johnnydeluca
In the Brooder
- Mar 19, 2025
- 3
- 14
- 21
This is a bit of a ride, and not one I am entirely proud of. Background is that my mom has birds to control ticks and pests, and part of my rent is feeding them and cleaning the coop and that’s it. The flock is incredibly hardy and this is the first time we’ve had any sort of major illness/injury to contend with.
So a month ago, a stoat broke into the and bit a drake on the ankle. We honestly assumed he would die because it was worse than the last bird who got attacked by a predator and that bird died despite our efforts, so we didn’t really… do anything beyond give him food and water.
Fast forward a week, and he was still alive and kicking and full of personality, so I decided to give him a better set up since the ankle was still swollen and scabby. At the time I still wasn’t even thinking about treatment - he’d made it this far, surely he’d heal on his own. Mom I think was still convinced of his death. But I got him isolated and warmer, and closer by, which leads to a week and a half ago.
Mom started him on natural antibiotics (oregano and something else, not sure what) soon after we moved him into isolation. However, about a week ago I noticed he was laying down almost all the time, which is when I finally did my own research and learned what bumblefoot is. It matched the scabs on his uninjured leg, which makes sense because he was putting all his weight there. I started treating him for that - epsom soaks and Vetericyn-filled bandages. He hated it but was, ultimately, responding, and I started bandaging the bite wound with Vetericyn as well in hopes of making the scab and presumable infection there go away faster.
Well, today when I went to change the bandage, a massive chunk of *something* came out of the bite wound. It was yellowy and shaped like an icicle, sort of - I’d post an image but I’m not home right now. It was about an inch long, maybe just under, and thoroughly attached to the scab. I sprayed some more vetericyn in the now-gaping hole in his ankle and bandaged it back up, again with a cotton ball soaked in vetericyn, gauze wrap, and vetwrap to keep it secure.
I absolutely did not expect any infection in his leg to come out like it would in bumblefoot. What are the chances I crippled him? Is there some sort of reflex test I can use to see if the leg is working, or should I wait until it’s healed to decide? I didn’t see him stand on it after I rebandaged it but he always takes a while to do so after I change the bandage.
If it helps, the wound is on the back of his ankle (and yes, I triple checked - it’s the anatomical ankle, not the joint where leg turns to flipper.) I can add a picture when I get home.
Thanks!
Edited for clarity/details.
So a month ago, a stoat broke into the and bit a drake on the ankle. We honestly assumed he would die because it was worse than the last bird who got attacked by a predator and that bird died despite our efforts, so we didn’t really… do anything beyond give him food and water.
Fast forward a week, and he was still alive and kicking and full of personality, so I decided to give him a better set up since the ankle was still swollen and scabby. At the time I still wasn’t even thinking about treatment - he’d made it this far, surely he’d heal on his own. Mom I think was still convinced of his death. But I got him isolated and warmer, and closer by, which leads to a week and a half ago.
Mom started him on natural antibiotics (oregano and something else, not sure what) soon after we moved him into isolation. However, about a week ago I noticed he was laying down almost all the time, which is when I finally did my own research and learned what bumblefoot is. It matched the scabs on his uninjured leg, which makes sense because he was putting all his weight there. I started treating him for that - epsom soaks and Vetericyn-filled bandages. He hated it but was, ultimately, responding, and I started bandaging the bite wound with Vetericyn as well in hopes of making the scab and presumable infection there go away faster.
Well, today when I went to change the bandage, a massive chunk of *something* came out of the bite wound. It was yellowy and shaped like an icicle, sort of - I’d post an image but I’m not home right now. It was about an inch long, maybe just under, and thoroughly attached to the scab. I sprayed some more vetericyn in the now-gaping hole in his ankle and bandaged it back up, again with a cotton ball soaked in vetericyn, gauze wrap, and vetwrap to keep it secure.
I absolutely did not expect any infection in his leg to come out like it would in bumblefoot. What are the chances I crippled him? Is there some sort of reflex test I can use to see if the leg is working, or should I wait until it’s healed to decide? I didn’t see him stand on it after I rebandaged it but he always takes a while to do so after I change the bandage.
If it helps, the wound is on the back of his ankle (and yes, I triple checked - it’s the anatomical ankle, not the joint where leg turns to flipper.) I can add a picture when I get home.
Thanks!
Edited for clarity/details.
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