Bumblefoot in poultry of any type is a condition that can cause mild lameness. If left untreated, bumblefoot can result in the loss of toes or the entire foot, and may even lead to the animal’s death.
Causes of Bumblefoot
Bumblefoot usually starts out as a minor cut or scrape on the animal’s bottom surface of the foot or toe. In most cases, the injury heals without any issues. But occasionally the wound becomes infected which leads to bumblefoot.
Bumblefoot can be caused by a number of bacteria that are found in a chicken’s environment. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), E. coli, and Pseudomonas are the most common bacterial species found in a bumblefoot infection.
Symptoms of Bumblefoot
- Limping
- Swollen foot pad
- Swelling between toes visible from the top of the foot
- A dark, necrotic spot may form on the bottom of the foot
- Core or plug of dead tissue and thick pus inside the foot pad
Treatment For Bumblefoot
For a mild infection, wash both feet and legs with a mild antiseptic soap, scrubbing the nails and leg scales with a soft toothbrush to remove as much contamination as possible. Repeat this washing once a day until the infection improves.
For a more severe case of bumblefoot, you may need to seek the help of a poultry veterinarian. If you do not have a veterinarian, it may be possible to do the bumblefoot “surgery” yourself.
Supplies
- Old bath towels
- Disposable gloves
- A disposable, sterile scalpel
- Vet Wrap
- Gauze sponges
- Triple antibiotic ointment or Vetericyn wound spray
- Chlorhexidine or Betadine (iodine-based) surgical scrub
Procedure
First, loosely wrap the bird in the towel and have your assistant firmly but gently hold the bird with its feet accessible. Next, soak and scrub the bird’s feet in a diluted solution of Betadine or Chlorhexidine to remove as much contamination as possible and soften the scab and surrounding tissue.
Wearing the gloves and using the scalpel, make an incision around the black scab on the bottom of the foot. Use the tip of the scalpel to gently tease and cut away the infected tissue from the normal tissue in the bottom of the foot.
After you have removed as much of the core and surrounding infection as possible, gently clean the wound one more time with fresh Betadine or Chlorhexidine solution. Then rinse again with fresh, clean water. Apply the Vetericyn wound spray or triple antibiotic ointment, filling the wound cavity as much as possible. Cover the wound with a gauze sponge and wrap with Vet Wrap, making sure that the Vet Wrap is not pulled too tightly to impede circulation.
Keep the chicken in a hospital cage while treatment continues. Change the bandage daily until the wound heals, which may take up to a month for severe cases.
For more detailed information on Bumblefoot, please read our blog post.
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