Is this bumblefoot?

[Hilltop Flock]

I noticed a hen today with a little swelling between her toes and the slightest limp.This picture is after I soaked the foot in epsom salt. This is bumblefoot, right? What is the reddish coloring to the side? I just wanted a little advice before I started pulling away the plug, which I think is the little hole right in the middle of the darker spot.

 

[burdisthewurd]

certainly looks like bumblefoot to me.

 

[Hilltop Flock]

certainly looks like bumblefoot to me.

Thank you for the input!

 

[Hilltop Flock]

certainly looks like bumblefoot to me.

Is the reddish bit to the side just from the infection spreading?

 

[burdisthewurd]

once you get it cleaned up you may consider using icthamol drawing salve or a mixture of clay with colloidal silver, tea tree oil, manuka honey, and crytolepsis sanguinolenta tincture if you can find it is aweaome against staph. you want a kind of paste consistency if using the clay pack.

spray with vetericyn first then dab the icthamol or clay ( they both have drawing powers) onto a clean gauze.
place gauze with drawing "salve" onto bumble area and wrap with vet wrap.

it may take several times doing the whole process from soaking, removing bumble, and wrapping. ideally change wrappings etc every day or 2.

blessings and godspeed in healing

 

[burdisthewurd]

yes, that is probably part of the bumble.
there isnt always a plug per se but a cheesy substance anywhere from slime to waxy can occur underneath: the waxy stuff can act kind of like a shell at the surface and sometimes can be quite thick kinda like a "plug".. its important to get the medicine underneath. soaking really helps soften everything up. we lay our chickens on their side and have 2 people: one holding, one working. scalpels are ideal but weve used a brand new razor blade ( very carefully) that we sanitize in a pinch..

ive worked plenty that dont bleed but had a few that bled .. it is possible that the minimal bleeding actually helped flush out some of the yucky pussy stuff when its there but it is far far better when you soak long enough to soften enough where bleeding is unlikely. it sometimes just takes alonger soak than you might think.

 

[Hilltop Flock]

yes, that is probably part of the bumble.
there isnt always a plug per se but a cheesy substance anywhere from slime to waxy can occur underneath: the waxy stuff can act kind of like a shell at the surface and sometimes can be quite thick kinda like a "plug".. its important to get the medicine underneath. soaking really helps soften everything up. we lay our chickens on their side and have 2 people: one holding, one working. scalpels are ideal but weve used a brand new razor blade ( very carefully) that we sanitize in a pinch..

ive worked plenty that dont bleed but had a few that bled .. it is possible that the minimal bleeding actually helped flush out some of the yucky pussy stuff when its there but it is far far better when you soak long enough to soften enough where bleeding is unlikely. it sometimes just takes alonger soak than you might think.

Should I just try to make an incision near the middle for the pus to escape through as opposed to working out a plug?

 

[burdisthewurd]

Should I just try to make an incision near the middle for the pus to escape through as opposed to working out a plug?

i would not make an incision, you dont want to potentially drive anything deeper and that waxy stuff is often infected material ( sometimes granulation tissue can look similar but you likely wont see any granulation tissues until further healing starts to occur)
soak her with warm epsom water and try to work off the scab/ plug slowly starting from the edges..soaking again as you go if needed.

 

[burdisthewurd]

also, some are more surface infections
than others.

 

[Hilltop Flock]

i would not make an incision, you dont want to potentially drive anything deeper and that waxy stuff is often infected material ( sometimes granulation tissue can look similar but you likely wont see any granulation tissues until further healing starts to occur)
soak her with warm epsom water and try to work off the scab/ plug slowly starting from the edges..soaking again as you go if needed.

Thank you so much for your advice! I appreciate your patience and information!!