Hen with poorly foot

[richardeblack]

Update on this morning's treatment.
Usual 20 minute soak and purple spray.I them felt round the bumble and squeezed it. It is no longer soft but is a hard lump.
I managed to get the black top off fairly easily but could see more below. It seemed to be a fairly large mass and squeezing it seemed to open the hole in her pad a bit. No puss came out at all.
I worked round with the tweezers and got a fair bit of the hard plug out, unfortunately in two bits. I felt she was getting a bit stressed so decided enough was enough, not helped by trying to tease a bit out, only to find it was a fleshy bit which started to bleed.
I prayed round with chlorohexadine purple spray the filled the hole with antibiotic cream and put drawing salve round the outside and dressed it.
I'll carry on with fresh dressings till Sunday then get my friend to dress her on Tuesday ready for me to do her on Friday.
Thank you all again for the guidance and reassurance.
Here is a photo of the hole
https://photos.app.goo.gl/EBiBJZHX5swBZBcP9

And one of the debris
https://photos.app.goo.gl/WdqJeJ7CECKJqA6Y7
The grooves pm the table are about 8 to 10mm (5/16" to 3/8')

Thank you souvh
Richard

 

[richardeblack]

Sorry about all the typos I typed it outside in the sun so difficult to see what I had written.
Thank you so much.
Richard.

 

[richardeblack]

She's walking better today. I don't think she's I'm much pain now. Soaked her and tried to see if I could get any more out. Couldn't manage to get any more out with the tweezers I have. I think the swelling has gone down a bit.
I will soak and dress her with antibiotic cream and drawing salve each day till Sunday morning and then leave her till I get back next Friday (my friend will redress her if the dressing comes off or looks really tatty, but not otherwise).
Thank you all again.
Pictures today:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Q3ex141EUYwKNqGV6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PjubmVemJCvUJWye7

 

[MarlaMac]

She's walking better today. I don't think she's I'm much pain now. Soaked her and tried to see if I could get any more out. Couldn't manage to get any more out with the tweezers I have. I think the swelling has gone down a bit.
I will soak and dress her with antibiotic cream and drawing salve each day till Sunday morning and then leave her till I get back next Friday (my friend will redress her if the dressing comes off or looks really tatty, but not otherwise).
Thank you all again.
Pictures today:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/Q3ex141EUYwKNqGV6
https://photos.app.goo.gl/PjubmVemJCvUJWye7

Yes, that does look a little less puffy. Good work!

If it were my chicken, I would only use the drawing salve until that infection is drawn out. But if it makes you feel better to use both, then I don't think you are hurting anything. How are you applying it? Mixed or salve, then ointment? If you opt to use both, I would go the second route.

I am glad she seems to be walking a little better!

Have a good trip and keep me up to date on your gal.

 

[richardeblack]

Sorry, messages crossing.
I have been filling the hole with antibiotic then salve all round then dressing.
I will just use salve for the next couple of days and try and get more out then just smother it with antibiotic cream and dressing it on Sunday morning ready for the trip.
I'll try to get some better tweezers for tomorrow's treatment and see if they are any better at getting back stuff out.
Thank you again.
I'll post again tomorrow after the next session.
Take care
Richard

 

[MarlaMac]

Sorry, messages crossing.
I have been filling the hole with antibiotic then salve all round then dressing.
I will just use salve for the next couple of days and try and get more out then just smother it with antibiotic cream and dressing it on Sunday morning ready for the trip.
I'll try to get some better tweezers for tomorrow's treatment and see if they are any better at getting back stuff out.
Thank you again.
I'll post again tomorrow after the next session.
Take care
Richard

I am not sure I would dig too much. The salve should help bring that infection to the surface and loosen it a bit to help it move to the forefront of the opening. And then pull what will come out.

I might take time to massage that leg from where the swelling starts in a downward motion to see if you can get some of that infection to move down to the foot so that you can squeeze it out. What you pulled out looked super dry. She probably has some cottage cheese consistency stuff lurking in her foot waiting to come out. You will have to be pretty firm in your strokes to move that stuff. But it needs to come out and by helping it move you are only giving it one place to go.

Do you have access to antibiotics without seeing a vet?

 

[richardeblack]

Thank you.
Do I actually put the salve in the hole or do I just apply liberally over the surface? The salve seems to have changed the swelling from soft, presumably puss filled, to hard. I was squeezing towards the hole quite hard but no sign of anything other than the fibrous material similar to what I got out before. As I said, tomorrow I will soak again and squeeze a bit more like you describe, down the leg, and see if I can see anything else. I'll then just add the salve and dress it.
I won't have time on Sunday morning to do much except soak briefly, have another squeeze the spray thoroughly with chlorohexadine (as I have been doing up to now) and antibiotic cream and salve then dress her for the time we're away.
The only antibiotics I have access to is the triple antibiotic cream and some very old antibiotic purple spray (terramycin) which has been banned here for decades.
Thank you again.
Richard

 

[MarlaMac]

Thank you.
Do I actually put the salve in the hole or do I just apply liberally over the surface? The salve seems to have changed the swelling from soft, presumably puss filled, to hard. I was squeezing towards the hole quite hard but no sign of anything other than the fibrous material similar to what I got out before. As I said, tomorrow I will soak again and squeeze a bit more like you describe, down the leg, and see if I can see anything else. I'll then just add the salve and dress it.
I won't have time on Sunday morning to do much except soak briefly, have another squeeze the spray thoroughly with chlorohexadine (as I have been doing up to now) and antibiotic cream and salve then dress her for the time we're away.
The only antibiotics I have access to is the triple antibiotic cream and some very old antibiotic purple spray (terramycin) which has been banned here for decades.
Thank you again.
Richard

You are doing everything you can for her. The salve should bring the infection out. Yes, put the salve directly on/in the hole. Then, like you said dress it up real well before you leave. It should keep working the entire time as long as it doesn't get wet and sloppy, but your friend can help out if it does.

Have a great time and try not to stress too much about your girl.

 

[richardeblack]

Thank you
I will do that. When I leave them I don't free range them and they are confined to their run as my friend doesn't like the responsibility of anything happening to them. The run is covered so it stays very dry in the back half and fairly dry in the front bit so the dressing should stay fairly dry.
The back is soft powdery dry earth but the front is hard packed earth which gets a bit damp although not too bad. I plan to dig out the front section and put sand down but haven't had time yet. Run is 16ft by 6ft so good space. I take it the antibiotic cream is for after the infection is cleaned out to help with healing the wound.
I feel so sorry for her as I've got to drain her water belly again soon. I will try to leave that until I get back although she is getting large.
Ah well, the joys and responsibilities of chicken ownership.
Thank you
Richard

 

[MarlaMac]

Thank you
I will do that. When I leave them I don't free range them and they are confined to their run as my friend doesn't like the responsibility of anything happening to them. The run is covered so it stays very dry in the back half and fairly dry in the front bit so the dressing should stay fairly dry.
The back is soft powdery dry earth but the front is hard packed earth which gets a bit damp although not too bad. I plan to dig out the front section and put sand down but haven't had time yet. Run is 16ft by 6ft so good space. I take it the antibiotic cream is for after the infection is cleaned out to help with healing the wound.
I feel so sorry for her as I've got to drain her water belly again soon. I will try to leave that until I get back although she is getting large.
Ah well, the joys and responsibilities of chicken ownership.
Thank you
Richard

Yeah, no one told us about all this while we were looking at cute little chicks! HAHAHA Then we fall in love with them and know we would have done it anyway!

Your chicken knows she is well taken care of and appreciates that!

Yes, the antibiotic ointment will finish off the healing process. Once you feel all the infection is drawn out, then the antibiotic ointment will finish the job for you.

I like to keep the wound dressed until it is completely healed so that it doesn't get reinfected. Some people don't do this, but I am a little more anal about such things. But once you switch to the antibiotic ointment, you can go 2-3 days between dressings.

Hopefully when you get back she is ready to have the rest of that infection expelled.

Have a great trip. I hope it is fun, not business.