My Poor Ming Mei is starting to feel better! (recovery pics pg 5)

[kseabythec]

Thank you so much for all your help! We are new to the country...got our chickens in February (started out as 14, but lost 7 all at one fell swoop of something getting them...now, they only get to free-range when I can babysit, which is most evenings) and our ducks at Easter (started out with 6, but two have become food for the local predators...now I try to keep them penned up at night, but they have free roam during the daytime, since we have a creek that they truly enjoy (well, when it has water). I have a really hard time catching the ducks, they are NOT friendly, even though we got them as babies and handled them as they grew...started out scared to death of us and still are. I managed to get my lonely male, but only because he was limping and not able to get away from us fast enough. I'm using the vetericyn until I get iodine...will look for the decolorized one at Wal-Mart tomorrow! Again, thank you so very much for all the help!! This is all so new to me, but I don't want to do anything to cause my babies harm!

 

[kseabythec]

For what it's worth, I have done Epsom salts compresses followed by triple antibiotic (no painkiller), without wrapping the foot. It seems to work pretty well especially overnight. I do it three times a day at first. It takes longer to resolve the bumble, but you might consider starting with that until you get the iodine. Haunted55, do you think doing that would be counterproductive, just to try to get some progress going on the foot?


I plan to try Haunted55's suggestion next time we need to deal with bumblefoot.

So far, we have not had to cut any feet. I have been catching it early enough.

Please keep us posted!

Next question for you guys....the bumbles appear totally healed (using the iodine)...no little spots or scabs at all, BUT the middle "toe" is still swollen all the way down and he still won't walk on it. I am not sure what to do. Still have him crated in the dog kennel, on a towel and he's so NOT happy away from his girls (although they DO come up in the carport and hang out next to the kennel during the daytime). I have been forbidden from taking him to the vet, so not sure what else I can try. There isn't a knot or big puffy place that looks like infection, it's the whole length of the toe. Anyone have this happen? I'm not turning him loose in the yard until I can get him walking again...

 

[Haunted55]

Next question for you guys....the bumbles appear totally healed (using the iodine)...no little spots or scabs at all, BUT the middle "toe" is still swollen all the way down and he still won't walk on it. I am not sure what to do. Still have him crated in the dog kennel, on a towel and he's so NOT happy away from his girls (although they DO come up in the carport and hang out next to the kennel during the daytime). I have been forbidden from taking him to the vet, so not sure what else I can try. There isn't a knot or big puffy place that looks like infection, it's the whole length of the toe. Anyone have this happen? I'm not turning him loose in the yard until I can get him walking again...

Keep up with the iodine. sometimes, it take longer to get into the deeper layers of skin. If the swelling is still there, chances are there is still something inside that needs killing. I wouldn't be surprized to have a new scab show up after a while. You keep killing the infection, the body is going to try to push it out. I've had this happen twice now. Not that unusual. Have faith and keep up the good work!

 

[kseabythec]

Keep up with the iodine. sometimes, it take longer to get into the deeper layers of skin. If the swelling is still there, chances are there is still something inside that needs killing. I wouldn't be surprized to have a new scab show up after a while. You keep killing the infection, the body is going to try to push it out. I've had this happen twice now. Not that unusual. Have faith and keep up the good work!

Thank you! I had planned on keeping on with the keeping on at least a few more days... Today, I did let him into the coop with his girls for a visit, while I'm cleaning and disinfecting the dog kennel and washing all the towels we've gone thru with him. Going to put him back in this afternoon/evening...after another good epsom soak. <sigh> This is way more maintenance than I expected for my yard birds!

 

[Haunted55]

Thank you! I had planned on keeping on with the keeping on at least a few more days... Today, I did let him into the coop with his girls for a visit, while I'm cleaning and disinfecting the dog kennel and washing all the towels we've gone thru with him. Going to put him back in this afternoon/evening...after another good epsom soak. <sigh> This is way more maintenance than I expected for my yard birds!

All I can tell you is this, if there is no 'heat' in the affected legs, the iodine will work. If you find that one leg feels hot, you will need to give an oral or shot of antibiotic. The 'heat' will alert you that the infection is going systemic. Not cool. If your guy is showing any improvement at all, you could let him back with his girls. You will have a harder time catching and treating, but a much happier rooster. I have a couple I am treating right now that had lesser bumbles and I let them stay with the others. These were small and showed no signs of major infection. I catch them, wipe their feet down well with a mixture of betadine and warm water or straight alcohol and then inspect, sometimes pull the scab and clean again, then paint the iodine on the whole area, dry by blowing on it and then let them loose. A scab forms overnight and the iodine is working to kill the infection in the bumble and keep anything else out. You would have to decide if this treatment is right for your bird. If he can't walk, then no, keep him in the crate. If he can then this may work for you and him. Please, just keep an eye out for heat in the affected leg or foot. If this happens, you need to give an oral antibiotic as soon as possible, I can't stress this enough. If the infection were to get into the bone, this will be very bad. Crippling or death will result if this were to happen and not get immediate treatment.

 

[kseabythec]

All I can tell you is this, if there is no 'heat' in the affected legs, the iodine will work. If you find that one leg feels hot, you will need to give an oral or shot of antibiotic. The 'heat' will alert you that the infection is going systemic. Not cool. If your guy is showing any improvement at all, you could let him back with his girls. You will have a harder time catching and treating, but a much happier rooster. I have a couple I am treating right now that had lesser bumbles and I let them stay with the others. These were small and showed no signs of major infection. I catch them, wipe their feet down well with a mixture of betadine and warm water or straight alcohol and then inspect, sometimes pull the scab and clean again, then paint the iodine on the whole area, dry by blowing on it and then let them loose. A scab forms overnight and the iodine is working to kill the infection in the bumble and keep anything else out. You would have to decide if this treatment is right for your bird. If he can't walk, then no, keep him in the crate. If he can then this may work for you and him. Please, just keep an eye out for heat in the affected leg or foot. If this happens, you need to give an oral antibiotic as soon as possible, I can't stress this enough. If the infection were to get into the bone, this will be very bad. Crippling or death will result if this were to happen and not get immediate treatment.

There doesn't appear to be any heat in the swelling... I left him out with the girls...after doctoring him up this evening and making sure he was able to walk around. He isn't even limping tonite and catching him was not exactly a walk in the park, even though I have them penned up in the duck "coop", right now. I betadined him and then iodined him...held him long enough for him to poop on my leg while letting it dry. IF he needs antibiotics, does that mean a vet trip? Or is that something I can buy OTC? I'm not averse to giving him an antibiotic as a preventative and to help clear him up for good, if I can get it OTC. I'm just so relieved he's walking without a limp. The bottom of his foot looks totally clear, there was a small bumble on the top that is just new skin, so I'm hoping that he's finally on the mend.

 

[Haunted55]

There doesn't appear to be any heat in the swelling... I left him out with the girls...after doctoring him up this evening and making sure he was able to walk around. He isn't even limping tonite and catching him was not exactly a walk in the park, even though I have them penned up in the duck "coop", right now. I betadined him and then iodined him...held him long enough for him to poop on my leg while letting it dry. IF he needs antibiotics, does that mean a vet trip? Or is that something I can buy OTC? I'm not averse to giving him an antibiotic as a preventative and to help clear him up for good, if I can get it OTC. I'm just so relieved he's walking without a limp. The bottom of his foot looks totally clear, there was a small bumble on the top that is just new skin, so I'm hoping that he's finally on the mend.

Do you have a Tractor Supply store near you? Most farm supply stores have some antibiotics available otc. Duramycin-10, Tylan 50 and 200, sometimes you can get lucky and find Sulmet and Di-Methox. In Texas, from what I've been told, you have a much wider range of choice available than I do here in the NE. In honesty? If the foot is clear, no heat in it or the leg...leave him be for a few days. You do not have to put the iodine on everyday to get it to work. I let mine go for 3-4 days or sometimes even longer. Healing still takes place and I didn't have to work very hard at it either. As for him needing an antibiotic...watch and see how things go. If he is walking without limping and more importantly, no pain, I would say he doesn't need it. If he should start acting as if the foot hurts, drawing it up to his body a lot, then go for it. I again would recommend the Duramycin as the tetracycline works extremely well when skin and underlying tissue infections are present.

 

[kseabythec]

Do you have a Tractor Supply store near you? Most farm supply stores have some antibiotics available otc. Duramycin-10, Tylan 50 and 200, sometimes you can get lucky and find Sulmet and Di-Methox. In Texas, from what I've been told, you have a much wider range of choice available than I do here in the NE. In honesty? If the foot is clear, no heat in it or the leg...leave him be for a few days. You do not have to put the iodine on everyday to get it to work. I let mine go for 3-4 days or sometimes even longer. Healing still takes place and I didn't have to work very hard at it either. As for him needing an antibiotic...watch and see how things go. If he is walking without limping and more importantly, no pain, I would say he doesn't need it. If he should start acting as if the foot hurts, drawing it up to his body a lot, then go for it. I again would recommend the Duramycin as the tetracycline works extremely well when skin and underlying tissue infections are present.

Awesome news! Thank you so much!!! I so appreciate the help, being so new to this whole country life and all. Yes, we have a Tractor Supply AND I just won a $150 gift card for it last week! I will hang in there and wait and see how he's doing. Yesterday, he didn't limp at all and stood on both feet, so hoping that means he isn't having any pain. I'm not letting them out in the general population, yet...but keeping them in the pen (I know he's MUCH happier with his girls, but if I let them out, he's going to be upset and there is no way I can catch him out in the yard by myself...). I will probably still iodine him once/day until the swelling is gone, unless he simply gets too quick for me to catch him in the pen, too (I'm sure if anyone could watch me trying, they'd get a good laugh). Again, Haunted55, I so very much thank you!!!