Guinea with possible tumor, cyst; please help!

[Bobbi Jack]

My guinea has some kind of bump on her ankle. It's mostly just normal skin (or scales, whatever you'd call it) but on the top it looks like a scab or callous or something, and it hurts her to move very fast but doesn't seem to bother her when I press on it. My rooster has something similar, so I don't think it's an injury, but I don't know what it could be.
As far as diet, living conditions, etc. she is mostly free-range but has a good house which is closed up at night, eats mainly chicken food (scratch and layer pellets) also table scraps and whatever she finds outside.
If anyone has any advice I'd really appreciate it; this is the first and only guinea I've ever had that was really attached to me and tame, and I'd really hate to lose her. She's such a sweetheart. Anyway, advice would very much appreciated.


(Walking Wolf, I'll try the vinegar tomorrow, but since symptoms are different from your duck's I'm not posotive it will work, so thought I'd try to get other ideas in the meantime)

 

[rooster-red]

That sounds like bumblefoot.

 

[Bobbi Jack]

Okay...what do I do about it?

 

[AngelzFyre]

Here is a great thread about bumblefoot.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=111905

Good luck and keep us posted on her progress!

 

[Bobbi Jack]

After seeing the picture of bumblefoot and having had an undiagnosed case of that in the past, it doesn't look like what she has. It's not a little hard bump on the bottom of a swollen foot, but just a raised lump above the back toe with dried skin like a scab, that looks like it would come right off it could picked at it.
I don't think I'm techie enough to post a picture. I do think it's something catching between different birds, if that narrows it down, because the guinea and the rooster have basically the same symptoms.

 

[AngelzFyre]

You may want to separate the ones that have it for sure and treat them both with soaks in Betadine solution diluted in warm water *until it's the color of weak tea* and then dry and apply neosporin or antibiotic ointment on the lump itself. If you've got a vet that does handle chickens then I sure would give them a call and see if they suggest injectable or oral antibiotics.
Have you checked for scaly leg mites?

 

[Bobbi Jack]

I checked prices on Betadine and it's pretty high; is there a normal household substitute?
We have a vet in the area that is willing to treat chickens, but hasn't much experience with them, so couldn't diagnose the one I brought to her last time. (Different sickness)
I do have leftover antibiotics from the last one; should I use it if it's not past it's 'Best By' date?
Also, do you have any recommendations for safe and clean sites to research chicken diseases?
Thanks!

 

[AngelzFyre]

There are alternative products in most drug stores or Walmart. Povidine solution is one of them..the same thing but generic. Betadine is 5% povidine iodine. Ask the pharmacist what they recommend if you can't find it. You could use nolvasan solution as well but don't ever get that in the eyes as it can cause serious injury.
Do you have Epsom Salt? You could also soak in that and see if the lump softens and drains if $$ is tight. Sea Salt works as well.

I wouldn't use out of date antibiotics...they put that date on them for a reason

.
If it's an antibiotic that's in powder form and they add the sterile water to make the liquid. It's only good for a very short time period.

You can always do searches on this site and get answers to most everything to do with any type of fowl. If the answer you're looking for isn't here then I'd try searching the net for poultry diseases and go to the university sites that do studies on fowl and such.

Wish I could help you more...hopefully others will have more to add!

 

[Bobbi Jack]

Okay, I think I nave sea salt. I can try that. I wonder if my birds will hate me for holding them with a leg in salt water : )
I wish I could start treating them today, but I have to work, and tonight our former Congressman is coming to speak to our homeschool group, so I have to get some things ready for that.
One more question; do you know anything I could give them that is high in Riboflavin? I've tried beef liver, and it seems to help the limp a little bit, but the slaughter house doesn't always have it available.
Thank you so much for all your help!

 

[AngelzFyre]

If they get too mad, you can always do what we do to keep a foot soaking with our horses and put the salt water or epsom salt in a plastic bag and tape it at the top to keep it on. I've used vetrap at the top and a bit down the leg making sure to not make it too tight and only soak about 15 to 20 min. Don't ever leave on when not supervised to prevent injury.

Foods high in riboflavin are milk, yogurt, cheeses, leafy green vegetables, whole and enriched grains. It's an essential vitamin, but easily destroyed by light.

I found a ton of info on the following website about Riboflavin..or B2 as we know it.

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=nutrient&dbid=93

If you notice that big of a difference with them getting more liver then it's most likely a vitamin deficiency and you can check into supplementing them more. At this time of year especially when there's not much greenery out there for them then tend to need more nutrients provided by the food and grains we feed. I personally give mine Flock Raiser and Game Bird crumbles in the layer feed during the fall/winter along with Scratch and extra flax seed, sunflower seeds, kelp and fish meal. This is supplemented with fruits and some bread and veggies.

Hope they keep improving! You can also try your supermarket/Super Walmart etc for liver and organ meats.

Take care and lemme know how they do!