Is this bumble foot?

[Miss Lydia]

It’s not easy wrapping a ducks foot! I use non stick pad then start with vet wrap keeping the web flat main thing is going up around the ankle so they can’t kick it off. Last on I treated I had bought the neoprene shoes from crazy k farm so I used vet wrap sparingly so I could put the shoe on over it it worked real well maybe try cutting something for padding then use the baby sock keeping her dry is going to be the biggest hurdle. I wouldn’t separate them it’s stressful. I just removed wrapping from my chickens foot yesterday thankfully bumble healed up!

 

[CoriM]

It’s not easy wrapping a ducks foot! I use non stick pad then start with vet wrap keeping the web flat main thing is going up around the ankle so they can’t kick it off. Last on I treated I had bought the neoprene shoes from crazy k farm so I used vet wrap sparingly so I could put the shoe on over it it worked real well maybe try cutting something for padding then use the baby sock keeping her dry is going to be the biggest hurdle. I wouldn’t separate them it’s stressful. I just removed wrapping from my chickens foot yesterday thankfully bumble healed up!

Thanks for the tip. I ordered the neoprene booties today!

 

[Miss Lydia]

Let us know how it goes with the bumble. At least with ducks those shoes last my chickens and their scratching the ground wear out a pair in no time.

 

[austroberta]

I have just had my duck in for a slightly worse case on both feet. She had me soaking twice a day for a week in epsom, and applying an antibiotic cream on it. She checked it again today and said that the fact that she was not limping and it has not worsen is good. She is on a course of oral antibiotics now for something different, which may improve it as well. She said maintaining is better than picking at it and removing infection. I argued that everyone else does that, and she said it was too risky for her to recommend me treat at home by removing and bandaging. So, for now, we are watching and waiting. Worse case, we give her a sedative and surgically remove, but she says that’s a last resort. I honestly am conflicted. But I’ll let ya know if we see progress with oral antibiotics, as many say they don’t see any progress that way, though some do. ‍

My vet told me the same thing, but 6 weeks later, my duck's bumbles are still there. We have been soaking her foot in epsom salts daily and then putting neosporin/vetracyin on the bumbles. She is not limping at all, her foot is not warm and doesn't show any signs of slowing down or being bothered by the bumbles, but I am concerned that if this keeps on going on, the infection will spread to her bone. I'm also wondering if at some point we are all going to get sick of the ES soaks. I'm also not seeing any progress in the size of the bumbles. They haven't grown, but they haven't gotten smaller either.

 

[Miss Lydia]

Can you post pics? Did you try and get the bumble infection out by removing the scabs? That’s the only way I have been able to get the infection cleared up is getting the infection out.

 

[Urban Waddler]

My vet told me the same thing, but 6 weeks later, my duck's bumbles are still there. We have been soaking her foot in epsom salts daily and then putting neosporin/vetracyin on the bumbles. She is not limping at all, her foot is not warm and doesn't show any signs of slowing down or being bothered by the bumbles, but I am concerned that if this keeps on going on, the infection will spread to her bone. I'm also wondering if at some point we are all going to get sick of the ES soaks. I'm also not seeing any progress in the size of the bumbles. They haven't grown, but they haven't gotten smaller either.

I feel exactly the same way. So tired of soaking, and despite antibiotics, the bumbles look exactly as they did when I started treatment. My vet tried to assure me that even if the black scab looking things stay forever, that’s not a bad thing. The underlying infection that caused the darkening is the concern. For me, who is a little ocd when it comes to fixing things, this is terribly frustrating advice, as I want to see progress, want the bumbles to be gone, period. The bumbles have similarly not slowed my little lady down in the slightest, so maybe she is right, that this is a good sign, despite the visibility of the bumbles not changing. I don’t know. So many people treat this at home, and I am so tempted, but my vet scared me into believing I’m likely to do more harm than good, and I can’t live with that either.

 

[Ebony Rose]

A recap of what many have said, and some pointers.
First off, absolutely nothing you did or didn't do, caused this condition.
Warm epsom salt baths, 10-20 minutes, don't allow her to drink the water as epsom salt is a laxative. Water is the right temperature when you dunk your own hand and wrist into the water and it's hot, but not uncomfortable on the inside portion of your wrist. Wear rubber/nitrile/food preparation gloves while working on her feet as bumblefoot is a staph infection and can be passed to humans through any tiny cut or abrasion you might have. After the spa-soak, rub the bumblefoot area with a dry terry rag (terry is nice, as it's abrasive without being ABRASIVE) that you don't mind staining, you're hoping that the scab will pop off on the rag which will make the job a lot easier. If it doesn't pop off, you can pick the scab off, or with a scalpel (available at any feed store that also sells veterinary pharmaceuticals), or an exacto knife (available at any arts and crafts store that's worth it's weight in salt), you can zip open an edge of the infected area. Bleeds less if you can just get the scab to pop off. I use a product called bleed-stop, but others are sure to chime in on how to stop the bleeding afterward with other items you may already have in the house.
So... the wound has been opened, one way or the other... now squeeze the dickens out of it, like you would a blackhead or cyst. You're expecting a pale yellow, cheese-like substance (chicken pus isn't runny like human pus is) to come out of the wound as you apply pressure. Squeeze it all out of there, using tweezers to pull it out if need be. Flush with water periodically to improve visibility to ensure you got it all. If you leave any pus in the wound, it will continue to fester, so double check.
Put triple antibiotic without pain killers into the wound (this type of medicine has the consistency of vaseline). Dress the wound and make her a little boot with sports tape, the type that sticks to itself but is easy enough for you to remove after without skinning her alive.

 

[austroberta]

I feel exactly the same way. So tired of soaking, and despite antibiotics, the bumbles look exactly as they did when I started treatment. My vet tried to assure me that even if the black scab looking things stay forever, that’s not a bad thing. The underlying infection that caused the darkening is the concern. For me, who is a little ocd when it comes to fixing things, this is terribly frustrating advice, as I want to see progress, want the bumbles to be gone, period. The bumbles have similarly not slowed my little lady down in the slightest, so maybe she is right, that this is a good sign, despite the visibility of the bumbles not changing. I don’t know. So many people treat this at home, and I am so tempted, but my vet scared me into believing I’m likely to do more harm than good, and I can’t live with that either.

What I wonder is, are these bumbles like candle wax--as in they'll melt away eventually-- or are they like rocks in your shoe, that you need to remove or else they will never go away? After all the soaking, anti-inflammatory meds, antibiotics (my duck was on both for an eye ulcer), etc etc, the bumbles still look the same, I'm thinking it's the latter (rocks in your shoe) and not the former (candle wax).

Then again, I know some of my daughter's friends who got piercings that were rejected by their bodies, as in just eventually pushed out by the body, so maybe it's possible that something similar happens with a bumble?! (Although I'm tending towards the doubt-that-will- happen side.)

My duck is eating well, drinking well, happy and doing all of her duck things. I do note that her foot felt really hot when I first discovered the bumbles, but now, after the meds and soaking, it doesn't, so there is that small improvement. I don't feel alarmed, just incredibly frustrated.

My concern about doing the home surgery on my duck is that I cannot isolate her when she's well. She screams bloody murder, is stressed, doesn't eat etc, so I can't put her in a space with clean shavings, etc, which is what I'd need to do if I cut her foot open.

 

[slordaz]

usually after a soak or 2 it is softened enough you can pull the black scab off, just have stypix or some corn starch in case there is any bleeding to stop it, once the scab is removed you need to get all the infection out. Always use some type of non absorbent glove as not only a safety precaution but to help griping as needed, then after the infection is removed you pack it with antibiotic cream and bandage if you let them out, or you can keep isolated and give a little kiddie pool for them to clean themselves . Plain soaking isn't going to make the scab come off, your going to have to rub or pull the scab off

 

[Urban Waddler]

What I wonder is, are these bumbles like candle wax--as in they'll melt away eventually-- or are they like rocks in your shoe, that you need to remove or else they will never go away? After all the soaking, anti-inflammatory meds, antibiotics (my duck was on both for an eye ulcer), etc etc, the bumbles still look the same, I'm thinking it's the latter (rocks in your shoe) and not the former (candle wax).

Then again, I know some of my daughter's friends who got piercings that were rejected by their bodies, as in just eventually pushed out by the body, so maybe it's possible that something similar happens with a bumble?! (Although I'm tending towards the doubt-that-will- happen side.)

My duck is eating well, drinking well, happy and doing all of her duck things. I do note that her foot felt really hot when I first discovered the bumbles, but now, after the meds and soaking, it doesn't, so there is that small improvement. I don't feel alarmed, just incredibly frustrated.

My concern about doing the home surgery on my duck is that I cannot isolate her when she's well. She screams bloody murder, is stressed, doesn't eat etc, so I can't put her in a space with clean shavings, etc, which is what I'd need to do if I cut her foot open.

So, my vet explained that they definitely do not need to come
Out. She terrified me with all kinds of things that can go wrong, and how traumatizing this would be for my little girl. It seems like folks are doing a good job with their home care on here, but for me, I can’t imagine the experience going well with my duck. She is very tame, loves being held, pet, snuggling, and never runs from me, but often to me. When I need to treat her feet with meds, she is absolutely terrified, and does everything she can to get away. She does not want her feet messed with. I can pet them, soak them, rub cream on them, but the minute I try to keep her foot still, she screams and flaps and jumps and nearly hurts herself to get free. So...I think for me, and maybe you, a lot can go wrong just because we can’t keep them calm while we mess with it.