Failed Bumblefoot Surgery?

[YankeeMinstrel]

A while ago, I found my rooster, going on 8 years old, with swelling in his foot pad and a large black scab. After some research, my mother and I decided it was time for an operation. Though he did not show a limp, the swelling was looking quite ominous.

So, today, I held him down while my mother operated. Though some liquid pus did escape from the foot, we were unable to find a kernel. After much time operating, we decided that the best thing to do after going on a wild kernel chase was to rinse the foot with plenty of betadine and bandage it up.\

So, since no kernel showed up, he might still have something in there.

Any help?

 

[beetandsteet]

Bumblefoot is definitely a super tricky thing to work on. Sometimes there's a nice kernel; sometimes its nothing but stringy white stuff.
From my experience, pressing down from the top of his feet (in between his toes) can sometimes help push out a kernel. Sometimes there just isn't a kernel at all. Making sure to remove as much white stringy stuff as is possible, and keeping the operating wound VERY clean is very essential to a good recovery. Hope you have success with him

 

[YankeeMinstrel]

Though we do allow him some time to wander with his flock, his foot is well bandaged and the wrappings are changed daily, along with polysporin and betadine to clean the wound.

Some of the swelling seems to be going down, but i don't know how quickly it should be going down if the infection truly has been banished. On the good side, some healing does seem to be taking place.

Also, would you happen to know if terramycin added to his water will eventually find its way into his blood stream? if it doesn't, then using it is useless and may only be harming his digestive flora rather than circulating to his foot, which is still healing.

 

[beetandsteet]

I'm not experienced with antibiotics--although I have heard that penicillin injectible helps with bumblefoot. I would recommend feeding a probiotic along with the antibiotic to help his immune system and digestive system. All the bumblefoot cases I've cured have been done without the help of an oral or injectible antibiotic.

Sounds like you're doing the right thing. Keeping that wound clean is so essential, I've had many chickens develop nasty secondary infections from bumblefoot surgeries. It takes a little while for the swelling to completely go down. Give him a couple of weeks

 

[YankeeMinstrel]

He seems to be improving, and my mother, who has been taking care of him for the duration of my camping trip, has begun to wean him off the wound dressings as new skin has formed and needs to toughen up. She says its time that he spends 24/7 with the hens rather than being secluded in the morning and let to be with the hens only during the afternoon freerange time and during the night at roosting.

 

[applebutter14]

We just worked on my hen and we could not find a kernel either, and we tried pushing around the foot and nothing came out, but it is very swollen