How to tell if bumblefoot surgery was successful?

[ozarkchickens]

I've searched the forum and haven't found an answer to this specific question, sorry if I missed it.

I used the video posted all over BYC to guide me through a BF surgery on my lav orp. She did well, I got the bumble, the waxy seed inside, and squeezed quite a lot of creamy pus out of the wound. Everything was extremely sterile - iodine, alcohol, bleach etc - pre-soaked foot in epsom salts. Took every precaution. The hardness seemed to be gone and the top of foot swelling collapsed.

Kept her in a kennel in the house, clean shavings, very sterile. 24 hours later I unwrapped her foot and the swelling was back on the top of the foot. It didn't seem overly red, and she was forming a scab, but my question is... Does the return of the swelling on TOP of the foot indicate I missed something, or is it just a natural reaction to having your foot cut open, mauled and squeezed? Appreciate hearing about anyone else's experience post surgery. Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I've searched the forum and haven't found an answer to this specific question, sorry if I missed it.

I used the video posted all over BYC to guide me through a BF surgery on my lav orp. She did well, I got the bumble, the waxy seed inside, and squeezed quite a lot of creamy pus out of the wound. Everything was extremely sterile - iodine, alcohol, bleach etc - pre-soaked foot in epsom salts. Took every precaution. The hardness seemed to be gone and the top of foot swelling collapsed.

Kept her in a kennel in the house, clean shavings, very sterile. 24 hours later I unwrapped her foot and the swelling was back on the top of the foot. It didn't seem overly red, and she was forming a scab, but my question is... Does the return of the swelling on TOP of the foot indicate I missed something, or is it just a natural reaction to having your foot cut open, mauled and squeezed? Appreciate hearing about anyone else's experience post surgery. Thanks!

Can you post some photos?
How is she doing?
If the foot is still swelling, soak it in an epsom salts bath.


http://hencam.com/faq/bumblefoot
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/07/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning.html

 

[ozarkchickens]

Thanks for your response. My Orp is much better and I'm cautiously optimistic that she's healing. The hencam article you attached was very helpful because her top of foot swelling is less that they Polish in that article.

NOW I'M CONCERNED THAT I HAVE AN OUTBREAK. Today my Wyandotte was laying down, and I noticed yesterday her wattles were pale. Checked her foot, big scab on the sole and swelling between two toes but not much swelling yet. My RIR has a small scab, no swelling and nothing on top, and another Orp has a scab with no swelling on top. I'm going to try to the TricideNeo soak on the mild cases but the Wyandotte will require surgery.

I have no splinters and nothing for them to cut their feet on, I've checked. I put a small bale of straw in the run a few weeks ago, first time ever, to give them some diversion picking it apart. It may have held too much moisture from the rain and started this outbreak?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Wet conditions can assist in causing bacteria to enter tiny, cuts, scrapes or injury to the feet.

Chickens are always scratching in the dirt, so small abrasions from little stones, dirt, etc., is most likely the cause.

Let us know how the Tricide Neo works and keep us posted on their progress.

 

[rsjsr5]

I also am wondering if my bumble foot extraction worked. After viewing videos I attempted the procedure. I was able to remove the black circle,but there was no real kernel that came out in one piece. And unlike the video no pus came out, only blood and after messaging it to try and get something out nothing more came and the swelling was the same as when I started. After 2 days of being wrapped with an antibacterial gauze I checked it and there was no improvement. I feared I had not really gotten any infection out of it so I tried again. I have reapplied antibiotics and changed the dressing every couple days, but it basically still looks the same. No pus has come out at any time. What am I doing wrong? I hate to keep putting her through this, but I don't want to lose her. Can anyone help?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I also am wondering if my bumble foot extraction worked. After viewing videos I attempted the procedure. I was able to remove the black circle,but there was no real kernel that came out in one piece. And unlike the video no pus came out, only blood and after messaging it to try and get something out nothing more came and the swelling was the same as when I started. After 2 days of being wrapped with an antibacterial gauze I checked it and there was no improvement. I feared I had not really gotten any infection out of it so I tried again. I have reapplied antibiotics and changed the dressing every couple days, but it basically still looks the same. No pus has come out at any time. What am I doing wrong? I hate to keep putting her through this, but I don't want to lose her. Can anyone help?

Hi @rsjr5

Did you soak the foot in a warm epsom salts bath first?
This will sometimes help the when you remove the scab. There should be a kernel or core underneath the scab. You may have to poke around and extract it.

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/07/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning.html
http://hencam.com/faq/bumblefoot

 

[rsjsr5]

I did soak in Epsom salts first, but perhaps not long enough? I cut in pretty deep going in a circular fashion as the video showed. I got pieces of the scab out until I didn't see anymore. I also got some stringy stuff out but it looked more like stringy blood than anything else. But I got absolutely no pus to come out either time I tried this. I don't want to keep redoing it if there's no pus in it. Is it possible to be bumble foot and not get any pus out? Thank you for your help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I did soak in Epsom salts first, but perhaps not long enough? I cut in pretty deep going in a circular fashion as the video showed. I got pieces of the scab out until I didn't see anymore. I also got some stringy stuff out but it looked more like stringy blood than anything else. But I got absolutely no pus to come out either time I tried this. I don't want to keep redoing it if there's no pus in it. Is it possible to be bumble foot and not get any pus out? Thank you for your help.

Is that the most current photo of the foot?
Soak it for a few days in epsom salts just to see what happens, if any of the swelling goes down. After the soaking, dry it well and apply some vetericyn or triple antibiotic ointment and bandage it.
See it that helps.
The foot in the photo looks swollen, is she limping?

 

[rsjsr5]

That was the photo before I started. I haven't been able to take any pictures since I was doing this by myself. I will try soaking it again and I'll try to take a comparison picture. She is not limping at all and hadn't been. My husband raked up any rocks around the henhouse and I bought pipe insulator foam and zip tied to all the roosts although I don't think they were a problem. Thank you for your help.

 

[aileenpnz]

Hi RSJSR5,
How did it go? has your chickie recovered? I have a similar situation- I have 2 girls that had the op -vet did if for both but I had to redo with one one BOTH feet and the other had a massive hole that has halved in size and nicely free of infection. The first I was happy about a week ago, but not so happy today- hence my finding your post... So I'd love to hear how you went.