[gibbo]

I have a cream leg bar about one year old called lucy!  About three months ago she developed a lump on her leg.  I took her to the vet as she became lame.  The vet lanced it thinking it an abcess, however only blood came out.  She said that the joint didnt seem to be affected.  She concluded it was an heamotoma and administerd an anti inflamatory. She gave me an oral antinflamatory and antibiotics to give her and recomended using an ice pack!!!  I did all of this and even put some arnica cream on it.  The swelling never went down however she seemed well and walked fine after a few days.

Now three month latter the lump seems to have got bigger and she is begining to limp again.  I caught her to take this picture and put some arnica cream on it while i had hold of her.  

Any ideas what could be wrong.  See the pictures.

[Helenaj]

Does she have any breathing problems? There is a condition called Mycoplasma Synovitis that causes swollen hocks and it looks very similar to that. She may need a broad spectrum antibiotic like Tylan to clear it.

[gibbo]

she doesnt have any breathing problems and is in good health appart from the bad leg.  I cant remember what the antib was now. ill have a look tomorow as i have to go out now.  i do still have some antib powder though so if it is the right stuff i could try again, although it didnt work last time?  plus it is only one leg, would that make a difference?

[Casey76]

It might be infected, pus in chickens (especially feet/legs) is actually fibrous/solid so unless the vet made a proper incision it is unlikely to have drained any pus. (This is what I was told by a vet many years ago).

[geordiechick]

OUCHHHHH!!!!

If it's not one thing it's another!

[gibbo]

The vet insurted a needle with a syringe and dug around quite alot, im sure if there was  puss, there would have been a least a small amount come out in the syringe.  It was only deep red fresh blood.  If however what you say is true casey does that mean she would need it cuting open and cleaning out.  This would make a big wound and would surely cause her more problems. I have put some ibuprofen gel on it today to see if it will ease the pain for her and reduce the swelling.  She really is quite well apart from the leg it took some doing to catch her! Im realy reluctant to go to the vets again as it starts to cost so much money, and they really are useless.  I woulnt get cream crested leg bars again they have proved to be a bit troublesome.

[darkbrowneggs]

This thread might be of some help

http://poultrycommunity.com/forum/showthread.php?11346-Bumble-Foot-on-leg

[gibbo]

could it really be a case of bumble foot that far up her leg?  i dont fancy cuting it my self like they are doing on the other forum!  however i will if thats the only option.  will it clear on its own???

[darkbrowneggs]

Here is another link on bumblefoot http://www.chickens.name/#/foot-problems-in-chickens/4556870722 for you to have a read through.  Fortunately for me I have never had this problem in my flock but thought I would do a bit of googling for you

[gibbo]

Thank you for that info.  There is no scab on the lump however it is getting rather big so to releive some presure would prob be a good thing.  I might give it ago and lance it my self.  A neighbour has offered to help, she has horses and therefore a good first aid kit which will come in handy.  I also have some powdered antib that i might put on the wound.  Ill consider seperating her from the others so that they cant bully her.  See how it goes.  Ill keep you all imformed.

[gibbo]

I did the deed!! I made a small incision abot 6/7mm and what a lot of muck came out. At first it was lots of browny coloured blood then with some reluctance the horrid black clots started to come out.  It seemed most painfull for her when touching near the joint however she was very good. I flushed with lots of salt water then did too flushes with hydrogen proxide provided by the neighbour who uses it on her horses. I then left the wound oppen to air.  I also gave her some anti infamitory oraly and some antib's in her water.  (To be honnest i think she got as good a treatment from me as any vet would have done but at no cost, every thing was sterile and carried out with care.)   She is now tucked up in the green house with lots of clean straw to sit on.  See how she is in the morning but she looked reasonably bright considering what she went through.  I think if i had not done it she would have died as the piossen would have got into her blood, the lump had become biger still and was about to burst.  See how it is tomorow and posibaly repeat the process.  Hope she will be ok, she is not my best laying girl in fact she is pretty rubish but you have to care for the annimals you take on or you shouldnt have them in the first place.

[bantam novice]

Well done Gibbo, the surgery  seems to have been most effective.   

[darkbrowneggs]

It sounds as though you have done a good job - I hope she makes a speedy recovery.

[gibbo]

Looking at her this smorning she seems well enough, eating and drinking.  Still limping and puting her leg backwards into a funny position.  The lump although not as big has filled up again.  Ill try cleaning it out again latter and i think i might wrap the top of the lump this time but leave the cut exposed, this might stop it from filling up again.

One thing i have noticed is that her eye has always been slightly funny (a good few months, but always though it was an expresion!), a suprized look about it.  I looked properly at it this morning, it seems a little bigger than the other and the pupil is more dilated, it seems to droop down a little in the socket.  I told you she was my roublesome chicken!!

[gibbo]

Ive cleaned it out again today and dressed it this time. There was so much stuff in it again but im pretty sure it was only clotted blood. I looked very closely at what came out and there was no sign of puss etc only fresh blood cots. So im inclined to not press it to much again now just rinse it and re-dress it for a few days. Im not sure if i am imagining it but her eye thing that i mentioned ealier seems to be geting worse (even more suprised looking!) wander what it could be and if it is related. Im begining to think that she may not altogether pull through. Ill take a photo of her eye tomorow and post it too see what you all think. Many thanks.