Foot infection?

[Britzyo]

Hi!!
I picked up my hen today and noticed a few cuts on her foot. Does anyone know if this is infected or if there’s something I should do to it? I did a little epson salt soak just in case.
Thank you, I appreciate the help!!

 

[Eggcessive]

She has bumblefoot. It is common and where bacteria enters the foot in a small cut. Is she limping on her foot? There are various ways to treat it, such as surgery to get the pus plug out, soaking daily to soften the scab so it can be removed so pus can be squeezed out, or sugardine or Prid drawing salve dressings. Here is some info:
https://the-chicken-chick.com/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning/

 

[Eggcessive]

Here are some more links to read:
https://www.tillysnest.com/2015/12/non-surgical-bumblefoot-treatment-html/

Read posts 4 and 6:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/its-like-bumblefoot-but-with-no-scab-what-is-it.1575847/

 

[Britzyo]

Oh no!! She has no signs at all of any discomfort or pain, no limping or anything.
I’ll ready up on this but basically I need to get the scab out?

 

[Anon112]

Oh no!! She has no signs at all of any discomfort or pain, no limping or anything.
I’ll ready up on this but basically I need to get the scab out?

Yes, but it can go a bit deep into the foot, so however you treat it you'll need to be really careful to keep the foot clean as it heals.

I had a rooster with a foot infection (not bumblefoot), and I had really good results from diluting some betadine in warm water (too concentrated betadine can burn the skin) for about 20 minutes. And it did really take the full 20 minutes for the scab to soften so I could push out the pus kernel.

 

[Eggcessive]

I din’t usually treat bumblefoot (or do invasive surgery) unless there is limping or a very red abscess. But it would not hurt to apply a dressing with the sugar and betadine, Neosporin, or Prid and change it daily. Make sure the dressing is not too tight. Usually a 2x2 folded gauze pad or nonadherent/telfa pad, and 1 inch vet wrap strips are good for a dressing. Here is a video of applying a foot dressing:

 

[Britzyo]

Thank you for all the responses! I did the non surgical removal and got some out but definitely not the whole thing. It started to bleed a little and so I wrapped it up. I followed up today as it had been two days and was really surprised when we removed the bandages the black spot was gone but the swelling was still there. I soaked and then tried to manipulate it out. There was a hard skin tone thing that looked like it wanted to come out but didn’t. After several tries it looked a little aggravated so I sprayed it with the microbial and added Neosporin and wrapped it up again. Because the black thing was gone does that just mean it was clean? I took a picture of it right before I wrapped it up this time. How do you think it looks?

Appreciate it!!

 

[Eggcessive]

Looking good. It looks to me like you got the infection out. Now just put some triple antibiotic ointment on it, and a 2x2, then wrap it, not too tight with a strip of vet wrap or tape.

 

[Britzyo]

Yay!!! How long would you dress it for? Like 2 days and check? Would you expect the swelling to go completely away?

 

[Eggcessive]

The swelling can be around for awhile since you have probed and squeezed it. A lot of people keep thinking they didn’t get it all, and go back and keep messing with it. I have never had to go back again to open up a foot. Just put the dressing on it, and change it, but not too tight. She might need a dressing for a week. But she can be out with the others.