First time dealing with Bumble foot Massachusetts

[lafenrir]

I have a five year old girl with bumble foot. I took her to the vet and 137.50 later the vet with one year of experience gave her an anti inflammation shot and told me to soak 3 times a day and come back in a week for another shot, then another week to check back to see if this all worked. She is limping and it is fairly swollen. The vet said that if that all doesn't work then she will operate with anesthesia. I thought this course of treatment seemed off from what I've read here and potentially allowing her infection to get worse. Any insight would be appreciated. I'm trying to work my nerve up to do the procedure, if there is anyone in the Massachusetts area thats not to to far from Billerica who could talk me through it even better, Thank!!!

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Hello!
I did the procedure and surprisingly it wasn't as mentally hard on me as I expected. I am not a vet and nor do I have a lot of experience with bumble foot, but giving her a few inflammation shots may not do anything, because even though the foot is inflamed, it is actually an infection so maybe the vet should be treating her for the infection itself and not the effects of the infection? I dunno I probably shouldn't question a vet, but those are just my thoughts. It's also kind of alarming that she is a vet with only one year of experience.... But who knows, she may know what she's doing. Maybe you could go to a different vet with more experience?
Check out this link if you want to do the procedure yourself at home (keep in mind that you can just spray the foot with Vetricyn and not the other spray with the crazy name) I found this site to be most helpful

 

[lafenrir]

Hello!
I did the procedure and surprisingly it wasn't as mentally hard on me as I expected. I am not a vet and nor do I have a lot of experience with bumble foot, but giving her a few inflammation shots may not do anything, because even though the foot is inflamed, it is actually an infection so maybe the vet should be treating her for the infection itself and not the effects of the infection? I dunno I probably shouldn't question a vet, but those are just my thoughts. It's also kind of alarming that she is a vet with only one year of experience.... But who knows, she may know what she's doing. Maybe you could go to a different vet with more experience?
Check out this link if you want to do the procedure yourself at home (keep in mind that you can just spray the foot with Vetricyn and not the other spray with the crazy name) I found this site to be most helpful

Hi,
Thanks for your input! I suspect I will do it and not wait much longer as the black spot is now larger than when I first saw it. I was uncertain how deeply you cut down into the scab. Where did you get Vetricyn and is it expensive? How did you treat your chicken during recovery? I looked at an article from the chicken chick and it has been the most comprehensive so far but I will take a look at your link. Sorry for the plethora of questions, lol. Just don't want to make it worse!

 

[nuthatched]

The infection must be removed for healing to start, the anti-inflammatory shots did nothing, I hope you can get your refund for them.
Most vets don't know anything about birds, especially chickens.
You can do the surgery yourself, bumblefoot is essentially a big, angry zit.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/ar...ment-for-bumblefoot-footpad-dermatitis.76278/

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Hi,
Thanks for your input! I suspect I will do it and not wait much longer as the black spot is now larger than when I first saw it. I was uncertain how deeply you cut down into the scab. Where did you get Vetricyn and is it expensive? How did you treat your chicken during recovery? I looked at an article from the chicken chick and it has been the most comprehensive so far but I will take a look at your link. Sorry for the plethora of questions, lol. Just don't want to make it worse!

Hi! You don't have to cut deep, just enough to be able to pull the scab out and find the kernel. I heard sometimes the kernel comes out along with the scab. But my hen who had bumble foot had an underlying problem so she didn't have a kernel exactly. I think I got Vetricyn at Tractor Supply, I forgot how much it cost but online it says that it costs around $20. But it is VERY WORTH IT because it treats so many things such as wounds and many other things so it's great to have on hand! I have to use it so often it's nuts. Plus it's non-toxic.
And no problem! Ask as many questions as you'd like. I'm always happy to answer them.

 

[ChicNmom]

Hi,

I've also done the surgery. If you get the kind where the kernel pops out easily it's a blessing. Even if you have to pick it out in pieces it's not so bad. I've found a slim exacto knife works really well.

There is another type where there isn't a clump of puss that you can see or remove easily. Honestly that one is hard to deal with.

I have an old hen around 11yo that has had it in some form all her life. She's been to the vet, I've done the surgery, soaks, wraps with various remedies etc. Her feet are always swollen.

I could never get rid of it and she was miserable to the point that if I look at her feet she gets upset. I also have another with this type.

I'm trying a modified tricide neo treatment. Instead of soaking I'm spraying their feet several times once they are roosting.

The old hen with the swollen feet is finally getting some black scabs that I was able to drain a little. So it is working.

The downside is that it's expensive and takes a while.
If it would work I'd rather do the surgery.


Posting info in case you need it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/treating-bumblefoot-with-tricide-neo.513183/

 

[lafenrir]

Hi! You don't have to cut deep, just enough to be able to pull the scab out and find the kernel. I heard sometimes the kernel comes out along with the scab. But my hen who had bumble foot had an underlying problem so she didn't have a kernel exactly. I think I got Vetricyn at Tractor Supply, I forgot how much it cost but online it says that it costs around $20. But it is VERY WORTH IT because it treats so many things such as wounds and many other things so it's great to have on hand! I have to use it so often it's nuts. Plus it's non-toxic.
And no problem! Ask as many questions as you'd like. I'm always happy to answer them.

Thanks so Much!!! My projected surgery date will be this weekend. I feel prepared. I don't know why I couldn't find that when I searched but the byc article was great!

Hi,

I've also done the surgery. If you get the kind where the kernel pops out easily it's a blessing. Even if you have to pick it out in pieces it's not so bad. I've found a slim exacto knife works really well.

There is another type where there isn't a clump of puss that you can see or remove easily. Honestly that one is hard to deal with.

I have an old hen around 11yo that has had it in some form all her life. She's been to the vet, I've done the surgery, soaks, wraps with various remedies etc. Her feet are always swollen.

I could never get rid of it and she was miserable to the point that if I look at her feet she gets upset. I also have another with this type.

I'm trying a modified tricide neo treatment. Instead of soaking I'm spraying their feet several times once they are roosting.

The old hen with the swollen feet is finally getting some black scabs that I was able to drain a little. So it is working.

The downside is that it's expensive and takes a while.
If it would work I'd rather do the surgery.


Posting info in case you need it.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/treating-bumblefoot-with-tricide-neo.513183/

Thank you, will take a look. Here's hoping it's the kernal, I did read where it could be 'stringy' and difficult.

 

[talkinboutchickens]

Thanks so Much!!! My projected surgery date will be this weekend. I feel prepared. I don't know why I couldn't find that when I searched but the byc article was great!

Thank you, will take a look. Here's hoping it's the kernal, I did read where it could be 'stringy' and difficult.

I hope the procedure goes well!