Could use some more help with ongoing bumble foot issues

[SophiaLinn]

Previous post: https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/help-with-bumble-foot.1487829/#post-24804028

I’m having the same issue with 2 chickens. One has it on one foot and the other has both feet.
The main problem I’m having right now is that all the infected feet are still hard and swollen but the scabs are sort of healing over it so I can’t get in to pull anything out. I’ve been applying prid but it hasn’t been doing much.

As for the one with the one foot that the previous post was about, I got that big plug out and put neosporin on it but when I checked it 2 days later it had already seemingly closed up. But it’s still hard and swollen. She’s also broody at the moment which is fine with me because at least she’s not walking on her foot all the time.

The one with double bumble foot doesn’t seem to have any trouble walking or perching but her feet are definitely hard and swollen.

I would bring them to the vet but as you’ll read in my previous posts, after the 3rd visit, they sent us home saying the infection and plug was gone but she may need surgery or possibly put her down. Only for me to pull a huge plug out of her a couple days later. They’re the only place around that takes chickens and it’s very expensive.

Any help on next steps or alternative treatment would be very appreciated.

 

[azygous]

Quite honestly, all I see is nicely recovering bumblefoot lesions.

The funny thing about bumblefoot is that when the pad is swollen around a bumblefoot infection, the lesion can clear up and the pad can remain swollen for, well, sometimes forever. I do not know why this is. I've seen it in a couple of my own cases, and like you, thought there was more I should do. But all of my efforts made no difference in the swollen pads. I finally figured that if it didn't seem to bother the chicken, it was just an anomaly I would need to adjust to.

 

[SophiaLinn]

Quite honestly, all I see is nicely recovering bumblefoot lesions.

The funny thing about bumblefoot is that when the pad is swollen around a bumblefoot infection, the lesion can clear up and the pad can remain swollen for, well, sometimes forever. I do not know why this is. I've seen it in a couple of my own cases, and like you, thought there was more I should do. But all of my efforts made no difference in the swollen pads. I finally figured that if it didn't seem to bother the chicken, it was just an anomaly I would need to adjust to.

Thank you for your reply! I think this is probably the case with Frankie who has the one infected foot. Unfortunately with the double bumble foot girl, I haven’t actually been able to get any sort of plug out yet and there does seem to be yellowish under the scab area and her feet have gotten slightly more swollen as I’ve been treating her so I’m still worried about her infection.

 

[azygous]

If in doubt, it does no harm to pull off the scab and see what's under it. It will be apparent if there is a pus plug.

 

[ChickensRsmart]

If in doubt, it does no harm to pull off the scab and see what's under it. It will be apparent if there is a pus plug.

Does anyone here know generally how deep one must cut between the toes (on the top of the foot) to get at the puss kernels? My hen had bumble foot in both feet, and the infection spread to between her toes on her left foot - her right foot is fine now. I removed the plugs on the bottoms of both feet, but have been struggling to find a solution to the swellings between her toes on her left foot.
I can't seem to get a vet in my area to simply agree to try and remove the infection. So I tried making one incision between her toes (in the webbing between her toes) and all it did was bleed. I checked the depth of the incision, and it passed through the skin layers to reveal what looks like healthy red tissue. I opted not to make the incision deeper - I am not going to torture my hen trying to save her.
When she is standing up, there is what feels like a semi-hard mass between her toes (like what feels like rubbery puss). But when she is off her feet, I find it difficult to feel them...

 

[azygous]

Does anyone here know generally how deep one must cut between the toes (on the top of the foot) to get at the puss kernels? My hen had bumble foot in both feet, and the infection spread to between her toes on her left foot - her right foot is fine now. I removed the plugs on the bottoms of both feet, but have been struggling to find a solution to the swellings between her toes on her left foot.
I can't seem to get a vet in my area to simply agree to try and remove the infection. So I tried making one incision between her toes (in the webbing between her toes) and all it did was bleed. I checked the depth of the incision, and it passed through the skin layers to reveal what looks like healthy red tissue. I opted not to make the incision deeper - I am not going to torture my hen trying to save her.
When she is standing up, there is what feels like a semi-hard mass between her toes (like what feels like rubbery puss). But when she is off her feet, I find it difficult to feel them...

This is what I was talking about in my first reply to the OP. There doesn't seem to be infection necessarily in the swollen tissue that persists after the bumble lesion heals. It's useless to try to cut into it, lance it, or keep torturing it.

I treated such a hen for two full years, trying to get rid of the swollen tissue. Nothing ever accomplished this. The tissue remained swollen despite all the torture my poor hen went through.

 

[ChickensRsmart]

This is what I was talking about in my first reply to the OP. There doesn't seem to be infection necessarily in the swollen tissue that persists after the bumble lesion heals. It's useless to try to cut into it, lance it, or keep torturing it.

I treated such a hen for two full years, trying to get rid of the swollen tissue. Nothing ever accomplished this. The tissue remained swollen despite all the torture my poor hen went through.

Yes. I read your comments. I think you might be right. When I read what you wrote, it still didn't occur to me that I could be seeing the same phenomena. I am still not sure, but your comments give me hope! Maybe my hen's infection is gone too?
I suppose it will just remain to be seen. She's still favoring this foot. But she does appear to be feeling better since yesterday - and slightly better over the last few days. I've noticed too, that there's no additional heat coming from her foot now too. It's warm, but no warmer than the other foot - the foot that doesn't have an issue. a few weeks ago, her foot was hot tot he touch...