Foot not healing

[Nellie88]

After noticing a chicken had a limp, and suspecting Bumblefoot, we soaked her feet in epsom salts for days hoping it would help. After nothing changed, we attempted surgery and were able to remove some small hard pieces. Unfortunately, it appeared to cause infection in her leg. This time we had a friend with more experience help remove larger pieces left behind from the first surgery. After some time, it seemed to be improving and we finally removed the bandage. (We had been regularly changing the bandage and applying antibacterial medication) The foot pad still remained larger and firmer in comparison to the other chickens, but we kept an eye on it. We noticed she hadn’t really been leaving the run and laying down most of the time, so upon inspecting her foot again it looked quite swollen, but soft, in between her back toe. This is not the same area we saw inflammation before. We attempted to make an incision to drain it, however it bled quite a bit. Her middle toe seems to have lost its strength, wondering if we accidentally damaged a nerve or tendon. We don’t want to have to continue to perform foot surgeries, but fear that leaving it alone will be no better. Nothing seems to be solving the problem. It has probably been at least 2 months since we first began with this.

 

[Chicken_Obsesser]

@Eggcessive @azygous

 

[Wyorp Rock]

After noticing a chicken had a limp, and suspecting Bumblefoot, we soaked her feet in epsom salts for days hoping it would help. After nothing changed, we attempted surgery and were able to remove some small hard pieces. Unfortunately, it appeared to cause infection in her leg. This time we had a friend with more experience help remove larger pieces left behind from the first surgery. After some time, it seemed to be improving and we finally removed the bandage. (We had been regularly changing the bandage and applying antibacterial medication) The foot pad still remained larger and firmer in comparison to the other chickens, but we kept an eye on it. We noticed she hadn’t really been leaving the run and laying down most of the time, so upon inspecting her foot again it looked quite swollen, but soft, in between her back toe. This is not the same area we saw inflammation before. We attempted to make an incision to drain it, however it bled quite a bit. Her middle toe seems to have lost its strength, wondering if we accidentally damaged a nerve or tendon. We don’t want to have to continue to perform foot surgeries, but fear that leaving it alone will be no better. Nothing seems to be solving the problem. It has probably been at least 2 months since we first began with this.

Welcome To BYC

Do you have vet care?

Several good, clear, well lit photos of the foot would be helpful.

Have you given any antibiotics, if so what, the dosage and duration?

 

[Nellie88]

Welcome To BYC

Do you have vet care?

Several good, clear, well lit photos of the foot would be helpful.

Have you given any antibiotics, if so what, the dosage and duration?

This is her left foot that we have been working on healing up. She’s still not standing on it, and it looks like she has Bumblefoot in the right foot now. We have been soaking her feet, using Chlorhexidine Acetate ointment and vet wrapping every other day for about a week this time.

We pulled the plug out of the right foot but nothing else came out so we didn’t want to agitate it, giving her two feet she can’t walk on. Also put ointment on and wrapped it. Pictures below:

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I'm not sure what you can do about the left foot, I agree it doesn't look very good. @coach723 may have some suggestions.

Do you have any antibiotics on hand?

 

[Nellie88]

I'm not sure what you can do about the left foot, I agree it doesn't look very good. @coach723 may have some suggestions.

Do you have any antibiotics on hand?

Just the antibacterial cream we’ve been applying. Is there something else you’d recommend?

 

[Eggcessive]

I would leave the left foot alone, no taping or dressing. Soaking it daily in warm water might be helpful. It looks swollen and a little bruised. It could be that the dressing was too tight and interrupting circulation.