Minor Surgery / Cut Open Vein

[4Him]

My 7 month old hen had an infection in her foot. I read as much about it and treated it as bumble foot. Followed the procedure posted on your site. All was going well until I started to work on a part near her toenail. Cut open a vein and finally stopped the flow with a cauterizing agent and pressure. I wrapped the toe and put her in a separate cage for the night. Thank God she was ok late last night, no more bleeding. However, I did not get to remove all of the infection, she still has a warm, very swollen area on her toe. Wow, I have no idea where to go from here. I am an EMT and have no problem doing what needs to be done...... I would greatly appreciate advice on this. Thank you!

 

[FarmTillURdead]

Well shoot! You were doing good! But these things happen!
I wish you had a photo - I could help a bit more if you did. I'm not a vet though... If the cut was bad the first thing you have to do is scab it up before you put ointments on or it will soften and open back up. Salt makes a scab fast and pulls out fluid but it does burn. Cattle farmers out here swear sugar does the same thing - almost pickleing a wound and it doesn't burn so bad. I know a guy who keeps a 25lb. bag in his truck for cow wounds from barb wire.
You could use some of that spongy vet tape and tape salt or sugar on the wound if it is weepy for a few hours - then leave it alone for a day.
If you got some of the infection out on your first cut - you might want to wait a few days for the vein to heal and try again.
Chicken feet and toes are kind of tough... they survive toe nails being pulled out and toes being nipped off in commercial meat farms.
If you think you still need to drain the toe you might try a large hypodermic needle. It is like a mini scalpel and when inserted the fluid may evacuate through the hole in the needle - or it will cut a nice hole for it to drain.
I hope that may give you some ideas on what to do next.

 

[klmclain1]

You might have to resort to IM penicillin if indeed it's bumblefoot and you are unable to "get" to all the kernels.

 

[4Him]

Thank you so much for the advice....it is truly appreciated.