Dog bite injury treatment success!

KCchickie

In the Brooder
Feb 16, 2018
3
4
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Pics: 1st and 2nd are after, 3rd is before

Hello, have been debating whether to post this here (bc it's so gory!) but figured it could be very helpful for someone who was in a similar situation. Our hen, Bok Bok, was attacked and pinned underneath a basement window well by our own dog. It was a freak occurrence, normally the dogs are not out when the chickens are, and vice versa. When I found her, there was quite a bit of damage, it looked like he'd gotten a serious bite of flesh from her back. We couldn't tell if the dog damaged underlying bones or organs. She also had a huge swath of missing feathers down her neck and back.

I feared the worst, and called around town to see if there was a vet who could see her immediately. Only a specialty avian vet was willing to look at her... meanwhile, I envisioned the hundreds, if not thousands, we would probably spend saving her via the vet. This was not feasible for us, so I raced to the internet and began researching chicken injuries (which led me here).

I have a background in small animals so am comfortable giving injections. If you aren't, there are so many good YouTube videos on how to do them! I promise it's really a lot easier than you'd think!

We took her inside wrapped in a towel, and cleaned her wounds with hydrogen peroxide and coated with regular antibiotic ointment. She looked in rough shape and we weren't sure she would survive. There was one major bite wound ripped open, and 2 other puncture holes.

After that, I flew down the highway to Tractor Supply and picked up Duramycin 72-200 (oxytetracycline). Multiple sources online gave dosages for a chicken. I honestly don't remember which calculator I used, but I estimated her weight at 5 lbs, and gave her 0.4 ml subcutaneous injection, on her back skin. We repeated that about three days later.

We kept her isolated in a dog kennel bedded with straw. She never stopped eating and drinking, so that was a good sign and gave us hope. Everyday, I would use a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water to clean the wounds. We would then coat liberally with antibiotic ointment. The first week, there were parts of the wound that turned black, then green, and it was pretty scary looking. But her spirits seemed up, we let her out and she'd stroll around the garage as if nothing was wrong.

Flash-forward to today, about 4 weeks later, she's back with the other hens in her coop. She still has about a quarter-sized scab but it's healed very well with clean borders. We apply Rooster Booster every few days. Will upload pics below.

Anyway, just wanted to share our chicken recovery! It may have been a long shot but we're SO happy she survived and is back in our little flock of 3 hens!! And the dog isn't even sorry one bit.
 
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Did you wrap the wound? My story is very similar to yours but my chicken died 2.5 weeks after the injury. She was doing really well and just trying to see what I did wrong. i think its because my mother put on a new cream that made the scab re-soften. Very confused as to why she died. She was eating at first in the beginning but it was then off and on so I force fed her myself.
 
View attachment 1267917 View attachment 1267917 View attachment 1266872 Pics: 1st and 2nd are after, 3rd is before

Hello, have been debating whether to post this here (bc it's so gory!) but figured it could be very helpful for someone who was in a similar situation. Our hen, Bok Bok, was attacked and pinned underneath a basement window well by our own dog. It was a freak occurrence, normally the dogs are not out when the chickens are, and vice versa. When I found her, there was quite a bit of damage, it looked like he'd gotten a serious bite of flesh from her back. We couldn't tell if the dog damaged underlying bones or organs. She also had a huge swath of missing feathers down her neck and back.

I feared the worst, and called around town to see if there was a vet who could see her immediately. Only a specialty avian vet was willing to look at her... meanwhile, I envisioned the hundreds, if not thousands, we would probably spend saving her via the vet. This was not feasible for us, so I raced to the internet and began researching chicken injuries (which led me here).

I have a background in small animals so am comfortable giving injections. If you aren't, there are so many good YouTube videos on how to do them! I promise it's really a lot easier than you'd think!

We took her inside wrapped in a towel, and cleaned her wounds with hydrogen peroxide and coated with regular antibiotic ointment. She looked in rough shape and we weren't sure she would survive. There was one major bite wound ripped open, and 2 other puncture holes.

After that, I flew down the highway to Tractor Supply and picked up Duramycin 72-200 (oxytetracycline). Multiple sources online gave dosages for a chicken. I honestly don't remember which calculator I used, but I estimated her weight at 5 lbs, and gave her 0.4 ml subcutaneous injection, on her back skin. We repeated that about three days later.

We kept her isolated in a dog kennel bedded with straw. She never stopped eating and drinking, so that was a good sign and gave us hope. Everyday, I would use a 50/50 solution of hydrogen peroxide and water to clean the wounds. We would then coat liberally with antibiotic ointment. The first week, there were parts of the wound that turned black, then green, and it was pretty scary looking. But her spirits seemed up, we let her out and she'd stroll around the garage as if nothing was wrong.

Flash-forward to today, about 4 weeks later, she's back with the other hens in her coop. She still has about a quarter-sized scab but it's healed very well with clean borders. We apply Rooster Booster every few days. Will upload pics below.

Anyway, just wanted to share our chicken recovery! It may have been a long shot but we're SO happy she survived and is back in our little flock of 3 hens!! And the dog isn't even sorry one bit.

So glad your hen is recovering! Nice job. Thank you for sharing this information, I'm sure will be useful others seeking help.
 
Thanks for the tips. My BR dotty was picked up briefly by a dog this evening. One small tear about 1.5" on her very lower back and another small puncture below her vent. I wasnt home when it happened but when I arrived, she was in the coop on the roost. She drank some water and I cleaned it with saline and put neosporin on it. Since her feathers cover the wounds, im leaving her with the other hens unless problems occur. Going to pick up some of that Duramycin though. She's the boss hen by far, so I'm hoping they'll let her heal.
 
Thanks for the tips. My BR dotty was picked up briefly by a dog this evening. One small tear about 1.5" on her very lower back and another small puncture below her vent. I wasnt home when it happened but when I arrived, she was in the coop on the roost. She drank some water and I cleaned it with saline and put neosporin on it. Since her feathers cover the wounds, im leaving her with the other hens unless problems occur. Going to pick up some of that Duramycin though. She's the boss hen by far, so I'm hoping they'll let her heal.
I'm sorry to hear about Dotty.
I do suggest you monitor the wounds very closely, FlyStrike has reportedly been terrible this year. The weather is still warm so maggots can hatch out in less than 24hrs.

I hope she recovers soon.
 
I'm sorry to hear about Dotty.
I do suggest you monitor the wounds very closely, FlyStrike has reportedly been terrible this year. The weather is still warm so maggots can hatch out in less than 24hrs.

I hope she recovers soon.
If my only other option is keeping her inside, then I'll have to hope for the best. I can keep her confined alone but it will still be outside. I'll apply ointment twice a day or as others advise. Sucks we'll be in hurricane conditions for the next couple days.

Their coop is freshly cleaned and I don't recall seeing any flies around their coop... ever really. Fingers crossed
 
If my only other option is keeping her inside, then I'll have to hope for the best. I can keep her confined alone but it will still be outside. I'll apply ointment twice a day or as others advise. Sucks we'll be in hurricane conditions for the next couple days.

Their coop is freshly cleaned and I don't recall seeing any flies around their coop... ever really. Fingers crossed
As long as you are checking the wound and putting on ointment regularly, you should be fine:) If she is alert, eating/drinking then being with the flock is the best place for her. Being top girl, separating her out would be stressful.

Oh dear! You are in the pathway of the storm! Your and your family's safety is most important. I hope all goes o.k. for you and the storm is not a bad as they claim.
 
Thanks. Grabbing some blukote in the am. We are in pensacola. Really hoping to stay on the west side of Mike! Just soggy windy wet conditions not ideal for my healing girl. Hope she stays in the coop on the roost.
 

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