Bumble foot surgery

by Gabrielle Nelson
(US)

Question

3 weeks ago I did my first bumble foot surgery. I don’t think it went very well, there was a lot of bleeding, so It was very hard to see what I was doing.

Every other day after, I soaked her foot in Povidone-iodine 10% with water for 15 min. Then I would pack the wound with Neosporin and wrap it up. Then for the first 3-4 days I gave her Baytril.

I am not sure how better it is looking, she seemed a little slow yesterday and today, so I am worrying about it getting into her blood stream and her dieing! I know I am over reacting, but what do you all think?

Does this look normal for 3 weeks after surgery ?

Answer
Thanks for the great photos of this problem and your work. I agree with you that the foot doesn't look completely healed.

It does look better. In the future, if you do this surgery, try to use a tourniquet (or have someone apply pressure) to shut off the blood supply to the foot.

This will greatly help in seeing what you are doing. You didn't say if there was a sack at the center of this sore. If there was, and you were unable to completely remove it, the healing may take longer.

Often the body will create a cyst sack to keep the infection from spreading. A successful surgery would remove all infected and dead tissue.

Just lancing a cyst can relieve pressure and allow drainage for comfort and to begin the healing process.

The most important point is: Does she use the foot better than before treatment? I would suggest that you continue soaking on a daily basis as long as there is a scab or open sore.

I like to use a bucket or plastic tote big enough for the chicken to stand. Buckets are great as the chicken is less likely to drink the soak solution.

I place a ventilated lid over the top and allow the chicken to soak its feet in a couple of inches of water. The longer the soak, the deeper the foot wash will go into the healing tissue, loosen dead tissue and kill any bacteria.

With a gauze pad remove any dead tissue after soaking for 1/2 hour, this will help the healing process. Then dry the foot well.

I would only use Neosporin if you plan to bandage the foot and if there is any fresh bleeding. The petroleum base will just gather dirt to an uncovered wound.

I would repeat the Baytril since this healing seems a bit slow. Remember to give live culture yogurt or pro-biotics to restore her digestive system after anti-biotics.

If this happens again you might try soaking the feet daily and removing as much dead tissue as possible instead of surgery.

Dry the foot, pack with Neosporin and bandage. This will decrease the chance of bacteria in the blood stream and may solve the problem. Make sure the chicken roosts and housing are dry and clean as possible.

Standing in damp feces is the most common cause of this problem, though a small cut can start it.