

[Amiga]

Some things to watch for are loss of appetite, listlessness, but before that, even, if the foot is unusually warm, or there is serious limping. The first case I found was noticed because Vier was limping a little. Then I saw that Zehn was shaking her foot as if something were stuck to it, and when I felt the foot it was much warmer than the other.

For both, I have liberally used triple antibiotic creme and while it is slow, it seems to have worked for Vier and is working for Zehn. I think we caught Vier's problem earlier than we did Zehn, but truly, both were tiny bumps compared to some of the big infections ducks can get. I suspect the larger the flock, the more likely something is going to go unnoticed until it is more serious.

I am blessed with a DH who happily holds the ducks while I doctor them. I am grateful beyond words for that gift.

 

[hongyush2008]

You are so careful....Hope you find the answer easiler..

 

[Amiga]

Thanks, hongyush2008!

And . . .