WE'RE STUMPED, PLEASE HELP! Chicken foot scabs & bumps... (with photos)

I have seen a mite or 2 crawling on her leg, and I've added a dust bath with a bit of diatomaceous earth and I haven't seen a mite in probably 3 weeks or so, so I'm not sure that the issues are related.
where does it talk about mites. I think that was meant for a different post.
@ejtrout31 in the first post, the OP does mention seeing a mite or two.
I agree with @staceyj that DE is not effective for an external parasite infestation, it is best to re-check the hens and treat with a Permethrin based poultry spray or dust.
fwiw - mite/lice infestation will not help the situation, can irritate the bird and in severe cases of mites can weaken the bird/cause anemia, but will not cause Bumblefoot.
 
I agree with @staceyj that it's spread to the top of the foot and it all needs to be cleaned out well. If you have a vet that can assist that would be best, as always. I've been dealing with a very stubborn case for some time and it spread to the ankle, I lanced the ankle to clean it out and when flushing the ankle the solution came out the bottom of the foot, so that's how it can tunnel through tissue. Some infections are more ribbon/string like through the foot rather than a compact kernal, which is what I've been dealing with. I had tried tricide neo, amoxicillin, penicillin and enrofloxacin, all with no improvement. I put him on SMZ-TMP (sulfa) orally every 12 hours, with a few drops of enrofloxacin oral solution in the wounds, and finally saw some improvement. The sulfa was very hard on his gut so I had to reduce the dose to complete 10 days, then I put him on cephalexin for 6 days every 6 hours and the improvement is much better. He's now on a low dose of sulfa again for a while, low enough that he's tolerating it well. I had reached the point where it was going to be necessary to cull if it wasn't stopped, so threw the kitchen sink at it, I'm cautiously optimistic at this point as swelling is gone, and it doesn't appear to be making pus anymore. I also use sugardine/honey poultices with every dressing change on the wounds/lesions, they help inhibit growth of bacteria.
where does it talk about mites. I think that was meant for a different post.
In the first post, mites were found on the bird in question. Mites will often find a bird that is affected by something else.
 
Hard to know which direction to go with this.
Since you started the Tricide Neo, you may want to go at least 5-7 days with it to see if there is any improvement.

I do agree that you more than likely need to re-do the surgery on the bottom of the foot. The Bumble on the top of the foot look like you can see the pus - it would be a good idea to get that pus out.
Since your Mom works with a vet, can she take photos or the hen with her to work and ask for further opinion/assistance?

I was thinking this as well.
What I think you need is a penrose drain from the vet and some suture material on a needle.
*The non-absorbable kind.

This summer I had a welsummer with an invasive bumble presenting both topside and bottom. She is challenged with them frequently and so is her sister even though my other birds have NEVER had even one.

My treatment of them is constantly evolving.

On this event this is what I did:

After soaking and scrubbing the entire leg with hibiclens, I wrapped up my chicken burrito style.

Out of desperation, I was substituting a large wide rubberband cut flat into a strip of rubber for the penrose.
The purpose of a drain is to let a channel shaped wound heal slowly, from the inside and ALLOW(edited here) the infectious liquid matter inside the wound to escape or be flushed out rather than the exit wounds close prematurely and trap that festering goo inside.

I cut the boil on the top with a scalpel then reamed UP from the wound on the bottom.

I debrided the inside of the wound vigorously with a small piece of gauze soaked in hibiclens which I held with small straight Kelly forceps to loosen the pus away from the inside of the wound bed.

Then I flushed the wound many times with a betadine solution.

Then I inserted my “drain”.
And tied the little tails together so that it was now reconnected and would stay in place. Think of it like inserting a “hoop” earring through a pierced ear.

Here’s an example of how I prepared my drain

39B81D26-2BA3-4656-A922-9408F7F5B12A.jpeg


Next I filled a 3 cc syringe about halfway with vetericyn antimicrobial spray gel and from the bottom of the wound, filled the wound until it was spilling out the top.

Finally I padded the bottom of the foot with a piece of gauze and also a small piece at the top and wrapped the whole thing with vet wrap.

Here is a completely unprofessional video I made some time ago to explain how to wrap a chickens foot.
If you struggle with this it may help. If not, it’ll provide you with a few minutes of entertainment.
Try not to laugh at me too hard though, I didn’t have anyone to help me. I’m a hot mess. But it gives you an idea at least.

I left the foot alone for a few days *2, I think, before unwrapping and repeating the flushing and filling of the wound.

It’s also important to gently displace the drain to discourage it from anchoring (meaning wiggle it, so it doesn’t get stuck to healing flesh )

The next time I think I left it alone for 3 days, and continued in this schedule to allow healing in between messing with it.

All together I left the drain in for a full week to ten days. ... more than a week- I wish I’d documented it.

After I removed the drain - I just cut it and pulled it out-, I continued to flush and fill the wound for roughly another week until the wound channel closed on its own.

I have to say it healed even better than I’d hoped and I am quite sold on that product I used.
It’s darn expensive but I feel worth it.
If you couldn’t get it I’d do the exact same procedure with antibiotic ointment inside the wound channel.


where does it talk about mites. I think that was meant for a different post.
it was way down in the original post.
I mentioned it because a bird fighting an infection is not in optimal health, therefore fighting parasites at the same time could complicate the situation because parasites are opportunistic.
 
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:fl:fl:fl
How long it will take time for healing so my tootoo will walk without bandage:wee
That will depend on whether it heals through and through or the infection continues to migrate.
I feel like some infections encapsulate while in others such as @coach723’s bird, they continue to tunnel.

The boil on the top of the foot needs to drain.
Like a terrible pimple it may need to be popped. But not by squeezing it because the risk is that if it ruptures INSIDE the foot it is like a bomb of infection going off and the infection will continue to spread.

That’s why incision and drainage of a wound is beneficial.
The infectious matter can be expelled in a controlled way.
 
Ki
That will depend on whether it heals through and through or the infection continues to migrate.
I feel like some infections encapsulate while in others such as @coach723’s bird, they continue to tunnel.

The boil on the top of the foot needs to drain.
Like a terrible pimple it may need to be popped. But not by squeezing it because the risk is that if it ruptures INSIDE the foot it is like a bomb of infection going off and the infection will continue to spread.

That’s why incision and drainage of a wound is beneficial.
The infectious matter can be expelled in a controlled way.



This thing making me sick Seriously
I'm tensed upset worried hoping that it will heal up let's see when I open it tomorrow
 
Your birds foot looks similar to mine @Saaniya . I think you have to be patient (though that can be hard when it seems to go on and on and on.......). In my case, if I finally have gotten it and the healing is started i would expect weeks to months before he can go bandage free. Once it's not actively infected any more then bandage changes can be a little less often, but it still needs to be checked and changed to make sure it's staying clean and nothing has interrupted the healing process. It can be a long term thing in some cases, as I've found out. In my case, antibiotics have been absolutely necessary to help stop the progression. Every case I've had has been a little different, and most have been easier than this guy.
 
@Saaniya , a thought for your bird, since it's walking on floors. Making a donut shaped pad to go around the wound and take pressure off the wound itself may be helpful in your case. I've made them from pool noodle foam and from craft foam (the denser craft foam holds up better). Cut a circle that will fit the foot pad with an opening in the center the size of the wound, I put a piece of gauze down, then the pad, then wrap the foot to keep it in place. It will cushion the wound and may help with healing.
 

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