Bumblefoot is known as pododermatitis. It is a common inflammatory condition that affects the bottom of the chicken’s foot. Most often, there is a hard, pus-filled abscess covered by a brown to black colored scab. Bumblefoot is caused by the Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which can get into the chicken’s feet through an abrasion, cut, sliver, or other injury. It can be painful to the chicken if it’s left untreated. But luckily, if you catch it early enough (hopefully you are inspecting your chickens on a weekly basis) it can be easy to treat.
Learn more at: https://poultrydvm.com/condition/bumblefoot
How to Treat Bumblefoot
What You’ll Need:
- Soaking bowl/tub
- Bath towel
- Rubber gloves
- Epsom salt
- Tweezers
- Chlorhexidine solution or betadine
- Triple antibiotic cream (without pain reliever)
- Sterile pads
- Wrap
Step-by-Step Treatment Process
Soak the foot:
Start soaking the foot in a bowl of clean, warm water with Epsom salt. Soak the foot for 10-20 minutes until the outer scab is soft.
Remove the bumblefoot “plug”
Keep in mind that this is a staph infection, which is highly contagious. Wear gloves for your protection. Using tweezer, gently pull away the hard scab, which should pull the hard puss underneath with it. If the scabs are not soft enough, soak the foot for a few more minutes. Make sure you remove all of the infectious material to help promote quicker healing.
Clean and dress the wound:
Clean the area with chlorhexidine solution and then apply triple antibiotic cream over the wound. Since the plugs leave a hole, you need to keep it clean until it heals from the inside out. Place a sterile pad over the hole and wrap the foot gently.
Keep an eye on it and change the wrapping each day, or at least every other day until it’s healed. Personally, I like this video done by Bock Bock Bouquet on removing the bumblefoot infection.
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