Tamers Toes - Bumblefoot, Gout, Swollen, or Something Else? **PICS INCLUDED**

[Yazzo]

My ridiculously goofy, big Australorp rooster, Tamer has a bit of a problem with feet. His feet, to be more specific. Well, his left foot, to be even more specific. As you can see in the picture, it's quite a bit bigger than his right foot. I figured it was bumblefoot at first, but there doesn't seem to be the characteristic scab on the bottom, unless it's healed over. Not wanting to cut into his foot until I know with more certainty that it must be done, I did poke into his foot with a sterile syringe to see if is foot was pus filled. Nothing, though I didn't poke in too far.



It doesn't seem to get bigger or smaller. Is a bit soft in parts, but seems somewhat hard in the middle. He has one spot a little above the lump that is squishy.

It doesn't seem to really pain him, but it does make him walk a bit funny, and it may be a bit tender too, as he is careful with it.





See that lump on the far left, right above his toe? That's the squishy bit.



Any suggestions would be hugely appreciated by Tamer, and me. He's such a brilliantly hilarious, goofy rooster, and I certainly don't want to see him, or any of my chickens suffer, and would be extremely happy if I could diagnose and treat him ASAP.

Thanks!

 

[Yazzo]

Anyone? Any input would be helpful!

 

[binza1979]

Try soaking his foot so that you get all the dirt off... might be able to see what is going on better.

 

[Yazzo]

Well, washed his foot off really good, though, surprisingly, it was already quite clean. This is what the bottom looks like. That one scabby-looking thing on the bottom doesn't seem to be a bumblefoot scab, as it's covered with scales, and seems like more of a sore than a scab, but I'm not sure. Maybe people who've had chickens with a little more 'unusual' bumble foot could tell. Those other two sores higher up are, I think, just that: sores. I don't think they were there until somewhat recently.

His foot does seem to be getting worse, as there's another squishy spot on the side, near his back toe, that developed a few days ago it seems.

Any ideas?

The big goof himself...

 

[MelissaTXRn]

Sorry... Saw this was old thread

 

[ernie85017]

So how did this turn out?

 

[Yazzo]

UPDATE:

Haven't figured out what it is, and I've been very apprehensive to cut into his foot and possibly cause infection. I've been trying non-invasive methods - I just started to soak his foot with essential oils (tea tree, eucalyptus) for a few minutes a day to see if that does anything, as one other person did have success with that method. I may take him in to the vet for a checkup, but I'm not sure who, if anyone, treats chickens in my area.

Again, if anyone has any suggestions or info on how I could treat him, I will love you forever!

 

[TwoCrows]

It is very possible that he is suffering from MS, Mycoplasma Synoviea. It is a bacteria that is similar to MG, but it enjoys attacking the synovial fluid, in the left foot/leg only, of a chicken. My entire flock contracted it a few years ago and it took me about 10 months of heavy antibiotics and surgeries on the pads to drain the fluid. It is contagious, but not all the flock will get the characteristic swollen foot joints...some can get liver infections, pale/blue combs, funky shaped eggs, runny noses and anorexia is a big one within the flock.

What happens with MS is that the sheaths in the legs fill with fluid and pool in the foot joint. I can see in one of the pics that he does have spot on the bottom of his foot to what looks like bumblefoot. The fluid from his foot joint may be trying to come out the bottom of the pad.

If this were my bird, I would definitely do a surgery on his pad to not only drain the fluid, but see what the fluid looks like. If the pad continues to fill with pus on a daily basis, then I would assume he does have MS. (I had to do surgery on 2 birds for 2 months daily.) He would need a strong long bout of baytril to help clear up the MS. They say the birds are carriers for life, but you can knock it down enough that the birds are symptom free.

Good luck with your Aussie boy! Australorps are a great bird to keep!

Edit to add: Never cut into that swollen joint. Draining the fluid in the leg will not cure or help the bird. It will only make matters worse. Only drain the fluid thru the pad if that is where it wants to drain from.

 

[Yazzo]

Thanks for the input TwoCrows! I actually did try piercing the squishy part on the side of his foot (not the joint) a while back, but there wasn't really any notable liquid or pus. I didn't want to cut in really deep though. Before that, I used a syringe to try and extract any liquid or pus without cutting into his foot. Again, nothing.

Thing is, it really doesn't seem like it's full of liquid. While there are some spots that are, as I said, squishy, most of it is just a bit soft, but not so soft as to suggest liquid - it just feels like extra tissue. Also, he's had this for a while now, and none of the other chickens have shown any of the symptoms you described. I actually had him on a treatment of garlic for a while (a powerful natural antibiotic), which you think would have had some effect if it was MS. I certainly hope that's not what it is, and it doesn't seem like it's MS, but that remains to be seen. The fact that a couple other chickens have mild cases of bumblefoot suggests that this is what this may be.

I think I may try Tricide-Neo on his foot, as suggested by some others. If that doesn't work, then it's off to the vet for a diagnoses (though it's probably better just get him checked out by a vet now if I can find one that treats chickens).

 

[TwoCrows]

It is possible that he did at one point, injure his pad enough to develop an infection and the infection has moved into the joint. It is no doubt some sort of infection or an immune response to something irritating that portion of his body. Good luck with your bird and keep me posted. I am very curious and would love to know the outcome.