Infected Toe very swollen Help

[TerriL]

OK I will operate on it. I appreciate all the great information. I will let you all know how things go.

Thanks again Terri

 

[Chickenaddict]

TerriL best of luck to you and your rooster

I have also done the bumblefoot surgery several times and agree with ruths advise. If the infection doesn't get better after the lancing and soaking then I would seriously consider amputating that toe asap. After you lance it and are able to get the "gunk" out the pennG will really help in the healing process and to keep further infection from setting in. I used ruths advice about the towel over there head and it makes it sooooo easy to work on them. I would flush the area out with a weak epsom salt/betadine solution mixed up to look like weak tea, dry off and pack with the antibiotic ointment then bandage with sterile gauze slathered in the same antibiotic ointment (without the pain reliever) and top that off with vet wrap to keep if clean and free of debris. It's not the end of the wrold if he looses that toe. I have a few chickens running around here who have lost toes and they get around just fine.

I never thought in a million years I could have ever done surgery on a chicken of all things but your motherly instincts kick in and you find the strength to do what needs to be done. You will feel sooo much better as will the rooster once you get that infection out of there

 

[TerriL]

Chickenaddict I appreciate your kind words. I know what you mean about losing a toe, I have several roos for whatever reason have lost a piece or the whole toe and they get along just fine. I am waiting until this evening to do this as it is very hot and humid and I dont want to rush doing this but I cant take the humidity anymore. So I will update you on how it goes. Thanks again Terri:/

 

[TerriL]

I did it, I cut from the toe down and I just got lots and lots of blood. I knew I couldnt stop so I cut down closer to the pad and finally I found it cheezey stuff. I dug and squeezed until I didnt get any more. I packed it with Neo. and wrapped it up. I really felt bad for the Roo, he was soo good and I was chopping up his toe. So I gave he some meal worms so he was happy.

I don't understand why his upper toe is so big but I didnt find anything, that concerns me. I hope I didnt hurt him too bad, now I will wait a couple of days and see what it looks like.

 

[DaniLovesChickens]

Congratulations on doing the surgery! If you got cheezy stuff out of there, then it sounds very successful!

Hope that you both recover! Keep us posted as to how he is doing!!


P.S. What kind of knife did you use? I need to do a bumblefoot surgery and the exacto knife I have didn't work. Should I try to get a scalpel?

 

[chickerdoodle]

Good job!! Keep us posted!!

Do you know how to wrap it? If not look at this video:

 

[chkn]

Wow, that took some courage Terri. Maybe the end of the toe is so swollen because of the circulation. I know it sounds strange but he's probably feeling a lot better.

 

[Chickenaddict]

Good job Terri!

I am relieved that you got that gunk out of there. I would soak his foot in betadine/epsom salts every night for about 10 minutes and repack the incision with neosporin and rebandage for about 1 week. It's amazing how fast they heal if the area is kept clean. Keep us posted, we are rooting for the rooster to make a full recovery

 

[TerriL]

Chickenaddict - I am hopefully he will recover. I will soak his foot as you describe. Thanks for all to good info so I could do this.

Thanks Chickerdoodle - I actually do know who to wrap it, I had so practice on another Roo who had a foot injury and that bumble foot wrap directions works great.

Dani - I did use the Xacto knife that has the thin pencil size handle and I think it is a #11 blade. Hope that helps and good luck with your endevor.

I will keep you all posted on his progress. Thanks for all your help. Terri

 

[TerriL]

Good Evening, Well I unwrapped his toe and soaked it in iodine and epsom salts. The spot I dug out was full again so I dug it out again.

I was wondering, the lower part of the toe I can get stuff out of but the upper part of the toe all I get is blood. Do you all think that I need to open up the toe more. My concern is that the lower part of the toe is so small after I clean it out but the upper part is still large.

I noticed when I clean the lower part tonight that it hurt him. I which I knew of something to give him to help with the pain.

Any thought and ideas are appreciated. Thanks Terri