Help-- possible bumble foot, advice needed

[2lilchkns]

Hi all, first time chicken owner here. I noticed one of my hens limping when she runs (she walks normally.) When I first checked her feet, they looked fine, so I thought perhaps she is just not-so-coordinated when she runs. But I checked again yesterday, and her foot clearly has something going on. My research here tells me it is bumble foot :

I soaked her foot for about 10 minutes with warm water with a little Braggs ACV (we have no Epsom salts.) Then I smeared it with neosporin and wrapped it:

I plan to do this twice a day and hope it helps. I went to a local vet clinic for advice, but they couldn't help. My question: should I try to find some oral antibiotics somewhere? I actually would prefer to avoid systemic antibiotics if I can, but if I need to, I'll get some (maybe Southern States.) Any advice from those of you with experience would be much appreciated!!

 

[CMV]

That foot does not appear to have bumblefoot to me.

Antibiotics are generally useless in bumblefoot unless the infection has spread outside the bumble into the surrounding tissues of the foot and leg. Bumblefoot is just the nickname for an abscess on the bottom of the foot, which is an encapsulated infection. There is no need for antibiotics because the infection is already contained. You just need to remove the core of the abscess, and generally the infection is removed with it.

 

[2lilchkns]

Thank you! I read some posts about how quickly foot infections could progress -- and how serious they could be--- and it got me worried. Hopefully the neosporin and wrapping will do the trick.