Does my Pekin have bumblefoot, and if so, how do I treat it?

[Gwokakotta]

When I went to put the ducks in their house for the night, I noticed our Pekin drake, Meatball, was limping. I checked his feet and saw what looks like a large swollen or infected spot near his back toe on his left foot.

I can only assume from what I have read that this is bumblefoot. I'm wondering if someone can confirm this, and if so, what is the best way to treat it? (Hopefully without having to spend a ton of money on vet bills, if I can even find one that treats birds) I know home-surgery is an option, and I've heard of soaking the foot in a medicated solution, like Tricide-Neo? I'm really hoping I can help him out.

The first two are of Meatball's left foot. (He clawed me several times to let me know he doesn't like to be held)


Meatball's right foot. Don't know if there's any problems on this one but I just thought I'd get your opinions on it while I'm at it.

Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I advise you to type Epsom Salt soaks into the search box. You might also try compress and/or potato bandage. I would give each of these a serious go before I cut my duck's foot, only because I think it's prudent to try the least invasive treatment first. There is a graphic but informative YouTube vid of Bumblefoot surgery on a chicken, sorry I can't locate the link... But this page describes treatment in detail, scroll down: https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry

 

[Gwokakotta]

Thanks for replying. I used a toothbrush to clean his feet with soapy water, then we attempted to soak the left foot in epsom salt, but he was struggling and squirming so much it was impossible to keep him still, even with a towel wrapped around him. I want to keep doing this treatment every day, but I'm scared he's going to hurt himself or get too stressed out any time I pick him up. I don't want to end up hurting him worse when I'm doing my best to help him. Are there antibiotics I should start giving him? Can someone with experience with bumblefoot tell how bad the infection is? Please help if you can.

This is how the feet looked after we tried soaking them.

Left foot:


Right foot:

 

[Miss Lydia]

Thanks for replying. I used a toothbrush to clean his feet with soapy water, then we attempted to soak the left foot in epsom salt, but he was struggling and squirming so much it was impossible to keep him still, even with a towel wrapped around him. I want to keep doing this treatment every day, but I'm scared he's going to hurt himself or get too stressed out any time I pick him up. I don't want to end up hurting him worse when I'm doing my best to help him. Are there antibiotics I should start giving him? Can someone with experience with bumblefoot tell how bad the infection is? Please help if you can.

This is how the feet looked after we tried soaking them.

Left foot:


Right foot:

Keep soaking in the Epsom salt water, I use a bucket and place both their feet into it then hold on to them, they can't struggle as much that way. I haven't had bumble in one of my ducks but one had a cut I had to treat with Epsom salt soaks and I am now treating one of my chickens for bumble, with her I am soaking then using Veterycin spray to spray it out good after that dries I am applying iodine to the area top and bottom and keeping her confined to a large dog crate for a couple days to see if swelling goes down and have access to soak her more than 1X a day. She had the scab so I soaked pick off the scab and got some of the pus out hopefully enough that it will begin to heal now. I don't see the scab on your ducks foot, what is the blk stuff? did you run your finger over his pad to feel for splinter or something than maybe in there?

 

[Gwokakotta]

We've been soaking his feet in Epsom salt every day, spraying iodine on the affected areas, and giving penicillin injections daily. I felt the swollen area, and it seems to be soft tissue. I don't know what the black stuff is, but it didn't feel like a splinter, although we do have black mulch spread around all of our trees.

He also seems to be uninterested in his crumbles. He's always the first duck chugging down the stuff when I bring them in at night, but I wonder if the antibiotics are causing some problems? His poop is watery and green. I have succeeded in getting him to eat peas and Romaine lettuce, and I tried giving him yogurt to supply some probiotics, but he won't touch it. Anyone have similar experiences? He doesn't seem to be acting sick otherwise.

 

[Gwokakotta]

Update: After four days of penicillin injections and Epsom salts, Meatball's feet look about the same (no worse, thankfully). I mixed yogurt into his water and that got it into him. He still isn't eating his regular food, though. Is this to be expected when he's on antibiotics?

Sorry for pestering you with all the pictures, but I've never treated bumblefoot before so I need all the advice I can get! If there is a scab on his left foot, it seems to be kind of on the side of the swollen pad. Anyone have any input?

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

Gwokakotta. Don't apologize for anything! You're trying to help your duck! What I understand from my reading is that Bumblefoot is a Staph infection... So the penicillin might not touch that bacteria anyway. Did you locate the Bumblefoot Surgery video on YouTube and have you decided to do it?
Here's the video I was thinking of.

I'm sorry but I did not see your post from 2 days ago. I'm kind of concerned that he's not eating now. **If it were me, I think I would likely stop everything, get him eating again, and then proceed dealing with the Bumblefoot.**

Edited to add.

 

[Gwokakotta]

Thanks so much for your help! The TSC employee and several places on this forum said the Penicillin G could be effective in treating bumblefoot, but I hope we're not pumping unnecessary drugs into his body.

We haven't decided on surgery yet since we're waiting to see if this treatment works. The thing is, I don't know how serious the infection is, and I don't want to cut into his foot if it can be avoided. But maybe that's the only option now?

 

[HollyDuckFarmer]

I don't know if cutting is your only option. The Bumblefoot we had here was resolved with the Epsom Salt Soaks (as well as other injuries too-- that stuff is wonderful!) honestly I'm not 100%sure about the Staph and the penicillin...but I do know that bacteria, well it's bacteria, so it stands to reason that certain bacterias will only respond to certain antibiotics. Hopefully a germ-ologist will weigh in on that. Maybe it isn't Staph at all... But I'm pretty sure that I remember reading that *somewhere*.
I do know from the forums here that lots of poultry walk around with Bumblefoot cases that get really severe, way worse than the pictures you showed us.
You might ask over on the Natural Keeping Thread, as well as on the Emergencies if you haven't already. I'm sure someone around here has your answers, I'm just sorry that it isn't me. I really hope that I haven't steered you in the wrong direction either. My personal opinion is just that you really want your duck to start eating... Because as I'm sure you know, if the nutrition suffers, then you might end up with something worse to deal with. Good luck.
Holly

 

[Amiga]

Bumblefoot has taken me several weeks to get rid of, sometimes. Usually I catch it fairly early, and have not had to cut.

I follow the Epsom salts soaks with triple antibiotic ointment (not the kind with painkiller). I just slather it on especially in the evening when the ducks quiet down for a while.

Antibiotics can cause digestive problems in ducks, just like people, and you are right to think of probiotics. I found a vitamin-electrolyte-probiotic mix that can be put in their water.

Poultry Nutri-Drench has calories and a few vitamins in it.

Just offering suggestions.