Bobcat Attack! Injured hen, what antibiotics should I use?

[farmgranny]

BOBCAT ATTACKED! We have one older aracauna hen that has facial bruising, and obvious scratches to her eyelids, and face. Today she is making labored breathing sounds with every in and out breath. I know that a cat scratch is full of bacteria and can kill a parrot in a matter of days, so I assume it is the same for a chicken. She may be suffering from bacteria affecting her kydneys and thus has fluid around her lungs and heart. She is a good old gentle hen, and I hate to see her go this way. I have tetracycline hydrochloride soluble powder, and can put this in water and administer via an eyedropper if she'll cooperate to swallowing. I do not want to force liquid and asperate it into her lungs. Does anyone else know what type of antibiotics to use, and how to administer as a preventative for bacterial infections. I assume I need to treat for gram negative and gram positive bacteria, so penecillin might be needed, but do not know if chickens can ingest penicillin. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks

 

[BantamLover21]

Chickens are remarkably resiliant to injury and illness, so I wouldn't automaticially assume that your injured hen needs antibiotics. The labored breathing could be because of lung damage, caused by the lungs being crushed or punctured, internal bleeding, etc. However, it could also be a sign of a secondary infection in the form of a respiratory disease. Since infection is dangerous, I would start her on antibiotics.

The tetracycline hydrochloride may work, but a stronger antibiotic would be better. You can use Penicillin, given in the form of injections, but I wouldn't unless its the only one you can find--Penicillin only works on certain types of bacteria; a broad spectrum antibiotic would be more effective. If you can find it, I'd purchase some Tylan50 injectable. The Tylan50 injectable dosage is 1cc for large-fowl injected into one side of the breast once daily for 5 days. Its recommended that you alternate the side of the breast that you inject into, as Tylan is said to make the injection area sore. Do not give dairy products or probiotics during treatment.

I would also (if you haven't already) isolate your injured hen in a warm, clean (and bobcat proof) place. Put some poultry vitamins/electrolytes in her water (I use some called sav-a-chic), and entice her to eat, if she isn't, but feeding foods like scrambled eggs, moistened feed, applesauce, etc. Try to minimize external stresses (loud noise, temperature fluctuations, etc.); just let her rest. I'd put some antibiotic ointment on any external wounds that you see, too.

 

[Wyandottes7]

I'd give her penicillin. You should be able to find it at a feed store. If she's a normal sized bird (about five pounds), give .5ccs. If she's smaller, give .25 ccs. You'll need to inject it into her breast muscle, so get some relatively large needles (eighteen gauge-- Penicillin is a thick antibiotic) and some small syringes.

 

[farmgranny]

Well, I'm a long ways from a store that sells poultry meds, so I went into my equine/pet medicine cabinet, and found several antibiotics left from previous vetting. I liquified a Ciproflacn tablet, and also diluted some tetracycline vet powder in another jar of water. Henny was sounding worse, and upon searching for puncture wounds, any wounds, and not finding anything BUT the facial wounds, I set her in my lap, and gentle dropped first the tetracycline onto her beak via 3 cc syringe, and she drank about 2 cc of the concoction, then I used the same syringe and let her drink about 2 cc of the cypro water, and figured she was laboring so hard to breathe that I had to get serious about a bacterial infection, no matter where it might have come from. These hens were at the neighbors when the bobcat attacked, and he knew I had a more secure pen, and asked that I take them to our farm (they are NOT my hens, yet). None of the hens had been ill before the attack, and she had no other outward signs of illness, tho all 7 were shocky, as to be expected after a brutal attack that left 5 of their sisters dead and scattered. 2 hours later, her breathing seemed better, I treated her again at 3 hours, and an hour after that she was perky, and up in the roost with her sisters, and hardly a weezy breath out of her. Also, her red skin around her eyes and cheeks was far less inflamed and puffy, and her chin feathers and skin was not swollen. I think she is on the road to recovery. She welcomed plain water as well as medicated water. Hopefully this is all a good sign that one or both of the antibiotics is working.
I welcome any and all advice any may offer. Thank You so much or all your input.
I'm going to humanely trap and relocated the male bobcat to the mountains behind us. He was just doing what was natural to him, YUM, chicken, and what red blooded cat wouldn't love the fun of a whole pen of them.....Sorry for the scared hens, tho.