question for those with bumblefoot 'surgery' experience

[BaileyP]

Hi all! I've been treating a pretty severe case of bumblefoot at home and have made some really optimistic progress. Today, I finally got a big scab and attached bumblefoot plug removed, which I've been slowly trying to achieve for a couple of weeks. I removed what was attached to the scab and bits of white infection that I could see, but I suspect there was a bit left in the hole that was created. I poked around but was unable to get anything else out with the tweezers I have on hand and it was difficult to see clearly through the blood. If there is infection left in there, is this something I can continue to draw to the surface with more epsom soaks to make it easier to get out, or will I have to try again with the hole as is and hope I'm able to see better tomorrow? For reference, the hole created from the plug is about the size of a pencil eraser. It's packed full of neosporin and bandaged up right now.

Thanks so much! This forum has been invaluable in giving me the confidence to treat this so I'm hoping we're in the final stretch of getting my Dolly girl all fixed up!

 

[CoriM]

I have never had that actual kernel people speak of withdrawn when I have gone in for bumblefoot, which I have done several times. I think you are good - you've used the neoporin and bandaged it and I assume you're keeping her out of the water and dry while it scabs over. I would not worry about what inefection left for now. Let it scab over for a couple days, remove the bandage and let her swim and have some free range time, then if you feel it's still troublesome, you can poke around again and rebandage. I have had success bandaging with this epsom salt poultice smeared on it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OE3L8...1_4&amp=&crid=2ESX55IY4AB4Q&amp=&sprefix=epso
I think it draws out the infection.

 

[CoriM]

What kind of duck is she? I have a Duclair named Dolly!

 

[BaileyP]

I have never had that actual kernel people speak of withdrawn when I have gone in for bumblefoot, which I have done several times. I think you are good - you've used the neoporin and bandaged it and I assume you're keeping her out of the water and dry while it scabs over. I would not worry about what inefection left for now. Let it scab over for a couple days, remove the bandage and let her swim and have some free range time, then if you feel it's still troublesome, you can poke around again and rebandage. I have had success bandaging with this epsom salt poultice smeared on it: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001OE3L8...1_4&amp=&crid=2ESX55IY4AB4Q&amp=&sprefix=epso
I think it draws out the infection.

thank you so much! I had her bandaged with that epsom salt poultice the day before I was able to remove the scab so I think it was really helpful in pulling that infection out! I'll let it heal over as is and just keep an eye on it.

She's a Pekin

 

[CoriM]

I love pekins! But they do have more problems with bumblefoot due to their weight. I'm glad she's getting better!

 

[BaileyP]

I love pekins! But they do have more problems with bumblefoot due to their weight. I'm glad she's getting better!

thank you me too! The one good thing about her indoor-duck bumblefoot treatment is that we've had so much more control over her eating and exercise so we think we've gotten her down to a more comfortable weight

Did you have a lot of inflammation with any of your bumblefoot experiences? She's got thick heels which I suspect were built up to accommodate her weight, but there's definitely some swelling that I hope resolves itself now that the infection is clearing up.

 

[CoriM]

Here is a thread from BYC about my main pekin experience with bumblefoot on my pekin Penny - it quickly became a huge scab that I continued to work on for 9 months off and on. She was left with a lot of swelling and extra tissue in her foot pad, which eventually did go away - maybe about the one year mark. I think knowing what I know now I would have started with the epsom salt poultice, but I just did the soaks, then tried pretty much every treatment possible. Like I said, at the end the infection was all gone but there was scar tissue and this big foot pad that I took her into the vet for and he said just try to keep her weight off it and keep her from going up and down hills a lot.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/should-i-pull-this-scab-off.1415545/

I have had other breeds of ducks that have had swelling and a very tiny scab. I'm not sure what type of inflammation you mean.

 

[BaileyP]

Here is a thread from BYC about my main pekin experience with bumblefoot on my pekin Penny - it quickly became a huge scab that I continued to work on for 9 months off and on. She was left with a lot of swelling and extra tissue in her foot pad, which eventually did go away - maybe about the one year mark. I think knowing what I know now I would have started with the epsom salt poultice, but I just did the soaks, then tried pretty much every treatment possible. Like I said, at the end the infection was all gone but there was scar tissue and this big foot pad that I took her into the vet for and he said just try to keep her weight off it and keep her from going up and down hills a lot.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/should-i-pull-this-scab-off.1415545/

I have had other breeds of ducks that have had swelling and a very tiny scab. I'm not sure what type of inflammation you mean.

I had a Pekin named Penny too!

My starting condition of Dolly's foot was very similar to yours, pretty severe. I have a feeling the 'swelling' in my case is probably extra tissue in her foot pad like you mentioned because she was definitely overweight. I'll continue epsom salt poultice! Thank you!!