HELP! Foot infection, should i open it up? Can i use orejel?

[nettie]

Well, we went to the vet today, and i guess i wasn't too happy with the outcome. There wasn't really anything they can tell me. The doctor tried to use a needle to get out some puss to see if there was bacteria, but it was hard and dry. He couldn't get anything out. So he wanted to do an xray to make sure it wasn't swollen from an injury (which was expensive! 100$!! but she's my baby). And the xray showed no broken bones or gout (which was what the doctor suspected). So, the prognosis? Keep it clean and unwrapped, and for her to take an antibiotic twice a day... Use neosporin after her baths. If it gets worse she has to go back in. If she's having trouble walking i'm supposed to make a "donut" out of gauze to cushion it.

My poor baby has been sitting most of the day.

Does anyone know how to give them asprin for pain? I remember when i got my cartiledge piercing i was allowed to crush one up and put the paste on it for pain. Is that how it works for ducks?

 

[kycklingar!]

I'd make donuts (like corn pads) right now - don't wait until it looks worse. Keep up the soaking in epsom salts, and use neosporin like the vet said. I can't believe a vet couldn't open them!! I'd use a scalpel and lance them with a really small slit if it had been me. I've dealt with dozens of these cases, and the only hope is to keep the bird's feet on dry, soft, varied surfaces, and keep her from putting weight on the sores. Are you keeping her indoors on towels right now?
Don't give the bird any human meds like aspirin... she actually needs the pain right now - it's nature's way to keep her from putting weight on the sores. It sounds mean, but it's really important. Our loving animals don't know to baby their injuries like we do. I wish they would hold still when we're giving them checkups, or sit in a chair with their feet elevated when we tell them to...

I wish I was dr. Doolittle.

 

[tiki244]

Bumblefoot treatment=

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=75288



I would suggest this and the use of PenG for the antibiotic injectable can be bought at a farm store. Now I am not familiar at all with ducks, but if this is bumblefoot it needs to be treated this way. IMO I am not a doctor

 

[MoodyChicken]

Sounds possibly like an infection that's gone into the bone. Those are serious. Treat with Baytril for one week and she'll recover just fine, but it may be permanently misshapen. Then continue what you're doing. Be sure to add thicker bedding in her coop to prevent further occurrences. If you're worried that she's in pain, give her hypericum (it's an herb that will dull the pain, i have the dosage and preparation on my site linked in my sig poultry health > supportive therapy > green treats and homeopathic remedies).

Also, orejel doesn't work on any part of the body, only works in the mouth. I tried it on my hand once. Nothing. Then I licked my hand and thoroughly regretted it. lol.

 

[kycklingar!]

If the infection had gone to the bone, it would have showed up in the x-ray.

 

[nettie]

the update on ming mei can be seen here as well....

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=146669

We went ahead with the vet slicing open that sore and got the puss plug out. Hopefully now she can heal....

 

[Judy]

Both Betadine and peroxide kill newly grown tissue/cells. But they both have their uses to disinfect (diluted Betadine) or boil away crud (peroxide.) More new cells can be grown. Sometimes germs need to be reduced in number, and sometimes crud needs to be boiled out of a wound. For example, I would soak a deep puncture wound in my foot in betadine or diluted betadine, or peroxide, or one then the other. One approach is to rinse either one off with saline after use, before the Neosporin and dressing. They are both excellent medications. It's just a matter of understanding what they do and how they work.