Scab on bottom of foot

[L in Ontario]

I picked up a few young Goulds (around a year old) yesterday and one of them has sores on the bottom of one of her feet. Both ankles appear swollen - one is more so than the other and red. There is a scab on the bottom and apparently it is painful as she tries to not put weight on this foot.

She is fine in all other ways.

I've put some antibiotic cream on the foot. Is there anything else I can do. Has anyone else seen this type of sore?

[Sally]

I have not seen this, Liz, but could this be what they call bumblefoot?

Oh, I just remembered, when I first got into finches, I had a Star that had a similar problem, very tender on the bottom of his foot. I bought an antibiotic cream for birds which cleared it up, but I'll bet a generic from Wal-mart would work just as well.

[Raleighwheels]

I agree. The pictures do look like some other bumblefoot pictures that I found on the internet. Do you remember if the person you bought your birds from had sand covered perches in the cage? I read that these types of perches tend to cause the condition. The treatment you are using should clear it up.

[lovemyfinch]

I hope that the cream can clear it up Liz. I was going to say some type of fungus, but bumblefoot does sound more likely.

[batuhan]

Hi L in Ontario
do you know balsam pear-momordica charantia ?
http://earthnotes.tripod.com/balsampear.htm
it is very good medicinal plant for festering sore,for open wound,even if it is good for noma and it is good for wound infection.
It is one of the best natural vulnerary...

batuhan

[JohnBoy]

You can purchase it here. They accept paypal.

http://www.herbalextractsplus.com/balsam-pear.cfm

[CandoAviary]

Ouch...that does look sore.
I use to breed canaries and they were prone to foot problems. I never had one actually get a scab like that but did have some that would become pink, swollen, and weight sensitive. I found by offering baths with listerine in the water... (about a capful on a hang on door bath) prevented these problems.
I am sure an ointment would help.

[L in Ontario]

Thanks everyone. I found one of the other new Gouldians has a small 'mark' in the same spot on the bottom of her foot too, so I put the ointment on everyone's feet.

Good news! The one in the picture above - the scab came off. It is still swollen but not as red and now looks soft and supple (rather than very dry).

I'll keep applying the antibiotic ointment a couple of times a day.

[cindy]

I hope they heal quickly for you Liz.

[batuhan]

for External use 2 mature fruit in 300 ml olive oil out and waiting for 15 days at the end of this period the mixture pressed.this content in the same bottle waited 4 days more in the sun.this ointment 3 times a day spread through the eczema, sores, boils, such as are used in skin diseases.

batuhan

[L in Ontario]

for External use 2 mature fruit in 300 ml olive oil out and waiting for 15 days at the end of this period the mixture pressed.this content in the same bottle waited 4 days more in the sun.this ointment 3 times a day spread through the eczema, sores, boils, such as are used in skin diseases.

batuhan

Thank you batuhan. I'll continue with the ointment I am currently using as it seems to be working quite well.

[ac12]

Liz that looks like what was on the bottom of one of my zebras.

I used neosporin on the sore/skin break on his foot.

Then I put him in a separate cage with a cardboard floor. This was to reduced the pressure on the sore from perching. But he still managed to perch on the food cup.
The PROBLEM with the cardboard floor is their poop has to be scraped every day or every other day, or they will be walking on the hard rough poop. And that would aggrivate the problem, as that may have been what caused the problem in the first place.

I also gave him anitbiotics to counter the swelling in his foot/leg.

I have been trying the idea from Candace of Listerine in the bath. But so far I have only been able to get away with 1/8 teaspoon in 6 oz of water. When I tried 1/4 teaspoon, there was enough residual Listerine smell (even after I blew in the bath several times to blow out the smell) so that they would not bath. I figure 1/8 teaspoon is better than nothing.

[L in Ontario]

Yes that's basically what I am using Gary. A generic version of Neosporin or Polysporin (what's the difference between those anyway?). I did separate her from the other 6 so that she would not be bothered when they fly past, perch or bump into her upon landing. She perches fine but sometimes pulls that foot up off the perch. I'll definitely keep an eye on it and if it keeps improving I won't give any antibiotics but if it starts to worsen at all, I'll get some into her pronto. I think you could be right that the problem possibly started by walking around on old dry rough feces.

There were too many birds in too small cages - the guy was in a hurry to sell out.

[cindy]

Liz, all these birds are lucky you came along. I am hoping for a speeding recovery for your new bird.

[CandoAviary]

I have been trying the idea from Candace of Listerine in the bath. But so far I have only been able to get away with 1/8 teaspoon in 6 oz of water. When I tried 1/4 teaspoon, there was enough residual Listerine smell (even after I blew in the bath several times to blow out the smell) so that they would not bath. I figure 1/8 teaspoon is better than nothing.

That's probably strong enough. I used it in the canary baths that hang on the side of the cage and those baths were more the size of cockatiel baths...so more water. I would detect a very slight listerine odor.
Some of my canaries were prone to sores...some weren't. But once I started adding listerine to the bath water I never had a problem with any. I feel it is more of a prevenative as opposed to a cure. Once the feet are in that bad of of condition I too would use an antibiotic cream and internal antibiotic. I have never had a finch have this problem just canaries.
I sure hope your baby is going to be better soon