Please help! I HAVE to amputate my roo's toe! **Graphic pics**

[redhen]

I have been fighting a bad wound in my roos toe.. last week i thought i had it cured so i put him back outside with the girls..well, the big hens (hes a silkie) attacked his foot again. It looks to me its down past the bone..and just hanging by a 1/4 of flesh on the bottom of his toe. I have been soaking it with betadine and epsom salt and giving him Nexcal injections daily ... it just wont heal! I really feel that if i remove the rest of his toe it will give him a better chance to live. I tried to do a amputation search on here..i cant find a thing! Please help...how do i cauterize it? what exactly do i do?

 

[chickenbottom]

all i can think is if its already dying the toe there isnt going to be little to no blood i would jsut use a blade the sharpest one and cut it clean it wrap it

 

[SpringChickens]

To cauterize, heat up a piece of metal, possibly a butter knife, to the point where it is red hot.

Have your rooster wrapped in a towel, and one person holding him. Don't let him see, just have the one foot sticking out. Make sure you are prepared to cut ABOVE the wound, to ensure that there's not any infection in his toe.

Cut off his toe with a VERY sharp knife or razor blade, then immediately press the red hot knife (flat side) on to his toe.

Truthfully, I might suggest putting him under before you attempt this, it will likely be painful!!


The other thing you can do is wrap a rubber band TIGHTLY around the top part of his toe. The rest of this toe will lose circulation and fall off in 30 days or less.

Good luck

 

[redhen]

If i send a pic can i get an input please...as to what i should do? I''ll go take a pic now..Thanks

 

[threehorses]

By the way, when you do this, you'll want to do it **in between** the joints - like you would do for a cooking chicken only on the toe.

Emergencies like this is exactly why I always recommend people buy Clotisol blood stopper. Other blood stopping agents can be toxic, especially the silver nitrate ones you find in pet and feed stores.

In a pinch, you can use pressure and corn starch. But one small bottle of clotisol (very small - two ounces maybe?) will last ages and literally stops some big bleeders in their tracks. It's also safe for beak injuries inside the beak, unlike silver nitrate. If they pick at it, it won't kill them.

Pressure and that cauterizing advice will be your best bet. Then you could maybe put one stitch in the skin on the end. sterilize the needle first (alcohol and iodine). Use antibiotic ointment on the end of it, keep the bird in a very clean environment. You may have to make a temporary paper boot to keep him from pickin git, but since he hasn't picked yet, maybe not.

 

[SpringChickens]

I second what ThreeHorses said... great advice.

 

[lovemychix]

I know nothing but good luck.

 

[cjeanean]

LOL, I had the same problem...my top hat (RIP, Stubby!) got bad frostbite and a string wrapped around his leg. Cold weather plus cut off circulation equals a dead/ blackened leg....who'da thunk it?

I got a butcher knife and a 2x4 (actually my brother did, I felt bad!),positioned the butcher knife where I wanted the cut, and slammed the 2x4 down hard and with even pressure. The leg took 2 whacks, and it was done! I used a torniquet (sp?) before I made the cut, thencauterized and released it. It worked! The rooster was his same old grumpy self, and the skin healed down over the stub really nicely. I kept him in the house for a little over a month, and debrided the stub as it healed to help the new skin grow over it. As long as it scabs new skin will grow over it...He didn't freak out in pain, nor did I give him any antibiotics. I gave him one injection of Tylan at one point cause I thought he was having respiratory issues (turned out he was just wheezey) and that was it.

If you have any questions I'd be happy to help!!!

We won't ever forget that mean old roo! Nor the image of a one legged rooster trying to spur us! Even if the dog hadn't chewed him up so bad we couldn't have eaten him!

 

[threehorses]

Well I just have to say that you two are more brave than I could be! Ah I guess maybe if I had to. But now I know who to call in case of a bone that needs to be removed. WOW! I'm impressed!

 

[redhen]

i just took the new pics..i'm downloading them now..I really..REALLY hope i dont have to do it, but this is the 2nd run with this toe and its not healing this time.. THe other hard part is..i HAVE to do it at the wound site.. (you will see what i mean when i get the pics up) Its either this or put him down. IF you guys dont think i can heal this thing. You can see the pink tissue where it had healed before..can i heal this? or will i have to remove it? OR put him down?