Sores on feet

[Ashling]

My favorite chicken, Belladonna (the dark one in my sig) has a sore on both feet, her left worse than her right. There is a scab about as big as a pea there and she has been limping. I don't know what ammonia burns look like, but could it be that? I'm hoping it isn't an infection- it's not very inflamed but the skin surrounding is pink compared with her normal gray.

If needed, I am able to pick off the scab... I'm wondering if this would be best so I can apply a salt solution to so it is able to heal from the inside out. That's what we do when our dogs get small wounds. For now, she is inside getting the royal treatment in the tiel's huge old cage inside, with food and water... I might bring her a friend in to keep her company tonight. I am about to soak her foot in a salt solution and give her foot a message to get the blood flowing. (Yes I am giving my chicken a foot message, no I am not crazy!) Just wondering if that scab should come off?

Or any other suggestions?

[Ashling]

I just did the most disgusting thing I have ever had to do in all my years of keeping animals. I soaked the foot for a minute in a warm saline solution and messaged the scabby lump. It began to lift up at one end so I kept gently rubbing at it. After a while I was able to prise it up, and with it came a thick "root" of hard, white rubbery stuff. It looked like a blackhead pimple! I wasn't able to get all of the "root" out, as it started bleeding lightly and I couldn't see what I was digging at. All the while, Belladonna stayed completely quiet and didn't struggle at all. I soaked the foot again then inspected the other foot. It has the same lump but smaller and not as well formed, but it is hard. I'm pretty sure I have the same problem with that foot- I don't know how to stop it developing.

Hope I did the right thing :S It is now able to heal from the inside out and if I keep using the saline solution it should hopefully not become infected, if it isn't already due to whatever that "root" was!

[Abby]

Warm salt baths help to draw out puss infections so you've done the right thing there. Do you think she might have got something in her foot and over time this infection has built up? I'd clean it a couple of times a day with your warm salt baths and then slather some betadine solution on it. See how it goes with that.

[Ashling]

I don't know what caused it, Abby. It may be from stepping on poo and having it stay there and harden, then the ammonia burns through the skin and allows the bacteria from the poo to enter the body and cause infection. This is just a theory though. I wish I could get picks but I lost my camera :S

I just bathed it again and tried to remove some of the "root" that is till in there. I can't get it out. I'll put a little betadine on the outside, but not right inside the wound. Kali suggested I purchase an antibiotic to help fight the infection so I'll do that tomorrow.

What should I do about her other foot? It has the same "scab" but smaller. Should I rub it off too or leave Bella at least one foot to stand on for now!? lol

[Abby]

I'd go with one foot at a time. Keep an eye on the other foot for signs of swelling though and if that starts then get onto it. I think betadine will be your best choice and if there's some kind of oral antibiotic you can get even better. the root thing should ( in theory) push out to the surface over the coming days.

Our older cat used to come off second best in cat fights as he got older and subsequently got some nasty abscesses. What I'd do is get the worse of the pus out then fill the area with dettol cream. Used to sort it out every time. I gave up on the antibiotics from the vet 'cos he'd nick off everytime I went to give them to him.

[magdalena]

Put a hot compress on it and leave it there for a while, that might help to pull the pus to the surface as well. Also ew! One of my rescue cats had an abscess on his shoulder I thought I could deal with at home rather than leave him at the vet's overnight to drain for me when I took him in for antibiotics and to get it looked at. I had to drain it a few times daily for a week. It was a very large abscess, like an inch by two inches long. Insert mental image of how much pus that entails here. Definitely one of the grossest things I've ever had to do. He was brave about it, I was not. No way I'm ever going to be a vet. :D

[Ashling]

I will take all your suggestions into account, thanks so much for your help guys! I remember the days of my cat Charlie and his abscesses and battle wounds... not fun! Also my dog Flea when his dad would give him awful bite wounds.