PLEASE HELP - CHRONIC BUMBLEFOOT

[MKanian]

I’ve never posted here before but I just rescued a duck a couple of days ago and he has very large bumps on his feet. I don’t know much about the previous owners or his behavior before I rescued him but from what I have observed he has no other symptoms of illness. I don’t have an avian vet super accessible to me so it there any way I can treat it at home? Any advice is greatly appreciated

 

[CHlCKEN]

Can we get photos of what the bumblefoot looks like? It would help to know what stage he is at.

I would go ahead and soak him in Epsom salt for now. Usually if the scab is dark and solid you can soften it enough with the soak to be able to pull it out in one piece. I never use a knife or scalpel to cut into the foot because it is almost always possible to just pull it out with your fingers or tweezers. You’ll want to make sure the kernel comes out too- you’ll almost definitely know if it has or not, it will be solid white/yellowish and leave a small cavity in the foot. You’ll want to make sure you did not leave any in the cavity but ensure you are not mistaking live flesh for infection material. (Flesh will be more white or pink and “stringy” if you cut into it)

Here’s an example of a kernel I’ve removed from a chicken foot recently- this is a really large one and it’s important to remember that they always look different. You may not have a very large kernel- sometimes they are pretty small. The dark part was the surface scab while the yellow and white is the hardened pus and infection.

If your duck’s feet look a little bit more like this, as in more like a blister and not necessarily scabbed over,

Then I’d suggest soaking and using Prid or Ichthamamol to draw more of the infection to the surface (this photo was taken after a few days of Ichthamamol usage). You can usually squeeze something out at that stage, but I prefer to wait until it is scabbed over, which usually indicates a surfaced infection. Meanwhile continue soaking the foot. It should scab up in a day or two.

If there is any bleeding, I will clean out the cavity with iodine. Otherwise, I usually just use regular soap and water and saline. I spray with Veterycin and fill the cavity with a triple antibiotic (Neosporin without pain relief), and wrap the foot. I continue to tend to the foot and apply these treatments until it seems ready to heal on its own.

 

[MKanian]

Can we get photos of what the bumblefoot looks like? It would help to know what stage he is at.

I would go ahead and soak him in Epsom salt for now. Usually if the scab is dark and solid you can soften it enough with the soak to be able to pull it out in one piece. I never use a knife or scalpel to cut into the foot because it is almost always possible to just pull it out with your fingers or tweezers. You’ll want to make sure the kernel comes out too- you’ll almost definitely know if it has or not, it will be solid white/yellowish and leave a small cavity in the foot. You’ll want to make sure you did not leave any in the cavity but ensure you are not mistaking live flesh for infection material. (Flesh will be more white or pink and “stringy” if you cut into it)

Here’s an example of a kernel I’ve removed from a chicken foot recently- this is a really large one and it’s important to remember that they always look different. You may not have a very large kernel- sometimes they are pretty small. The dark part was the surface scab while the yellow and white is the hardened pus and infection.View attachment 3982409

If your duck’s feet look a little bit more like this, as in more like a blister and not necessarily scabbed over, View attachment 3982413
Then I’d suggest soaking and using Prid or Ichthamamol to draw more of the infection to the surface (this photo was taken after a few days of Ichthamamol usage). You can usually squeeze something out at that stage, but I prefer to wait until it is scabbed over, which usually indicates a surfaced infection. Meanwhile continue soaking the foot. It should scab up in a day or two.

If there is any bleeding, I will clean out the cavity with iodine. Otherwise, I usually just use regular soap and water and saline. I spray with Veterycin and fill the cavity with a triple antibiotic (Neosporin without pain relief), and wrap the foot. I continue to tend to the foot and apply these treatments until it seems ready to heal on its own.

thank you so much for all of the information. His bumble foot has a large black scab. A part of the scab came off today and the wound bled. I have been spraying it with a spray that a local rescue recommended but I will definitely try the soaking.

 

[CHlCKEN]

A part of the scab came off today and the wound bled

Did anything come out with it?

 

[MKanian]

Did anything come out with it?

No it was just a piece of the scab and then blood.