Bloody tail abcess **GRAPHIC**

[FlightsofFancy]

I discovered this on a friend"s chicken while I was feeding/watching her farm. She is out of town. At first I thought it was from the rooster, but after I cleaned her up I discovered it was so much worse. I don't even know how to describe the severity of tissue damage....just really bad! It doesn't smell. It's not pus filled. It's not an animal attack. This is not fresh and had a very thick scab. What you see in picture is what it looked like after the scab was maybe knocked off by the rooster and then I soaked the rest off. Oh and I originally put bluekote on it, but then decided it needed to be washed more thoroughly with soap and water, then with betadine. This is located at the base of her tail.
How do I treat this? Antibiotics? Cleaning? Treatment? AND WHAT IN THE WORLD IS IT???????

(I contacted owner and she has no idea, but has given the go ahead to treat as I see fit) HELP!!!!!!

 

[wyliefarms]

No idea! But the poor thing! Sounds like you are doing a good job. I would keep her seperate cause the other chickens will peck her. Good luck

 

[Chicks R Friends NOT Food]

I really don't know, but if you're not quarentining her, you probably should untill you find out if it's contageous. And for the pecking, forgot to add that.

 

[Emzyyy]

poor girl, I can't really help you out. Keep it clean. I know not to use peroxide it slows down the healing process. Goodluck.

 

[FlightsofFancy]

Yes I pulled her inside to a dog crate with weewee pads. Figured the pads would absorb better. She is eating and drinking, acting fine.......

Here is another picture. See how the skin is really yellow under her tail?

 

[purpletree23]

Keep it clean and rinse with a diluted solution of betadine. Make the solution tea colored. Rinse twice a day for 2 days. After that the betadine can do more harm than good because it kills new skin cells. I see a lot of blood and fluid and gook in the pictures. Taking off the scab was a good thing in my opinion. I think it helped to get some of the infection out. In the next few days the infection will probably come to the surface and can be drained. Chicken pus is yellow and solid. Kind of like scrambled egg (sorry everyone) Not white and runny like human pus.

If you do open it make sure you have a syringe (without a needle) or a dollar store turkey baster so you can irrigate the wound with diluted betadine and tweezers to pull out the infected material. After it is drained dry the area and pack it with neosporin.

I would start her on Penicillan G injected into the breast and then open the infected area and drain it. Scalpels can be purchased at most farm stores, make sure you wear gloves and eye protection. Use old clean rags to lay her on when you 'operate' and then wrap all of the dirty materials in plastic and throw away. The infection is probably staph.

Keep us posted

 

[FlightsofFancy]

Thank you purpletree23!!!!! Dosed the Pen G last night and we are on a cleaning schedule. Thank you for reminding me about the betadine.......forgot about that.
I also sprayed the area with Gentimiacine spray...the kind you get from the Vet for hot spots on dogs, then put on the Neosporin.
I will keep ya posted.

***I am taking care of one sick chicken at my farm, then an injured chicken at a friends farm. ARG!

 

[purpletree23]

Hows she doing? I know you are busy with 2 patients right now. Is that thing ready to come out? It's just like bumblefoot. You have to get the core out and all of the gunk.

 

[FlightsofFancy]

OK bird owner is home and she is doing the cleaning now. whew! It has dumped snow so I haven't seen her in the last 24 hours, but she is still acting fine.

With the Pen G do we repeat the dose or is the single 1 cc dose all we give?

 

[Elite Silkies]

Once you start one on an Antibiotic you have to finish the course. I know with Tylan the recommended course is 3 days. Not sure on Pen G, but I would say 3 to 5 days.

Does she have a prolapse? If so, you could treat the prolapse with sugar.