Help! Infected swollen leg [PIC GRAPHIC]

[Michael Apple]

That is pretty terrible. I would go to your nearest farm supply store and go to the refrigerated antibiotics and whatnot, get some liquid penicillin immediately! Giving shots suck but i think it's your chance. In the water might have worked had it not been so bad, but that it's still hot isn't a good sign at all. Should cool down pretty quick.

Tylan is good for respiratory issues and a few others but penicillin is good for wounds and staph. (bumblefoot is caused by staph) There are other infections similar that could be an issue.

X2. Make sure you get the right size needles, get Luer lock syringes and shake the penicillin vigorously before drawing it up in the syringe. Let the syringe warm up a few minutes at room temperature before injecting pen. Give 1/2 cc subcutaneous or in the breast muscle, 1/4 cc for Bantam. Here's some helpful info and needle size and treatment with penicillin: https://sites.google.com/a/poultryp...oultry-podiatry#chickens_penicillin_injection

 

[5Chickens]

I think tomorrow I am going to go ahead and lance it tomorrow as there is not much improvement at all. How exactly should I go about this and what do I do afterwards. Any help is greatly appreciated!

 

[Eggcessive]

Have you taken a recent picture? Is the infection all over, or are you seeing a"head?" If it is all over like the early photo 6 days ago, it appears to be cellulitis. If it is cellulitis, lancing it may not do anything except leaving an open wound. Perhaps doing some warm wet compresses several times a day around the swollen area will help or bring an abscess to a head. I did come across this link--it may not be the same in this case, but I haven't heard of this condition in chickens, I was just describing what cellulitis is generally in humans: http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/25/cellulitis

 

[5Chickens]

'

Updated Picture. The yellow spot near the top of the swelling is pretty recent. I haven't noticed it before.

 

[Eggcessive]

The yellow area looks a bit like it is calloused maybe where she has laid on it?

 

[Michael Apple]

My only concern is that it could be Synovitis. Is the bird having any respiratory problems?

 

[Eggcessive]

I had suggested mycoplasma synovitis or infectious tenosynovitis awhile ago.

 

[Eggcessive]

The OP did have a post back in Feb. 2013 about a respiratory problem in a young 4 month old pullet.

 

[Michael Apple]

If you decide to lance it, use a warm compress like Eggcessive mentioned. Get a new single edge razor blade, some iodine, and some rubbing alcohol. After warming the swollen area with a compress, dab an alcohol soaked cotton ball on the area and dip the blade in rubbing alcohol too. Make a small incision where the head of the wound is. Gently squeeze out the pus. If it doesn't come out easily, warm the area more time with a moist warm compress (a paper towel folded numerous times and dipped in hot water works well), and gently attempt to expel the pus. If you relieve the wound of pus, dab some iodine over the wound to prevent infection.

Whether or not pus is expelled, resume antibiotic treatment. If it is synovitis, it takes awhile for it to be remedied. Treatment for Synovitis is usually Tylan, LS-50, Gallimycin, or Chlortetracycline. If it is staph, the recommendations of penicillin would be best . If possible keep the hen in a clean environment as to not let the wound get dirty. I know Doxycycline is an antibiotic used in Bird Biotic. It is a soluble powder used in water:
http://www.thomaslabs.com/products/367-bird-biotic-doxycycline-100mg.aspx

 

[5Chickens]

Other than her leg, everything is completely normal with her. Eating,drinking and pooping. All vital signs are normal.

The white looking bits on the leg could be from the cream I put on it for a day. It has been warm here lately which attracted flies so I didn't want the flies to add to the problem by bothering any open spots I was missing. It was an ivermectin paste with neosporin. It is a bit calloused though towards the very bottom of the swelling.

I did have a pullet that had a respiratory issue back in the beginning of the year. She was separated, but she ended up passing away. Nothing has been passed on in my flock that I know of. Everyone has been healthy this year so the issue with this pullet's leg has got me stumped.