6 week old chick dog attack

[mimisus]

Thanks to all who responded to my original post Saturday, when this happened. I've since been busy caring for her and realized I should have posted here, not the 'new to BYC' area. My apologies.

Anyway, still need advice. To sum up, I was in a fenced yard on Saturday afternoon, giving my 7 chicks some sun and fun. My daughter arrived with a friends doxie, who managed to sneak in our area and grab one of my girls in the head. I was right there and separated them. But her right eye was bleeding and didn't look good. Looked on here, did everything we could in a small town, holiday weekend, betadine, saline, bacitracin, baby aspirin, pedialyte, separation, lots of TLC.

By Sunday afternoon she seemed to be less shocked, was eating small amounts of yogurt and letting me drip water down her beak. And was more feisty. I have her separated, but in a crate right next to 'sisters'. Sunday we also did a full betadine bath, which she hated.
Yesterday, took her outside to get some sun, she did ok, not great, but ok. We are continuing caring for wound, with saline, betadine, etc.

Today, she seems extremely depressed. Won't open her good eye unless I'm holding her, wont eat or drink, not even her favorite meal worms, which she was, now just basically sits there. . She hasn't seemed to have any problems walking, just that she doesn't want to.

Oh, forgot, yesterday went to feed store where we got them. They only had an eye powder to use in her eye (California is so regulated you can't just purchase necessary things) ,its called nfz puffer. I was Also going to get her a new small friend to hang out with, but they said it wasn't a good idea.

I'm afraid she's wasting away, don't want her to suffer. I'll post some pics...

Any other suggestions? We love all our ladies, but, of course, this is the one my granddaughter named after herself, which makes it a little harder on the heart strings.



Day of attack



Day after attack


Today


Also today,

Sorry, don't know why they didn't rotate.

Thank you,
Mimi Susan

 

[Eggcessive]

Does she hold her head at an odd angle? In looking at your pictures, I was wondering if she has developed wry neck. Be sure and give her some baby vitamins daily (PolyVisol is good) just in case. Give her some scrambled eggs for some extra protein. I'm wondering now if she might need an antibiotic of some sort--maybe penicillin or keflex. Can your local vet prescribe some for your chicken without you taking her in? Mine will usually give me drugs for critters especially if he doesn't treat them normally. Just say you need an antibiotic for a dog bite. They have penicillin in shot form at the feed store.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a thread about wry neck treatments just in case: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/97121/lets-talk-wry-neck-crook-neck

 

[mimisus]

Does she hold her head at an odd angle? In looking at your pictures, I was wondering if she has developed wry neck. Be sure and give her some baby vitamins daily (PolyVisol is good) just in case. Give her some scrambled eggs for some extra protein. I'm wondering now if she might need an antibiotic of some sort--maybe penicillin or keflex. Can your local vet prescribe some for your chicken without you taking her in? Mine will usually give me drugs for critters especially if he doesn't treat them normally. Just say you need an antibiotic for a dog bite. They have penicillin in shot form at the feed store.

Thank you Eggcessive, I forgot about the eggs. Duh. I just got home, peeked in on her and am now here, looking again. I don't think her neck is looking odd, but I'll check. I had an appt in Sacramento this morning, so since my closest feed store didn't have antibiotics (and apparently lied about it not being available OTC) I decided to start down that way and stop at every feed store on the way back up. Lucked out in Loomis and got penicillin. He didn't think the antibiotic ointment for the eye was necessary, since it isn't able to open at all anymore and appears to be lost.

So, I'm going to research here a little more on injections on chicks (I have to inject myself, I have RA, so I'm comfortable on humans) and find a proper dosage. And possibly more info on hydrating them. So, I'll try for a better picture, after I get more info and scramble her up some eggs. And I'll grab some baby vits too, forgot those too.

And our local vet is very strict about seeing the animals in person. I just have to start weighing the cost, as awful and sad as that sounds to me. Wish me luck, be back later.

 

[Eggcessive]

Here is a post that says the dosage for Procaine Penicillin G in Post #2 last paragragh--I would give .1 ml or 1/10 of a ml. since she is small. In the same post I believe their are instructions on giving a shot. You want to give it in the breast muscle. https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/352701/how-do-i-administer-a-penicillin-shot-to-a-chicken

 

[Eggcessive]

Give the penicillin daily for 3 to 4 days, alternating each breast. I just tried posting to find out if anyone has given the injectable penicillin by mouth. That would be so much easier for you. Will let you know if any answers.

 

[Eggcessive]

Mimisus, I don't think you can give the procaine penicillin orally. Is that the kind you have? If you had some amoxicillin or penicillin pills it might be easier than a shot.

 

[mimisus]

No, it's only the injectable kind, I talked to them about it at the feed store. I feel relatively confident in doing it

, but am definitely waiting for DH to get home to help me hold her. On a VERY positive note, SHE ATE! I found that putting halved meal worms and scrambled eggs on a dark towel allowed her to see the food better and she ate a bit. I also forced (no other way today) two syringe fulls of pedialyte down her, sounds mean, but that's the only way since yesterday to get fluids in her. Once I put her back in her 'hospital' I showed her again where her food and water was. Ran off to do chores and when I peeked back in, she was eating her regular food! She's perked up considerably having some nourishment.

I'll post a couple pics shortly, still more 'chores'.

But part of me says to hold off on the penicillin and part of me says don't risk it. And no, I have NO 'cillin's in my house, I'm deathly allergic.

Thank you for helping us through this.

 

[Eggcessive]

If she is doing better, I would hold off on the penicillin then. Glad she is eating!

 

[mimisus]

If she is doing better, I would hold off on the penicillin then. Glad she is eating!

We decided to hold off, couldn't find enough 'meat' on her.... and I didn't want to hurt her worse. We'll re-evaluate as necessary. BUT she's eating. Yay! Here's a couple pics.

Also, DH got Tri-Vi-Sol (has iron), is that ok, or should I return it?