Otherwise healthy hen with swollen foot

[hippiestink]

My Belgian d'Uccle Coreen has been limping for a couple days but her appetite is healthy, she's been active and clucking, and she drinks regularly. The only thing that is wrong is that she has a limp and her foot is swollen. I don't see any scabs or anything. My concern is whether it's bumblefoot or just a normal injury.

I've been soaking her in a saltwater/French green clay solution and have her isolated from the flock in case it really is bumblefoot. Can anyone let me know for sure? Here's a few pictures.



Normal foot (left)



Injured foot (right) (zoom)



Injured foot (no zoom)

We live in Belgium so most vets don't treat any animal other than dogs and cats. She's in an old snake tank (we have two corn snakes and two dogs in addition to our four-chicken flock) with blankets, fermented feed (topped with garlic powder), and water with a little ACV included. Basically, feed and water are normal and she's just isolated from the flock in case it's an infection. None of the chickens are showing any issues, just her. Anyone able to help?

 

[Eggcessive]

It is difficult for me to see the foot completely since the skin color is gray, and we can't see the bottom of the foot pad. Some conditions that can cause a swollen foot are as you know bumble foot, mycoplasma synoviae (MS,) and gout. Gout will affect the whole foot. Severe scaly leg mites could also do this, but your chicken does not appear to have leg mites. Bumblefoot usually consists of swelling and redness of the foot pad or sometimes between the toes and on top as well, and a dark spot on the pad. Bumblefoot is caused by a staphylococcal infection from a small cut in the foot. There can also be bacterial or viral arthritis in the foot, that would cause swelling. A broken foot or toe may also cause swelling. Here is some reading:
http://www.the-chicken-chick.com/2011/07/bumblefoot-causes-treatment-warning.html
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/99/mycoplasma-synoviae-infection-ms-infectious-synovitis/
http://www.canadianpoultry.ca/cms_pdfs/AviaTech_Staph.pdf
http://en.engormix.com/MA-poultry-i.../avian-gout-causes-treatment-t1246/165-p0.htm

Gout

Mycoplasma Synoviae

 

[hippiestink]

I'll read the links in a minute (in and out a lot right now since the hubby got home) but when I get back I'll have a couple of pictures of the foot pads for y'all. Need four hands to do it so I can get my husband to hold her while I get a good shot.

 

[hippiestink]

Okay I'm finally able to post. We managed to find a vet nearby that can diagnose it for sure. It does look a lot like MS but I'd definitely want a second opinion.



She's a bit scraggly because I'd just finished soaking her foot again, but I'm ruling out bumblefoot because she has literally no scabs that I can see.

 

[hippiestink]

I added Grapefruit EO to her foot soak and I've seen some improvement. The swelling is slightly lower and she actually will put weight on it to move around her isolation tank. Yesterday she would stand or sit and was holding it high against her, no walking at all. I was already soaking twice a day so we'll see if the immune-boosting feed/water and regular soaking makes it go away.

 

[SunQueens]

Any Luck?

 

[hippiestink]

Hen is now totally fine. Wrapped the foot in gauze and surgical tape after applying drawing salve. Let it set two days before changing. Kept with the probiotics and immune boosting feed/water. After three treatments with the foot wrappings she's 100% better.