What is bumblefoot?
Surrey Poultry Vet describes how bumblefoot is a term commonly used to describe a disease of the foot in birds.
“The problem is that the term "bumblefoot" does not describe the problem accurately. It doesn't tell you how severe the problem is, which structures of the foot are affected nor whether a bacterial infection is part of the problem or not. Therefore, it can be very confusing for owners seeking advice on how to help their birds.”
What term do vets use to describe bumblefoot?
“Pododermatitis means inflammation of the skin of the underneath of the footpad or toes. Pododermatitis can be mild, seen as darkening of the skin surface, through to severe ulceration. Sometimes, a subcutaneous cellulitis (pus under the skin) can develop in the foot, which can result from pododermatitis or a wound. This latter presentation is most often called Bumblefoot. These problems do not only occur in birds, it can occur in any foot.
There are numerous published scoring systems to describe the different appearances of pododermatitis. These help vets decide many things about the problem including how much pain the bird is likely to be in, how severe the problem is, the best course of treatment and the most likely cause. Scoring systems can also be used to monitor the health of feet in a flock to monitor early signs and keep feet healthy.”
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“No. Most cases are mild and do NOT involve a bacterial infection that requires antibiotic treatment.
In many cases, it is the skin cells multiplying, thickening, elongating and discolouring. This is the skin's way of protecting itself if it is frequently being rubbed or damaged in that area. These cases need treating, but medication is not usually necessary.”
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“Treatment depends on which structures of the foot are affected and what disease processes are going in the foot. In all cases, the underlying cause should be investigated (see section below on prevention).
Mild cases should respond to daily nursing care. Keep the foot clean and dry. Apply a corn plaster over the lesion to reduce the weight and friction over it. Bathing the foot in a mixture of warm water and dandruff shampoo (do NOT use a medicated shampoo like Nizoral) can be used to encourage any dead skin cells to fall off. Ensure your hen has a comfortable surface to walk on. You may need to provide thicker bedding or cordon off hard, stony ground in favour of soft grass. If the problem is not improving, consult a poultry vet.
Severe cases, where the foot is enlarged or swollen, should be seen my a veterinary surgeon. These birds will need pain relief and/or anti-inflammatories. If you are not sure, compare the affected foot to the hen's other foot or the feet of a similar size hen in your flock. Severe cases may need investigating under local anaesthetic check the health of the structures of the foot and identify any pus present, which may need to be released. Please do not attempt to do this at home as making a hole in the foot is very painful. This should only be performed with pain relief and anaesthesia by a veterinary surgeon.
If you think you have found dark, thick areas of skin or swelling on the toes or along the side or top of the foot, please contact your poultry vet. There are other problems that can occur in these areas and a different approach may be required.”
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“Adult birds should not develop pododermatitis. You should always look for underlying causes, especially if you are finding this problem in a few birds over the course of a year. Identify any rough, hard surfaces, hard edges or persistently wet ground your birds are walking or perching on. Check the surfaces of the landing areas from your highest perches and check the perches for sharp protrusions. Ensure they are soft and comfortable. Watch your birds as they land. They should be landing lightly and continuing on their path smoothy, not breaking their fall and stalling before they carry on walking or running.”
The images above show a normal foot, one with mild-moderate pododermatitis and finally a swollen foot with severe pododermatitis that requires veterinary attention.
