Frostbite/Frozen Foot

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

I think she will still. She wasn't having any part of me taking pictures of her foot yesterday but I got some this morning.

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• Unfortunately, it looks to me like she will lose her entire foot up to the shank, where the swelling above the necrotic shank denotes a clear line of demarcation. As @Wyorp Rock noted, there is a second area beween the footpad and shank that is beginning to separate; I think the main question is which area separates first. Sounds like you are mentally prepared that Nubz will lose her entire foot and shank up to the swollen living tissue; I'm glad she is otherwise feeling good and feisty.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

Attachments

• 
• Unfortunately, it looks to me like she will lose her entire foot up to the shank, where the swelling above the necrotic shank denotes a clear line of demarcation. As @Wyorp Rock noted, there is a second area beween the footpad and shank that is beginning to separate; I think the main question is which area separates first. Sounds like you are mentally prepared that Nubz will lose her entire foot and shank up to the swollen living tissue; I'm glad she is otherwise feeling good and feisty.

We are looking into getting her a prosthetic but of course a lot want us to measure the nub first ordering which we don't have yet. She'll be unhappy not being able to move well again once it goes so I'm trying to measure the best I can now for her. I know she's starting to hurt more because she isn't moving around outside as much as she was. She has access to go outside but it hurts her to jump in and out now. I've noticed a little blood on things where the tissue is cutting open in places so I've been trying to keep it clean as best as I can with her still wanting to walk around.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

How is she doing?

 

[mmwellsfarm]

How is she doing?

She's only one toe. The foot wants to come off but still hasn't just yet. It's been a very slow process for her. She's still doing good though. She's walking, exploring small distances but puts herself back he safe place after about 10 minutes, and lays eggs frequently. She's still thin though. She's having a hard time getting that weight back on.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

@Allsfairinloveandbugs @Wyorp Rock

Here's what's her foot looks like right now. Still a process. Definitely taking its time.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

@Allsfairinloveandbugs @Wyorp Rock

Here's what's her foot looks like right now. Still a process. Definitely taking its time.

Thank you for the update and photos. It sure is a slow process isn't it!

 

[mmwellsfarm]

Thank you for the update and photos. It sure is a slow process isn't it!

Definitely a lot slower than what research said that's for sure. I was sure hoping it would go faster for her as I know it has to be uncomfortable and probably painful but I'm uncomfortable giving her any sort of pain reliever for that long. I don't even like taking it myself.

 

[Allsfairinloveandbugs]

@mmwellsfarm , I went and looked at the date you made your first post. It has been 12 weeks now, and your first post stated the frostbite injury occurred the week before. My hen's right foot didn't separate until 13 weeks after her frostbite injuries ocurred. It took over twice as long for her right foot to separate as her left foot. But in hindsight, the right foot was a much more complicated injury than her left foot, which was visually entirely necrotic three weeks after frostbite ocurred. In contrast, her right foot seemed to retain some pink areas, including a pinkish swollen area immediately above a blackened necrotic toe. The necrotic toe separated weeks before the entire top of her right foot and all remaining toes finally did.

I had told you earlier in this thread that the conditions in which Nubz suffered severe frostbite were very similiar to my hen. And now Nubz's autoamputation process is proving to be very similiar too. The various pink tissues on Nubz's remaining toes and foot are evidence that her foot didn't completely lose blood flow at the time of her injury. Otherwise, her entire foot would have separated before now, same as my hen's left foot did. But still, the swelling above the blackened portion of Nubz's shank indicated weeks ago that she would eventually lose her entire foot and shank up to the swollen tissue. I know it may seem like her foot will never come off; I actually began to wonder if it were possible for my own hen's necrotic foot to somehow remain permanently attached. But her right foot finally did separate, and Nubz's foot will too. In fact, in the second photo you posted yesterday, i see obvious separation between live and dead tissue now taking place. So hang in there for just a little longer, as I know you most certainly will.

 

[mmwellsfarm]

@mmwellsfarm , I went and looked at the date you made your first post. It has been 12 weeks now, and your first post stated the frostbite injury occurred the week before. My hen's right foot didn't separate until 13 weeks after her frostbite injuries ocurred. It took over twice as long for her right foot to separate as her left foot. But in hindsight, the right foot was a much more complicated injury than her left foot, which was visually entirely necrotic three weeks after frostbite ocurred. In contrast, her right foot seemed to retain some pink areas, including a pinkish swollen area immediately above a blackened necrotic toe. The necrotic toe separated weeks before the entire top of her right foot and all remaining toes finally did.

I had told you earlier in this thread that the conditions in which Nubz suffered severe frostbite were very similiar to my hen. And now Nubz's autoamputation process is proving to be very similiar too. The various pink tissues on Nubz's remaining toes and foot are evidence that her foot didn't completely lose blood flow at the time of her injury. Otherwise, her entire foot would have separated before now, same as my hen's left foot did. But still, the swelling above the blackened portion of Nubz's shank indicated weeks ago that she would eventually lose her entire foot and shank up to the swollen tissue. I know it may seem like her foot will never come off; I actually began to wonder if it were possible for my own hen's necrotic foot to somehow remain permanently attached. But her right foot finally did separate, and Nubz's foot will too. In fact, in the second photo you posted yesterday, i see obvious separation between live and dead tissue now taking place. So hang in there for just a little longer, as I know you most certainly will.

I know it will come off. Very evident that it will. I just read that it should have by now from everything I have read. Maybe the little bit of blood flow she did have kept it from happening sooner. It was hard to tell for awhile. As her foot was a completely solid ice block when I found her. I just used mine and her body temps to warm her foot up slowly but quickly at the same time.