Open Abscess?

[Young Again Ranch]

One of my rhode island reds last week had crooked neck. I added selenium and vitamin E and after 2 days her neck was straightened out but she was limping. Then it got to the point where she wouldn't roost up with the others and would lay her egg by the coop door and not in their regular egg laying spot in the roosting box. After seeing her struggle to hold herself up, I brought her home for TLC, I noticed her crown was losing color and not standing up so I definitely thought she was dehydrated. This morning her crown is much better, back to being full and red, though not quite standing up. I took her to the sink to clean off dried up chicken poop from her butt and noticed a lump with a bunch of caked up stuff on it. I soaked it in warm salt water and was able to get all the crusties off. This is just behind her right leg (which is the one she doesn't want to put pressure on). Her vent looks fine and feet look fine. Crop feels soft/spongy.
I REALLY am hoping this is a ruptured abscess and not a malignant tumor. Henrietta has great personality and is an awesome egg layer. I got some clindamycin from the vet via a phone call that I will start her on to ward off staph and I covered the area with Blue-Kote.
Just curious if this looks like an abscess to you all or a tumor?

 

[Young Again Ranch]

I've started her on penicillin, any other advice?
@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive
@azygous

 

[azygous]

The penicillin is a good idea. But wound care is absolutely essential in tandem with the antibiotic.

There is a simple way to test whether or not you are dealing with a tumor or an abscess. Squeeze it and see if pus comes out or just blood. If pus comes out, you are dealing with bacterial infection of a wound, and you need to continue to squeeze and clean all pus out of it. Clean with lots of soap and water and then treat the wound with a topical antibiotic ointment, and/or and drawing salve.

If you only get blood out of the lump, it's most likely a tumor.

 

[azygous]

Here's a tip for making it easier to get the pus out of the wound, if that's what this is. Apply hot compresses, but not too hot that it burns, to the abscess. That will draw the pus to the surface and make it easier to express it.

 

[Young Again Ranch]

The penicillin is a good idea. But wound care is absolutely essential in tandem with the antibiotic.

There is a simple way to test whether or not you are dealing with a tumor or an abscess. Squeeze it and see if pus comes out or just blood. If pus comes out, you are dealing with bacterial infection of a wound, and you need to continue to squeeze and clean all pus out of it. Clean with lots of soap and water and then treat the wound with a topical antibiotic ointment, and/or and drawing salve.

If you only get blood out of the lump, it's most likely a tumor.

The middle of it had a scabby like plug that came out, nothing is draining from it. If it is a tumor will it get bigger and kill her or just need to heal up?

 

[azygous]

To get pus from a wound, it has to be forced out. Chicken pus isn't runny like human pus. It's like candle wax.(Gads, what a topic before breakfast).

Tumors come in two flavors. Malignant and benign. No way to tell which without a biopsy, which you can talk a vet into if you are clever. They take or you provide a cell scraping and send it to a lab.

Those two types of tumors come in fast growing or slow growing categories. A malignant tumor may be slow growing and not metastasize (spread) and a chicken can live a long time with it. Or a benign tumor can grow and put pressure on other organs, causing organ failure. These things cannot be predicted.

So, if you want to know if it's a tumor or a wound, squeeze it. Maybe do it after breakfast.

 

[Young Again Ranch]

To get pus from a wound, it has to be forced out. Chicken pus isn't runny like human pus. It's like candle wax.(Gads, what a topic before breakfast).

Tumors come in two flavors. Malignant and benign. No way to tell which without a biopsy, which you can talk a vet into if you are clever. They take or you provide a cell scraping and send it to a lab.

Those two types of tumors come in fast growing or slow growing categories. A malignant tumor may be slow growing and not metastasize (spread) and a chicken can live a long time with it. Or a benign tumor can grow and put pressure on other organs, causing organ failure. These things cannot be predicted.

So, if you want to know if it's a tumor or a wound, squeeze it. Maybe do it after breakfast.

Lol, thank you!!