Never-ending Battle with Low-grade Bumblefoot

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

My almost 2 y/o GLW is prone to annual bouts of bumblefoot, usually beginning in the winter of each year. Last winter we didn't catch it until it had severely progressed (we were new to chicken-keeping and didn't even know what bumblefoot was at the time). Luckily, a vet ended up performing surgery and she bounced back beautifully. Since then I've been vigilant about checking her foot bottoms on a regular basis.

This year, around December or so, I started noticing a low-grade case of bumblefoot cropping up on each foot pad. We started doing regular epsom salt soaks and have been keeping both feet bandaged with vetwrap and gauze (w/ vetericyn and neosporin on the gauze pad), changing her dressings every couple of days. They got better, then seemed to stay about the same.... for the next couple of months. She is showing no signs of discomfort but both pads are still showing slightly shiny, reddish patches of skin that look like the beginnings of an ulcer forming (but it never does). Sometimes the top layer of skin peels off, but underneath it looks the same. No signs of a classic bumble to excise either. They are not swollen or hot to the touch.

Anything else we can try to speed up the healing process? I feel bad for the poor thing. Of all of our chickens she's the most annoyed at being handled--so the redundant foot baths and wrapping is driving her (and my husband) insane. And it feels like we're just treading water. I'll do it forever if I have to, but I'm wondering if there's something I'm missing/haven't tried.

Thanks, everyone!

 

[Sally PB]

Can you post some pictures to show what you're dealing with?

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Can you post some pictures to show what you're dealing with?

Oh my goodness I thought I did! Whoops! Going to edit and add photos to the original post! Thank you

 

[Vgcmd1962]

Hi. You’re doing an excellent job! Her foot looks good!! It’s not black. On 2-22-21 my rooster underwent bumble foot surgery under general anesthesia and his foot appears back but flat. He’s probably healing. Yours looks much better.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

Hi. You’re doing an excellent job! Her foot looks good!! It’s not black. On 2-22-21 my rooster underwent bumble foot surgery under general anesthesia and his foot appears back but flat. He’s probably healing. Yours looks much better.

Thank you! The foot in question has fully healed, but her other one is still slow to fully recover. She will be happy when this boot business is over!

Good luck with your rooster! Bumblefoot is the worst!

 

[2467]

My roo has had bumblefoot surgery 3times in the last year. Wrapped each time with dressing changes. This time, i just lanced and removed the NASTY puss yellow “core”. He was not walking. I soaked 30 min in warm water with bleach, salt, dawn dish soap. I let the huge hole drain without any dressings or wrap. I let him out each morning early so he can walk on the green grass full of dew. It keeps the hole draining and soft. He is doing so much better! I know its not the traditional treatment seen on here but its working . Vetricin in my opinion is overated and over priced. Its water, bleach and salt ...basically.

 

[buffy-the-eggpile-layer]

My roo has had bumblefoot surgery 3times in the last year. Wrapped each time with dressing changes. This time, i just lanced and removed the NASTY puss yellow “core”. He was not walking. I soaked 30 min in warm water with bleach, salt, dawn dish soap. I let the huge hole drain without any dressings or wrap. I let him out each morning early so he can walk on the green grass full of dew. It keeps the hole draining and soft. He is doing so much better! I know its not the traditional treatment seen on here but its working . Vetricin in my opinion is overated and over priced. Its water, bleach and salt ...basically.

Thank you for sharing! This is good to know--and I'm so glad your poor rooster is doing better. I feel bad for those prone to foot problems like my GLW. They never get a break (and thus, neither do we).

I'm a bit squeamish so my approach to "surgery" is soaks and wraps for however long it takes for the bumble to keep surfacing so I can peel off top layers (until none left below). It seems to work, but if I get lazy and don't keep an eye on her or call it a wrap too soon, it always comes back. That said, I do catch it early while she is still getting around like normal and it's not severe in gradgrade--if that happens I may need to try the real deal surgery. Lancing might be good for when she gets that white telltale blister though!

Thanks again!