Leghorn has bumblefoot. Treated her, but she's getting worse. What more can I do for her?

[MsChickenMomma]

I noticed a few weeks ago that one of my leghorns started forming a small bump on the top of her foot. I inspected it, and the bottom of her foot, and assumed it was just a small growth.

Well, I noticed on Monday that her foot was starting to become very swelled around the pad of it, and the top portion. On Tuesday I picked her up to check her foot. There was a large black scab on the bottom, and I knew instantly that it was bumblefoot, because I have dealt with it a few times before over the last couple years.

So I brought her in the house on Tuesday night, performed the bumblefoot surgery on her, cleaned it up good, and bandaged her up.

Just now I was outside and noticed that she is not at all herself. She has been curled up sleeping in the corner of the run all morning, and normally she is very active. I took off her bandage to look her foot over, and the injured area in very pink (not red) and still swelled. (Not as bad as it was though). When I set her back into the coop after looking her over, she limped over to the spot she had been sleeping, and resumed laying there.

I made sure to clean out all of the pus when I did the surgery on her, and I cleaned it very well and put neosporin on it, and did everything else that I have read to do. Both of the other times that I have had to do this with my hens, it went fine and the problem went away. So I don't understand why the same isn't happening for my Leghorn.

What should I do? Do I leave her be and hope she pulls through? Do I open her foot back up and see if I can get more pus out?

Thanks for the help,

-Ashley

 

[ChickenPox]

Maybe start some antibiotics, vitamins, electrolytes, or all of the above? I've never dealt with bumblefoot, but I"m dealing with cocci in some 3 month old leghorns as we speak. I hate losing them!

 

[BantamLover21]

I would separate her from the rest of the flock, if possible. Put her in a warm, clean place without a roost and give her water that has vitamins/electrolytes in it. Is she still eating? Does she have any other symptoms of another disease/ailment (discharge from nostrils, penguin like walk, swollen face, bloody/runny droppings, etc.)?

 

[MsChickenMomma]

No, she isn't showing any symptoms besides limping and drowsiness. Sadly, seperating her from the flock isn't an option, because I don't have anywhere to put her right now. :/ None of the other girls are picking on her, and she seems content. Just excessively tired and doesnt move around much.

Thanks for the advice. I'll try to get her some vitamins/electrolytes.

-Ashley

 

[MsChickenMomma]

I went out an hour ago to check on her, and her foot was hard and massively swollen. Far worse than it was on Tuesday. So I brought her into the house and opened her foot up again, thinking that she must have more pus in her foot. The only thing that came out was blood, and lots of it. There was no pus, no clear fluid, nothing.

I can't figure out why her foot is so swollen. Even after draining a lot of blood out of it, it hasn't decreased in size at all.

I have her in our dogs crate out in the garage, on a towel. I left her foot unbandaged so that the openings we made can form a blood clot. I also gave her some baby aspirin, in hopes that it will help with some of the swelling, and the pain in her foot.

I don't know what im supposed to do for her.

-Ashley

 

[CMV]

Sounds like she needs a round of Pen G. You can pick it up at the feed store along with some syringes for administration.

 

[Michael Apple]

Staphylococcus bacteria is what causes bumblefoot and is stubborn to get rid of. If you were locating the abscess, you wouldn't see blood so much, but a white, cheesy pus exuded from the wound. Pen G injectible is effective, but so is Biomycin 200 carried by most feed stores. Here is some good information regarding injections, especially Penicillin: https://sites.google.com/a/poultryp...oultry-podiatry#chickens_penicillin_injection

The incision for drainage should be on the upper side of the swelling. If you can drain it out, flood the opening with iodine or fill it with antibiotic ointment, then wrap it with a clean cloth. Vet wrap works well. Just make sure you don't wrap it so tight that circulation in the foot is inhibited. Recover will be faster by changing dressing 2-3 times a week. Make sure the bird is on clean, soft flooring. and no roost for about a week.

 

[MsChickenMomma]

Thank you for all of the great advice everyone. We have her foot wrapped well, and we gave her some penicillin about an hour ago.

Her entire leg is beginning to swell up now. Not just her foot. It's not hot to the touch, and there's no pus. But we went ahead and gave her the penicillin, just in case there is an infection of some sort. She is acting like her normal self now, and she's eating and drinking.