Monday, September 21, 2015

Bumblefoot!

Little Miss Eggo has bumblefoot again.
What is bumblefoot you ask??
It's like an abscess, a boil, from a break in the skin of the chicken's foot pad that allowed bacteria to get in and form an infection.
It can be minor or serious.  Big or little but it has to be taken care of before the infection spreads up the leg that can make the chicken septic and can actually be fatal!!
Here's what it looks like.
Swollen pad of the foot with that black crusty scab.
You may notice it first by the chicken limping a little or just not wanting to move around.
It must be lanced and the core of the infection gotten out.
I wasn't able to take pictures of the procedure as both hands were very busy, holding the chicken and performing the procedure!
First you clean off the foot really well and soak in warm epsom salt water for about 10 minutes.  This softens the scab and makes it easier to remove.
After trying to get all the infection core out, (a lot of the time it will come out in one piece), I wasn't that lucky, you soak again, medicate the area and put a dressing on her foot.
It has to be soaked and redressed everyday until it looks like it is resolved and is healing.
Here are some pictures of Eggo on the second day of soaking and re-dressing.

You put a dark towel or cloth over their head and that calms them and they almost go to sleep!

Her pretty lime colored vet wrap dressing.

She is not a happy girl!


What is this thing on my foot???

And that's bumblefoot.
It's not uncommon but it's hard to get rid of.

Shirley

1 comment:

  1. Oh poor baby! Glad that you were able to catch it and I hope that the infection clears up pronto!!

    Big Texas Hugs,
    Susan and Bentley

    ReplyDelete

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