Is This Bumblefoot? *WITH PICS*

[Iowa Roo Mom]

I would have never caught it except the other night my roo tried to jump onto a box and accidentaly tipped it over and he and the box came crashing to the floor.... I was scared he broke his leg or something so I swoop him up and upon a through check of his legs and feet I find this...

Sorry it's such a crummy pic, it's a cell phone pic. I'll try to get another pic tomorrow, and compare, but in the mean time- which antibiotic should I get if it is, in fact, the dreaded bumblefoot?

He isn't limping, and it isn't reddened, of course it "looks" a little swolen to me.... but not real bad. What is the prognosis of bumblefoot? What do I do next?

 

[Ridgerunner]

I don't know. Luckily I have never had the problem. This thread might help you.

I know I'm presuming a bit, but if they don't pick up on this thread, you might want to pm Speckledhen or Gumpsgirl. I don't know them but from their posts they seem like real nice helpful people. I'll risk their ire by suggesting them.

Bumblefoot Thread
https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=219319

Good luck!

 

[WriterofWords]

I don't but I sure hope not, because if it is you won't be alone!

 

[kycklingar!]

I can't tell from the photo, but when you get a better one up, I should be able to say for sure.

 

[Chickenaddict]

It looks to be at the begining stages of bumblefoot. I have several right now that have it and need to be treated, gonna be lots of pink and purple wrapped feet running about the yard. My cases are due to landscaping rocks and a large wooded area they like to play in.

 

[basicliving]

Is that a scab on the bottom of the foot, or dirt? It's hard to tell by that picture - but if it is bumblefoot, this is the most helpful thread I've found on treating it http://backyardchickens.yuku.com/topic/6681/t/Bumblefoot-Treatment-Thanks-Eggcentric.html

When I treated Duke's bumblefoot, there was no "plug". There was something like rubbery pus strands. Just thought I'd give you a heads up that you may not find an actual plug. Several that I've talked to since found the same strandy stuff, and no plug.

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Quote:
Yes, it is a scab. The treatments in the thread sound very agressive- on the one hand, I want to get it before it gets real bad. On the other hand, if it is NOT indeed bumblefoot, and I go to cutting, I would feel... well... HORRIBLE. I don't know what to do.

I tried to get better pics, but my camera is so new I really haven't figured out the focus yet. I'll try agin tomorrow. It doesn't seem to bother him, and it hasn't really gotten any worse, but I know that I need to get it taken care of.

Grrr! Sometimes I wonder why I ever got into this "chicken" thing. Do you have any idea how crazy my family, friends, and coworkers think I am, stressing over a chicken's foot?!?

 

[obe10]

it does appear to be an early stage of bumble foot from what i can see. please try to get a better pic. that would help a lot but i wouldn't cut anything yet until we can make sure. but if it is what i think it is you will have to cut it.

 

[basicliving]

Quote:

I know exactly what you mean! But honestly, the initial treatment for bumblefoot isn't that bad, if you do it as the link I sent suggests. Using that method, you really don't have to cut anything - you soak the foot and then kind of lift the scab up (which can take a little while) and pull it out with tweezers. Hopefully, the plug will come with it. In my case, it didn't, so I had to use the tweezers to pull out the strands that I found. A little time consuming, but it really wasn't bad. I ended up doing this three times, but never found "strands" after the initial time.

What works for me is wrapping a towel around the body (over the wings) to keep them from flapping. Then I lay them on their side, and gently drape a towel over their heads. Mine just lay there - they very rarely fight at all.

I'm still having trouble with my roos bumblefoot - it just doesn't seem to want to go away. I will start Pen-G injections today to hopefully get rid of the stubborn infection.

Get another picture if you can. But if your chicken does have bumblefoot, the "surgery" really isn't as difficult as it may sound. You can do it!

Take care,
Penny

 

[dlhunicorn]

Quote:
Yes, it is a scab. The treatments in the thread sound very agressive- on the one hand, I want to get it before it gets real bad. On the other hand, if it is NOT indeed bumblefoot, and I go to cutting, I would feel... well... HORRIBLE. I don't know what to do.

I tried to get better pics, but my camera is so new I really haven't figured out the focus yet. I'll try agin tomorrow. It doesn't seem to bother him, and it hasn't really gotten any worse, but I know that I need to get it taken care of.

Grrr! Sometimes I wonder why I ever got into this "chicken" thing. Do you have any idea how crazy my family, friends, and coworkers think I am, stressing over a chicken's foot?!?

I have seen several references (including a members accounting of his vet doing same on "early" case of bumblefoot) whereby a compounded DMSO together with penicillin (may have been Pen-G cant remember off the top of my head) was applied topically or injected into the site itself (cant remember if the injection also included DMSO) ... you will need a script from a vet for a compounded med (the DMSO will ensure that the topically applied med is absorbed which will not happen without it)
I have the source articles at my library below in my sig (sorry but am on my way out and will be gone most of the day. If you can possibly go this route first I would encourage you to do so as unnecessarily opening up the wound when there is no plug of abscess may make things worse instead of better.

ETA: http://dlhunicorn.conforums.com/index.cgi?board=diseasecasestudies&action=display&num=1159620742
(relevant excerpt re DMSO/compounded med)
"... (from board posting:
lovea Re: bumblefoot
thanks for all who contributed to this thread. I went ahead and had a vet take a look at him. He diagnosised it as bumblefoot surprisingly. The vet is recommending some stuff called DMSO mixed with penicillin. The DMSO is an oil product that carries the medicine deep into the foot being that the foot infected will have poor circulation. Hopefully treatment will go well. Thanks again for ya'lls advice
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
http://www.anmldr.com/PalmVet/Mixed-13-1-2-3.htm#bumblefoot
(excerpt)
Treatment of bumblefoot in raptors includes both nonsurgical and surgical. Wound management is often the most challenging aspect of treatment and is usually accomplished by application of ball bandages. These bandages consist of gauze sponges placed on the plantar surface of the foot that are incorporated into a bandage by wrapping the digits (using cast padding and an elastic nonadhesive dressing) in a circular-longitudinal fashion in a "ball" around the sponges. It is important to incorporate the distal tarsometatarsus into the bandage to support the phalangeal and tarsometatarsal joints and to use many sponges to provide adequate cushioning of the plantar surface. Ball bandaging with a dimethyl sulfoxide "cocktail" is often effective for treating mild cases of bumblefoot. The formula consists of 8 ml DMSO, 2 ml dexamethasone (2 mg/ml), and 2 ml piperacillin or carbenicillin (500 mg/ml). Other common topical medications include udder cream to soften the feet, and hemorrhoid medication to promote epithelialization. Sharon Lynn Deem, DVM, PhD - Compendium, April 1999

http://www.wildlifeinformation.org/Subdirectories_for_search2/samplediseases/Bumblefoot.htm
"...Cooper (B366.7.w7):

Type 1: Mild localised lesion, often affecting only one digit, either proliferative (a raised corn) or degenerative (epithelial flattening and thinning); in some cases ulceration. The lesion may progress to form a scab. There may be no infection. (B366.7.w7)
Type 2: More extensive, pathogenic bacteria are usually involved. An acute inflammatory lesions with abscessation, but also chronic reaction such as fibrous tissue and mononuclear cells if examined histologically. May arise from a type 1 infection, or develop spontaneously, for example due to the bird piercing its own foot with a talon, sharp edges of a perch, or infection following entry of a foreign body such as a thorn. Clinically, the sole (or occasionally a digit) is swollen, hot and painful, generally with a scab over the swollen area. Within the swelling may be a clear serous exudate or caseous pus. Various bacteria may be cultured, often Staphylococcus aureus; other organisms such as Eschericia coli may be found as secondary invaders due to faecal contamination. (B366.7.w7)
Type 3: Chronic condition following from type 2. Infection is walled off by fibrous tissue, forming one or more pus-filled sacs. Long-standing cases can result in damage to tendons and infection of joints, with destructive arthritic changes extending into the shafts of long bones. (B366.7.w7..."
above is small excerpt > also mentions treating with DMSO

http://www.avianmedicine.net/ampa/16.pdf