Bumblefoot in Pekin

[picklestheduck]

Hi yall
A few days back I picked my pekin Munchkin up and noticed a swollen nob on the bottom of her foot. It is in the center of her foot with a teeny tiny black scab. On her other foot the skin is swollen around middle toe.

I assume this is bumblefoot or at least on her left foot (the one with a big swollen lump and scab on it). I do not have a pic of the bigger swollen lump since I usually have it wrapped. I put vetericyn on then and an Epsom salt poultice on it after soaking it and picking the scab off. The scab on her left foot is tiny like the size of a pin head or smaller and goes deep, or seems to. I picked at it and even tried to dig out more of the scab with tweezers, but didn't get far. I switched to using a drawing salve now and haven't had a chance to soak it a ton since I have a packed schedule. Should I make it a habit to soak her more? The last few days it almost is seeming to get worse. I try to wrap both feet as much as possible and have her locked in the coop right now since my yard is a swamp due to unending rain recently. I give her a break from wraps everyday and put her only in fresh shavings every time.

I also noticed that her feet and beak were pretty hot yesterday, but again she was locked in her coop. I gave her an extra deep dish of water and she seemed to cool off. I switch out buddies for her since she cant stand to be alone and will throw herself at the wall, but I only have four other ducks so each has a few hour shifts. Our one drake Cletus is traumatized at not being able to be with his girl 24/7 and had been freaking out. I noticed Munchkin usually lying down a lot, my guess is from pain, and she stopped laying eggs for a few days. Thankfully she has started to lay again, I just hopes she continues to! Another thing I have noticed has been her shivering. I mean it is October and the temperature dropped considerately overnight. Is she just cold? Or is she in pain? I'm super worried about her as this is getting a lot worse daily. I'm not sure if we should do surgery or have a vet out? Not sure! Help!!

 

[Crazy Maizie]

You should soak in warm Epsom salt water for 15-20 min a day until you can pick the scab off easily. Apply neosporin and wrap. The toe doesn't really look like bumblefoot, but it would benefit from the same treatment without picking any scabs.
In your original post, you mentioned you would take her to the vet. Is that still something you will be doing?

 

[picklestheduck]

You should soak in warm Epsom salt water for 15-20 min a day until you can pick the scab off easily. Apply neosporin and wrap. The toe doesn't really look like bumblefoot, but it would benefit from the same treatment without picking any scabs.
In your original post, you mentioned you would take her to the vet. Is that still something you will be doing?

I'm not sure. We are still debating if we do surgery or not since we have been trying to treat it without surgery for days and its just getting worse. But since its so bad idk if we should just not try and just take her to a vet.......I couldnt get her in today since its a weekend. I'll try to do as much as I can...and if that doesn't work....we will go to the vet.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

How many days have you been treating her? It a process that takes time. Some soak twice a day. It doesn't look that bad, I wouldn't attempt surgery. I would just go with the less invasive methods. Soak in epsom salt water, spray with vetrycin or iodine, add a drawing salve or neosporin. Repeat. The vibrating that you mentioned in the other thread is because she's not happy with you. You don't want her stressed out. The spots didn't look big enough or bad enough to attempt surgery.
But, once you've treated and she heals, you need to figure out why the bumblefoot is occurring- could be something in the area she walks around in or on.

 

[picklestheduck]

How many days have you been treating her? It a process that takes time. Some soak twice a day. It doesn't look that bad, I wouldn't attempt surgery. I would just go with the less invasive methods. Soak in epsom salt water, spray with vetrycin or iodine, add a drawing salve or neosporin. Repeat. The vibrating that you mentioned in the other thread is because she's not happy with you. You don't want her stressed out. The spots didn't look big enough or bad enough to attempt surgery.
But, once you've treated and she heals, you need to figure out why the bumblefoot is occurring- could be something in the area she walks around in or on.

I've been treating her for prolly around 5 days....but again i didnt find it till it was bad. This morning she is hot to the touch and isnt moving around much I'm afraid she has a fever. The bumble is angry red and dark purple now. idk how much I can do

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Can you take a pic?
I would suggest the vet. Sometimes it's not what we think it is.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Her bumble foot in the pictures above is not severe maybe moderate at the worsr. Are you 100% positive that you're not wrapping her foot too tightly? You don't need to duct tape it, in fact if it comes in contact with any skin it can rip it off, it won't allow the skin to breathe and increases your chances of cutting off circulation. Improperly wrapped bandages will do more harm them good. Unless your drawing salve is an antibiotic ointment it will do absolutely nothing. Bumble foot needs to be flushed with an antiseptic like chlorhexidine or iodine, heavily coated with an antibiotic ointment (plain old original Neosporin is my favorite), well padded and wrapped just enough to keep the bandages on, but not tightly you need to still be able to slide your pinky at least under the bandages. If you can't then it's way too tight. You can use layered gauze, cut a pool noodle or beer/beverage coozie and there is always the option of duck boots from places like crazy k farms. Keep her quarantined in a well padded area and only provide a water source for her to dunk her head no swimming. There are also antibiotics like Chlorhexidine which you can get at chewy.com.

 

[picklestheduck]

Her bumble foot in the pictures above is not severe maybe moderate at the worsr. Are you 100% positive that you're not wrapping her foot too tightly? You don't need to duct tape it, in fact if it comes in contact with any skin it can rip it off, it won't allow the skin to breathe and increases your chances of cutting off circulation. Improperly wrapped bandages will do more harm them good. Unless your drawing salve is an antibiotic ointment it will do absolutely nothing. Bumble foot needs to be flushed with an antiseptic like chlorhexidine or iodine, heavily coated with an antibiotic ointment (plain old original Neosporin is my favorite), well padded and wrapped just enough to keep the bandages on, but not tightly you need to still be able to slide your pinky at least under the bandages. If you can't then it's way too tight. You can use layered gauze, cut a pool noodle or beer/beverage coozie and there is always the option of duck boots from places like crazy k farms. Keep her quarantined in a well padded area and only provide a water source for her to dunk her head no swimming. There are also antibiotics like Chlorhexidine which you can get at chewy.com.

Thank you. I have been careful to not pinch or fold her webbing and I've tried without duct tape and she grabbed it and ripped it off immediately. I'm at a loss so the vet is coming on his way now. Hopefully he will figure it out quickly.

 

[Crazy Maizie]

Her bumble foot in the pictures above is not severe maybe moderate at the worsr. Are you 100% positive that you're not wrapping her foot too tightly? You don't need to duct tape it, in fact if it comes in contact with any skin it can rip it off, it won't allow the skin to breathe and increases your chances of cutting off circulation. Improperly wrapped bandages will do more harm them good. Unless your drawing salve is an antibiotic ointment it will do absolutely nothing. Bumble foot needs to be flushed with an antiseptic like chlorhexidine or iodine, heavily coated with an antibiotic ointment (plain old original Neosporin is my favorite), well padded and wrapped just enough to keep the bandages on, but not tightly you need to still be able to slide your pinky at least under the bandages. If you can't then it's way too tight. You can use layered gauze, cut a pool noodle or beer/beverage coozie and there is always the option of duck boots from places like crazy k farms. Keep her quarantined in a well padded area and only provide a water source for her to dunk her head no swimming. There are also antibiotics like Chlorhexidine which you can get at chewy.com.

Just wanted to say that drawing salve has been recommended for use on bumblefoot on various byc threads and articles from people who successfully treated bumblefoot. In one thread, a drawing salve ointment was recommended by a vet. Usually, it's a moist product which would keep the bumble supple, but it would not have the antibiotic properties of neosporin. Ichthamol does have anti-inflammatory properties, so I can see how it could be beneficial in the treatment of bumblefoot.
In this instance it almost sounds as if there is not consistent application of any products or the process is not repeated long enough to be beneficial.

 

[HollowOfWisps]

Just wanted to say that drawing salve has been recommended for use on bumblefoot on various byc threads and articles from people who successfully treated bumblefoot. In one thread, a drawing salve ointment was recommended by a vet. Usually, it's a moist product which would keep the bumble supple, but it would not have the antibiotic properties of neosporin. Ichthamol does have anti-inflammatory properties, so I can see how it could be beneficial in the treatment of bumblefoot.
In this instance it almost sounds as if there is not consistent application of any products or the process is not repeated long enough to be beneficial.

Drawing salve will treat the scab i.e soften it, but will not treat the infection itself which can lead to the infection continuing to grow under surface when it could be being treated. I have also heard of a vet recommending it, but it was in conjunction with prescribed antibiotics.