Bumblefoot without scab?

[SavageDestiny]

So, I have a nearly one year old Easter Egger. Lays great, active, super friendly. She injured her leg somehow about a week after I got her. I got her in early March. I could never find any injury on the leg or foot and she gets around fine. I check all my girls over every 7-10 days or so, including feet.

Yesterday I noticed she was limping worse than usual, and sitting down a lot. I looked at her feet again and the footpad on the left foot is slightly swollen. I still can't see any scab, though, and have never seen a wound on the foot. Can bumblefoot present without a scab? If so, how would I know whether or not to do surgery on the foot and where?

 

[iwiw60]

http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/search?q=bumblefoot

As stated on this web page...."

Bumblefoot is characterized by swelling, sometimes redness and often a characteristic black or brown scab on the bottom of the foot." So yes, it could very well be the start of bumblefoot, and if you treat it asap it should heal rather quickly...good luck and keep us up-to-date with the progress!​

 

[Eggcessive]

Are any of her foot or leg joints swollen?

 

[SavageDestiny]

Are any of her foot or leg joints swollen?

Only the pad of her foot, perhaps a little in between the toes spreading out from the foot pad. The ankle MIGHT be slightly swollen, but I may be imagining that in my paranoia. If it is, it is extremely slight.

iwiw60, that link has some good info, but nothing on how to treat bumblefoot without a scab.

 

[Eggcessive]

Could she possibly have a broken or sprained foot?

 

[iwiw60]

Only the pad of her foot, perhaps a little in between the toes spreading out from the foot pad. The ankle MIGHT be slightly swollen, but I may be imagining that in my paranoia. If it is, it is extremely slight.

iwiw60, that link has some good info, but nothing on how to treat bumblefoot without a scab.

How's she doing today? Have you tried soaking her foot in a real warm epsom salts mix? That might 'bring it to a head' so-to-speak...just thinkin'...hope she's better today!

 

[SavageDestiny]

Could she possibly have a broken or sprained foot?

I've thought for a long time she might have a torn or partially torn ligament. She's been lame for a couple months, but has gotten around fine. I've never been able to find a wound, and she never seems tender when I palpate her foot, leg, or toes. The last few days, though, the limp is worse and her footpad is swollen now.

How's she doing today? Have you tried soaking her foot in a real warm epsom salts mix? That might 'bring it to a head' so-to-speak...just thinkin'...hope she's better today!

She is worse today. She can still move around, but she doesn't really want to, the limp seems worse. She didn't even really want to compete with the other girls for breakfast since she has to run around- she's low hen on the totem pole and gets chased off the feed so she has to run from bowl to bowl. I finally set aside a bowl for her and kept the other girls away and she was happy to eat then.

I planned on getting some epsom salts while I was at the store yesterday, and did I remember to get it? Nope, I surely didn't. So I'm going to get some today and do a soak.

 

[SavageDestiny]

So, I did an epsom salt soak and found this:



I managed to cut the scab out, but was unable to find a kernel or any pus. I'm out of my depth here, and not sure what to do. I decided not to keep cutting without knowing what I was doing, so I sprayed the foot with Vetericyn and bandaged it up, then put her out with the other girls. She doesn't seem to mind the bandage and actually is walking better with it to cushion her foot.

 

[seminolewind]

You did the hard part. Now comes the soak, squish and squeeze with both thumbs to loosen the kernel up. Just keep doing both until the kernel comes out. Can you feel a hard lump?

 

[SavageDestiny]

You did the hard part. Now comes the soak, squish and squeeze with both thumbs to loosen the kernel up. Just keep doing both until the kernel comes out. Can you feel a hard lump?

I did squeeze, quite a lot actually. I even got tweezers in there to pick away more flesh and tried squeezing more. Couldn't get anything out or even see what looked like a kernel. I couldn't feel a hard lump either.