Is there no coming back from this besides going to the vet? Is my other option to put her down?

[citychicks99]

One of my hens has a bad case of grade 5 bumblefoot. It looked infected and the lesion was turning green. I kept watching videos of having to cut it out, but I don't work in the medical field and have zero experience performing any kind of surgery. I hesitated a few times but I convinced myself I had to do it.

I cut a circle around the lesion on Sunday and popped it out. I didn't find any plug or pus, just a ton of blood. I put corn starch on it and wrapped it.

Monday it looked okay. By Tuesday, it looked like it was getting infected. I soaked her in Epsom salt and rewrapped it. I checked it again today and her foot is turning green and there was a lot of blood again. The site scabbed but it's turning green.

I've been giving her amoxicillin since Thursday and it helped some of the swelling and flattened the bump on her leg but there wasn't a lot of change on the bottom of her foot. Aside from this and limping she seems fine otherwise.

I have doxycycline coming on Thursday but I don't know if she'll be able to make it without a vet, which is out of my budget right now. Will antibiotics be able to heal an infection like this without surgery? Should I spare her the pain and put her down sooner rather than later?

 

[SnackMeat]

In this case, if she's walking, eating, and drinking I think you're fine to keep on with antibiotics. Sometimes it takes a few days to really see a difference while the medication kicks in.

Tricide neo could help too but otherwise foot soaks, Neosporin without the pain relief chemical, and clean wrapping every day or two.

 

[Debbie292d]

Here are some links about Tricide-neo. I'd give that a shot. https://ouroneacrefarm.com/2013/11/09/bumblefoot-treatment-tricideneo/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/treating-bumblefoot-with-tricide-neo.513183/

I've also recently seen @Eggcessive say on a different bumblefoot post that doxycycline won't help bumblefoot.

 

[citychicks99]

In this case, if she's walking, eating, and drinking I think you're fine to keep on with antibiotics. Sometimes it takes a few days to really see a difference while the medication kicks in.

Tricide neo could help too but otherwise foot soaks, Neosporin without the pain relief chemical, and clean wrapping every day or two.

She already has an open wound. Would soaking not be so good for that? I'll try and take pics of her foot tomorrow. I kept watching videos of people digging the infection out but I'm going to stop messing with it and let it come up on its own.

 

[citychicks99]

Here are some links about Tricide-neo. I'd give that a shot. https://ouroneacrefarm.com/2013/11/09/bumblefoot-treatment-tricideneo/

https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/treating-bumblefoot-with-tricide-neo.513183/

I've also recently seen @Eggcessive say on a different bumblefoot post that doxycycline won't help bumblefoot.

Ok I'll order some tricide-neo.

Are you talking about this thread? https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/antibiotics-sourcing.1674965/page-2

I think she was referring to osteomyletsis but maybe she mentioned what you said elsewhere.

 

[SnackMeat]

Chicken pus isn't like human pus. It's much more solid. Think about it like white blood cells responding to try to wrap the infection in a bubble. That bubble can get bigger and in a human you can drain that bubble mostly through a small hole. But chickens, with thicker, more solid pus, you need to have a large whole to remove it. Otherwise it stays in the body.


You can use a drawing salve, but yes, soaking, especially with tircide neo, or even Epsom salt can help keep the opening that you've made soft. If it gardens and scabs over that kernal of infection doesn't have a way to exit.


I know it makes you nervous but it's kind of something you have to deal with. Epsom salt soak aren't going to kill the infection but it can help. I've heard of tricide neo being used for a long period of time clearing it without cutting.


If it's handling the bird that is a problem, wrap them burrito style in a towel, with their head covered to calm them. Then have the feet stick out and they will mostly likely stay very still for the most part, except when you're cutting too deeply into healthy tissue.

You also need to be wearing gloves because it's essentially a staph infection.


There's some stuff you can do to help support fighting the infection but I've only seen three answers to bumblefoot with a positive outcome:

1. Body fights off smaller, lower grade bumblefoot (you're too far past this point. Plus the infection is green. Not a good sign.)

2. Cut out the kernal like it's a big pyramid sticking into the foot. Use antibacterials and wrap and keep clean, changing regularly til the hole is healed.

3. Tricide neo for weeks of soaking.

 

[citychicks99]

Chicken pus isn't like human pus. It's much more solid. Think about it like white blood cells responding to try to wrap the infection in a bubble. That bubble can get bigger and in a human you can drain that bubble mostly through a small hole. But chickens, with thicker, more solid pus, you need to have a large whole to remove it. Otherwise it stays in the body.


You can use a drawing salve, but yes, soaking, especially with tircide neo, or even Epsom salt can help keep the opening that you've made soft. If it gardens and scabs over that kernal of infection doesn't have a way to exit.


I know it makes you nervous but it's kind of something you have to deal with. Epsom salt soak aren't going to kill the infection but it can help. I've heard of tricide neo being used for a long period of time clearing it without cutting.


If it's handling the bird that is a problem, wrap them burrito style in a towel, with their head covered to calm them. Then have the feet stick out and they will mostly likely stay very still for the most part, except when you're cutting too deeply into healthy tissue.

You also need to be wearing gloves because it's essentially a staph infection.


There's some stuff you can do to help support fighting the infection but I've only seen three answers to bumblefoot with a positive outcome:

1. Body fights off smaller, lower grade bumblefoot (you're too far past this point. Plus the infection is green. Not a good sign.)

2. Cut out the kernal like it's a big pyramid sticking into the foot. Use antibacterials and wrap and keep clean, changing regularly til the hole is healed.

3. Tricide neo for weeks of soaking.

Oooo ok I thought it would be a good thing for it to scab over but apparently not.. it's already scabbing over so maybe I'll soak it tomorrow morning in Epsom salt and chlorhexidine until the tricide neo gets here. Would you recommend a drawing salve over the scab at this point or should I still use Neosporin?

Do you reuse the tricide neo or make a fresh batch each time?

 

[SnackMeat]

Either one would be fine. You have tricide neo coming so I wouldn't worry about drawing salve unless you can get it locally cheaply.

It can be good to have on hand.

Yeah, those holes need to stay soft and open.



And actually for humans, keeping wounds wet while the skin knits itself up is actually best. If you let your wound harden, as you move you'll create tears in healing skin and the scab. But keeping it soft and moist (there's these handy silicone bandages now) really make a difference.

 

[citychicks99]

Either one would be fine. You have tricide neo coming so I wouldn't worry about drawing salve unless you can get it locally cheaply.

It can be good to have on hand.

Yeah, those holes need to stay soft and open.



And actually for humans, keeping wounds wet while the skin knits itself up is actually best. If you let your wound harden, as you move you'll create tears in healing skin and the scab. But keeping it soft and moist (there's these handy silicone bandages now) really make a difference.

I do have PRID handy but I was using Neosporin because I was worried about an infection. I also have the hydrocolloid dressing but I think that's for after the infection is already out.

Her other foot actually looks like it's cleared of the bumblefoot, so it looks like the amoxicillin is working. Should I just keep her on that until this larger infection clears?