Limping silkie

[Ms.tiamaria]

My Silkie recently started limping. I checked her foot and one of the toes is swollen and warm. I soaked in epsom salt and found a tiny scab at the tip of the toe just under the nail. I soaked it off. The toenail also looks either broken down or smaller than on the healthy foot. There is no obvious wound. I took her to the vet and he said he thought she had sprained it. He prescribed some pain medication for her but it has gotten worse, so I started her on antibiotics as well. The toe is now bent upward slightly, whereas on the healthy foot, it curls downward. I cannot even bend the toe because it is so swollen. What concerns me further is that she has stopped laying, eats minimally, her feathers are all damaged and falling out, and she spends most of the day sitting in the corner of the run. Please help!

 

[Kiki]

What antibiotic did the vet give you?

Her nails look quite long...you might want to trim them a little.

Is there anything on the bottom of the foot?

Can you put her down and get a photo of the foot with her standing on it?


Have you checked her real well for lice and or mites?

 

[Ms.tiamaria]

What antibiotic did the vet give you?

Her nails look quite long...you might want to trim them a little.

Is there anything on the bottom of the foot?

Can you put her down and get a photo of the foot with her standing on it?


Have you checked her real well for lice and or mites?

She won’t stand on the left foot or put weight on it, so I can’t get a picture of that. The feathering covers that toe, so you wouldn’t be able to see anything anyway.

I trimmed her nails yesterday. I could trim more but I cut her quick once and now I’m scared to go much further.

Bottom of the foot looks perfectly normal. It’s just that one toe.

I see no parasites on her.

Below is a picture of her antibiotic

 

[Kiki]

She won’t stand on the left foot or put weight on it, so I can’t get a picture of that. The feathering covers that toe, so you wouldn’t be able to see anything anyway.

I trimmed her nails yesterday. I could trim more but I cut her quick once and now I’m scared to go much further.

Bottom of the foot looks perfectly normal. It’s just that one toe.

I see no parasites on her.

Below is a picture of her antibiotic

Ok great this medicine is good for treating an infection in the foot... bumblefoot.

The vet didn't want to cut the toe to drain some of the pus out?

http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/trimethoprim-sufamethoxazole

 

[Ms.tiamaria]

Ok great this medicine is good for treating an infection in the foot... bumblefoot.

The vet didn't want to cut the toe to drain some of the pus out?

http://www.poultrydvm.com/drugs/trimethoprim-sufamethoxazole

He did not feel there was an infection. There is no visible wound. He prescribed the antibiotics to appease me.

 

[Kiki]

He did not feel there was an infection. There is no visible wound. He prescribed the antibiotics to appease me.

My guess is the swelling is the infection.

Has the swelling gone down any yet or is it getting larger?

 

[Ms.tiamaria]

My guess is the swelling is the infection.

Has the swelling gone down any yet or is it getting larger?

Looks about the same. She has been on the antibiotics a few days now. Below are updated pictures.

 

[AmyJane725]

Looks about the same. She has been on the antibiotics a few days now. Below are updated pictures.

Has the toe cooled off at all?

And I agree the nails are quite long. When they're that long it increases the risk of them getting caught on something and ripping off. Maybe that's what happened to this toe. If the nail got jerked really hard it could make the toe inflamed. Have you ever ripped up your fingernail a bit by accident? I have, and the whole tip of my finger got really inflamed and painful for like a week.

If you're worried about hitting the quick, use a flashlight. Shine it through the nail and you can see where the quick stops and the part that is safe to trim begins.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The toe is now bent upward slightly, whereas on the healthy foot, it curls downward. I cannot even bend the toe because it is so swollen. What concerns me further is that she has stopped laying, eats minimally, her feathers are all damaged and falling out, and she spends most of the day sitting in the corner of the run.

How old is she?
If you can get some photos of all her that may help. You mention she has feathers damaged and falling out - what part of the world do you live in?