Chicken Recovery

Warning - graphic photo of bumble foot wound in this post.

I have nothing but praise for our vets. Washington was allowed to come home on Saturday afternoon after her foot was re-dressed. So my husband went down and bought both girls home.

There is a noticable improvement in Washington this time around. I think the oral antibiotics are helping battle the inflammation and the poultice is helping to draw out the infection. Then Washington's body is making it's own recovery. She has been out and about more often in the pen and even scratching with her sore foot.

Yesterday Washington went back for a re-dressing. I love how the vet nurse lays her out on her back. She just lays there quietly as she is tended to.

I watched yesterday as the vet cleaned out the wound with a curette tool. She scraped out the infected material and there was a healthy flow of blood in response. Then she swabbed the wound with antiseptic and then packed it with a poultice and then wrapped it with vetwrap.

Even though it looks nasty I think it is actually healing quite well. Unfortunately poor Washington has lost nearly a third of her body weight. She went from a large 3Kg to 2.2Kg since March. She has stopped laying her white eggs and is now moulting.

But I am looking after her. She gets first dibs on the food scraps and I am supplementing  her diet with extra protein. She will continue with the oral antibiotic until it runs out and will revisit the vet for wound dressing every 2nd day. That's a 50Km round trip.

I tell you...this chicken is well loved. I can not afford to lose her now. Her first egg after this trauma might as well be golden!

On a positive note, I think that Breanna might be on lay again. On one day we had three eggs. I know that the huge one on the left belongs to Obama, the middle one to Bluey (and as Washington lays a small white egg, I can only deduce that the one on the right belongs to Breanna). 

                                                                                                                                                              ?

Bumble Foot Surgery Again

Washington is back at the vets. I took her in this morning as the oral antibiotics were not reducing the swelling in her right foot at all. I have been bathing both her feet in Epsom Salts and warm water everyday. Then afterwards I have been giving her an oral anitbiotic (not an easything to do with a chicken's beak!)  She has also started moulting so feathers are flying everywhere when I blow dry her legs and tummy.

This time I had Ian, the male vet, who looked after the girls when they were attacked by dogs. He was very clued up on her previous surgery and the condition known as Bumble Foot. I was very impressed with his background reading and his calm take charge attitude.

The scab under her right foot was lifting up and a secretion of fluid was coming out when he squeezed. He took a swab for analysis but suggested that the scab needed to come off with another surgery and for him to investigate the wound. I was in agreement.

Washington was held down gently by the vet nurse onher back. Looking so vulnerable but very very patient and calm. I am so proud of her. I can't imagine how painful this condition is for her and it seems to be growing worse and not better. 

So she had surgery at about 11am. At 3pm I took down a care package of grains, grit, fruit, cat food,  veterycin and a bag of sugar cane mulch for roosting upon.

The vet and nurse asked if I could also bring Breanna back down so that Washington could have company. The nurse also said that they love having the girls come and stay. Breanna is starting to look in better condition this week. (She may have even layed an egg but I can't be certain). Less scruffiness due to moult but I told them that she has lost a lot of weight. I can feel her breast cartilage sticking out. 

According to the vet and nurse Washington's surgery went well. She was under gas. Ian said that there was a LOT of pus and infection behind the plug, some of it was hardened. No wonder her foot was so swollen. He said that there was a lot of necrotic tissue to clear out but the stuff behind was a healthy pink. He took a little extra margin around so now the wound is quite large and deep. He has packed it with a poultice to draw out any remaining infection. He was researching pure honey as a packing agent too. I like this guy's willingness to find good solutions. Apparently pure honey is a natural antibiotic.

I miss my girls but the vet accomodation has a concrete floor and it is best to leave Wash there so that her feet do not get wet, muddy or dirty. There might not be any egg laying though. 

Bumble Foot Surgery and Post Op Care

Warning graphic photos of wounds

On Tuesday the three kids and I took Washington down to the Ballina Veterinary Clinic to have minor surgery on her bumble foot. The vet nurses were all glad to see her back again. 

Kirsty, the vet, was so good reading up about the procedure from the links I emailed her. She has never seen a case of it before. Washington was put under with some gas and we picked her up later that day.

Right foot before surgery

I am sooooooo glad that I took her to the vet rather than attempt this surgery at home with one of the kids holding her down. It was a lot more complicated than even the vet thought it would be. I knew the right foot was bad. It was evident from the  blackened circle however the left foot was just as bad once they opened up the tiny speck on the outside.

Left foot before surgery

Yesterday, I went back down with Washington to get wound dressing lessons from the nurses. . They snipped off the right foot bandage and I saw it for myself - the gaping holes in her feet are huge - roughly the size of a Smartie each. Full of necrotic flesh! The right foot bled a bit too. They did the first foot and I made myself do the left foot. I learn best by doing.

Right after before surgery

I have to wear gloves because I could contract the staph infection from the chicken too. They showed me how to fill the void with a syringe for of the antibacterial cream - Flamazine (the Veterycin arrived only after the operation ).  Then put gauze in place and wrap the wound with this amazing stuff called Vetwrap. It can be a bit tricky and sticky with gloves on!

Today I had to dress the wounds by myself at home. I had all the gear ready. Washington flapped around maybe four times (stuff flying everywhere) but for the most part she was patient lying on her side as I cut away yesterday's bandages and re-dressed the wounds. I was sweating profusely and I got a sore neck and back from the tension and posture I had to keep. 

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I am a bit in awe of vets and nurses now. They are so cool under pressure. My parents are coming to chicken sit while we are away next week, so I have arranged three vet appointments so that they can take her down to be re-dressed by the nurses. My folks are in their twilight years and I just cannot see them managing this job between them. It may be enough for them to try and catch her anyway!

The patient chook patient, Washington. All re-dressed.

I do really pray (and so do the kids) that the infection has been cut out and treated before it spread to Washington's foot bones. After everything she has been through I would be so devastated to see her die from a pine cone puncture wound.

Her first dressing was PINK!

I have done some serious pine cone eradication these past 2 weeks. I must have cleared out about 30 bucketsful of them. Some buried quite deeply in the leaf and needles litter. I also gave some lower branches a prune so that the chickens can get around. 

Washington spent the first night in our bathroom but last night she was back in the hen house and able to sit on the roost. It must have hurt though. Her right foot bandage was a bit bloodied today and she has spent most of the day lying down. I have been out to give her tasty treats and water so she does not have to walk far. She has enjoyed two dust baths though and has been clucking loudly.

Still part of the flock whilst recuperating

Linking up to 'Down Home Blog Hop #33' at Tilly's Nest.