White earlobes and bumblefoot

[Smileybans]

I have been treating my RIR Honey for bumblefoot for about a month now, maybe less, and I noticed yesterday her earlobes are turning white. She may also be molting. She has bald patches on her stomach and wings, where the rooster would sit, but no where else. She did wear a saddle when she was in gen pop but I took it off when I quarantined her to keep her foot clean. She is still laying.

I can try and get pictures of her bald patches in the morning. She hates her foot baths so I forgot to tonight. But here’s pictures of her ears.

I rubbed the white stuff and this is what it looked like after. I washed my hands after doing so in case it’s fungal.

And here’s her foot. I think I got everything out of it. I used prid and just waited. But this is my first bumblefoot so I don’t know when to stop wrapping and soaking. Sorry it’s such a dark photo. She wouldn’t hold still.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The white on the earlobes is color leakage. It's commonly seen in hatchery birds and/or hybrids.

How are you treating her foot? Soaking and wrapping everyday? I think I would pack with a very small amount of Neosporin, cover, then wrap. Wait a couple of days and see if it's closing up.

 

[kerbotx]

No more soaking, that could be preventing it from sealing over properly. Once the kernel is removed, I pack the hole with triple antibiotic ointment, cover with nonstick pad, then wrap. I leave the wrap on for 2 days, then check it. Once new skin seals over, no more need to wrap.

 

[Smileybans]

Yes it is. Just use Original Neosporin without pain relief.

The original is what I have. It has the same ingredients listed as triple antibiotic ointment. This is what I have.

I think I’ll keep his foot wrapped, unless his wrappings get wet, until Friday. The vet is coming back to look at him then.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

No more soaking, that could be preventing it from sealing over properly. Once the kernel is removed, I pack the hole with triple antibiotic ointment, cover with nonstick pad, then wrap. I leave the wrap on for 2 days, then check it. Once new skin seals over, no more need to wrap.

This!

 

[Smileybans]

No more soaking, that could be preventing it from sealing over properly. Once the kernel is removed, I pack the hole with triple antibiotic ointment, cover with nonstick pad, then wrap. I leave the wrap on for 2 days, then check it. Once new skin seals over, no more need to wrap.

Thank you for this. I just found this out the hard way with my rooster. My vet told my to soak his foot because he had a small cut on it. That small cut turned into this… (graphic) I will be following your advice from now on though.















What it looked like before soaking.

What it looks like now. The black is where it tried to heal and I just kept soaking because my vet told me to. She’s a farm vet so not an avian vet. And I think it’s infected. I’m hoping it isn’t too late for him.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Ouch!
I would clean that really well with Chlorhexidine. Let the Chlorhexidine "dry" on the wound, I've found that it has a good residual affect.
Apply a THIN layer of triple antibiotic ointment. Cover with a tiny square of nonstick pad, then wrap. Make sure the toe is spread out when you wrap.
Keep him on clean dry bedding. I would not change the dressing for a couple of days unless it gets loose, heavily soiled or wet.

Soaking in an of itself is not bad, but if not careful wrapping when the foot is not dried well, you can end up with more issues.

For me, I keep bumblefoot/foot injury wounds relatively "dry" even when applying ointments I use just a very thin layer. My birds that I have treated, they were in dry pens so unless the wrappings got wet I didn't change but every couple days. I have kept wounds like that more "moist" with ointment and it seemed to make it worse - so now I go with a more "dry" approach. Every "case" can be different though.

If that doesn't start clearing up or if you notice an odor, then you definitely want to tend to it daily. Chlorhexidine is what I would use to wipe/swap/rinse out the wound (daily if infected). Hopefully you won't need an oral antibiotic.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

The original is what I have. It has the same ingredients listed as triple antibiotic ointment. This is what I have. View attachment 2887293

I think I’ll keep his foot wrapped, unless his wrappings get wet, until Friday. The vet is coming back to look at him then.

This ointment is fine to use.

Sounds like a good plan. Keep me posted on how he gets along.

 

[Smileybans]

The white on the earlobes is color leakage. It's commonly seen in hatchery birds and/or hybrids.

How are you treating her foot? Soaking and wrapping everyday? I think I would pack with a very small amount of Neosporin, cover, then wrap. Wait a couple of days and see if it's closing up.

That makes me feel better about her ears. I had read somewhere that a fungal infection looks similar. So I was worried.

I am soaking and wrapping her foot every day. I was packing it with prid but I think I got out the scab, it was a light brown colored thing in her foot, yesterday. I should keep soaking it, and continue bandage changes just with neosporin then?

 

[CKfarm22]

I have been treating my RIR Honey for bumblefoot for about a month now, maybe less, and I noticed yesterday her earlobes are turning white. She may also be molting. She has bald patches on her stomach and wings, where the rooster would sit, but no where else. She did wear a saddle when she was in gen pop but I took it off when I quarantined her to keep her foot clean. She is still laying.

I can try and get pictures of her bald patches in the morning. She hates her foot baths so I forgot to tonight. But here’s pictures of her ears.
View attachment 2885379
View attachment 2885380

I rubbed the white stuff and this is what it looked like after. I washed my hands after doing so in case it’s fungal.
View attachment 2885382

And here’s her foot. I think I got everything out of it. I used prid and just waited. But this is my first bumblefoot so I don’t know when to stop wrapping and soaking. Sorry it’s such a dark photo. She wouldn’t hold still. View attachment 2885381

My chickens have white earlobes too and there’s nothing wrong with them!