How to tell if infection is going away. Question for those who've dealt with bumblefoot issues.

[flyboy129]

Hello all. I have been treating my RIR roo for a missing toenail that became infected. The first time, I squeezed the infection out, bandaged him, I made the mistake of just letting him back out with the girls. The toe swelled up even larger and I had to do it over a week later. I cleaned/squeezed the infection out again about a week and a half ago.

This time, I have been keeping him in a crate with clean bedding up off of the ground. I do keep one hen with him for company and so he doesn't pace constantly. I have been cleaning his foot and rebandaging it daily, applying chlorhexidine ointment I got from a vet to the wound. Though after the first couple of days, it has only been applied over the scab. I have also been administering pen g every other day, alternating sides so his breast tissue won't become sore.

He no longer favors his better foot. His overal demeanor has never changed, even when his foot was infected. He is still the same old happy, clumsy roo that he's always been, so I can't use that as a gauge of healing. His toe is still the same size on the end as when I got rid of the infection the second time. When I touch or apply some decent pressure to it, he no longer yanks it away as if it hurts. When I really mash it between my fingers, he pulls away, but I'm thinking that is normal. Just want to make sure I'm doing everything correctly.

So, will the size shrink once the infection is gone, or sometimes does it stay larger due to possible scar tissue that has formed?

How long should I keep administering the penicillin? Till the scab is gone?

Thanks.

 

[Chickenladyamie]

I had a white leghorn who developed Bumblefoot a few months ago- until then I had never even heard of it. I brought her in the house and soaked her feet in Epsom salts 2x a day for nearly 2 weeks- I applied Silver sulfadiazine after every soak and wrapped her foot in vet wrap tape, she stayed indoors in a dog crate for 3 weeks. Her bumble was very swollen so I just watched it close and when the scab was almost completely gone I put her back out with the girls and just checked her foot about every 2 days. She had barely any swelling when she went back out and there was a small black scab still on there. She has been back in the coop for about a month and I still check her often because I heard it can re-occur easily. Overall, You can tell if infection is going away by less swelling, redness and lameness- my chicken was not walking at all when I first brought her in! after 1 week limping after 2 weeks owning the joint and by week 3 we had enough of chicken in the house!!