NETTIE!!!! ANd people familiar with bumblefoot :(

[Goat_Walker]

Well Im pretty sure my two have bumblefoot

How does this happen? Is it because they are in the hay kiddie pool and not in the grass? They are ready to be outdoors more but i'm just so worried about the cold. Otherwise they dont have to stay in the kiddie pool and can be outside in a pen out in the yard.

I'll post pictures tommorrow when I give htem their baths and let them try on their little fottsies from Nettie.

Anywho - Nettie , lol, Is their a cream I can put on the bumblefoot? Also, Ive heard you have to slice * cringes* their feet, How shoudl I do this??

 

[redhen]

oh honey..dont dont slice into anything yet..
i dont know how to treat it..someone will come on and help you...

but dont cut into their feet unless you HAVE HAVE HAVE to.... because they can get even MORE infection in their feet that way...
get us a pic..that would help some..

 

[Goat_Walker]

I wont be able to get the picture till tommorrow - Thank goodness for the shoes nettie already sent me

ANd I dont plan on taking action till I get some experienced advice.

 

[nettie]

you don't always need to cut into their feet when they have the infection, sometimes medicine helps. During ming mei's last bout of bumble, her doctor gave us a special solution of baytril, meloxican (sp), and DMSO. It was a liquid, and we put the drops onto the sores. It worked pretty much like magic! lol. If they aren't limping or seem really distressed, you may have caught it early. When ming mei got it the first time, it was on the verge of going systemic and she wouldn't walk/eat. So she needed surgery right away. If it's caught early, usually medicine will do. That and some bandages and some shoes.

For now you can do these things-
After giving them a bath in the tub deep enough for them to get off their feet, prepare a small tub (i use one the size of a shoe box) with warm water, espom salt, and some iodine (you can get the iodine cheapest at walmart). Put in just enough iodine to make it a medium tea color.

Then soak your ducky's feet for anout 5-10 minutes. you'll have to watch each of them the whole time so they don't drink the water. If they go for it, just stop them and tell them no. Ming Mei eventually learned not to drink it.

After a good soak, you can apply a couple things to the bumble area. If it's big and swollen, you can get those "corn cushions" for feet (it looks like a donut) and put one of those around a swollen bump. then put some antibiotic ointment on the affected area (if you use the corn cushions, you can "fill" the hole in the middle with the ointment). You can bandage the area with a normal bandaid, or one of those bigger bandaids for knees. I usually get the waterproof kind because every little bit helps! Then you can shoe the duck. The shoe will help keep the medicine and bandaids on. I recommend using a bandage over the medicine because otherwise the ointment can get all over when your trying to shoe a kicking duck. plus it holds it to the area better.

Then if you can, i recommend you call up that vet i told you about before, the one at 3200 eastern boulevard. Carriage hills i think it's called. Dr. Scott Griffin there is awesome with ducks. I can get you the exact amount of meds in that solution (i'll have to go look at the bottle). They will probably need an antibiotic like baytril in either liquid or pill forn to help them get over the infection.

 

[redhen]

ooh the corn cushin things are a good idea!I'll have to remember that..

 

[Nava]

my broiler had bumblefoot and i soaked his foot in warm water and benydine for twenty minutes twice a day. then i put staph ointment and wrapped it in gauze and put a baby sock on his foot. i did that for a while then i took him to the vet to have it surgecally removed but he died from the anesthesia at least thats what they told me.

 

[nettie]

oh and kate, if they need to do surgery, Dr Scott can do it... they didn't even put ming mei under, they just gave her a shot.

 

[Goat_Walker]

I'm hoping I caught it early then. Charlie looked like she was limping a little but it might have just been the bumpy yard.

Im sure pictures will help, and Im sorry for the wait yall!

Nettie - Can I only get the meds at that vet?? I have a vet that I used to volunteer at but they dont do "exotics"

OHHH! You know, I know this other livestock vet who helped us out at the vet office i volunteered at. I could give him a call if for some reason I cant get a hold of Dr. Griffin.

 

[nettie]

The antibiotic you can only get from the vet since you need a Rx. DMSO I think you can buy online but i am not sure. That sution worked the best for me. The meloxican was a pain med to help her get her appetite back and not feel so lousy. Your ducks will most likely need to take an oral antibiotic like baytril.

They get the infection from walking on rough surfaces like rocks, concrete, or wood shavings even, And they get little cuts. Thenthey walk over poop or rotting vegation and it infects the cuts. It's common and even my ducks who are pampered still get it sometimes. I think vinny has it now and is going to the vet on Monday.

 

[Goat_Walker]

Well I have them out in the yard for the night in a corner of the yard, they have plenty of chelter and for some reason the florida room is actually colder than outside so at least they are a little warmer with frsh has and such to eat. I feel so bad! I just hope i can fix this and that it doesnt require surgery