Chicken attacked by dog need help Bone exposed

[Phillyrn87]

So my dog got a hold of one of my babies and I need guidance on wound care. I’m a nurse so I have flushed wound done wet to dry dressing with saline and gauze and allowed her to rest for the night in my guest room in a large contained area. I came home from work after my daughter found her and gave baby aspirin as well. There is exposed bone to vertebrae. She is still eating and drinking and alert so it gives some
Hope. Any other ideas?

 

[sunshine ducky]

I'm so sorry to hear about your hen. Whenever, I had dealt with chicken wounds/injuries I have always done these three things. First is Isolate her from the flock and put her in a dog cage, and I add a heat lamp or heater to warm them up. Second, Is I give them Save-A-Chick electrolyte vitamin powder in water. I cannot stress enough how important this electrolyte can be for a hen that is injured. Lastly, I always apply Vetericyn Poultry Wound Care Spray on the wound of the injured hen 2-3 times per day. However your injury sounds really bad because the bone is now visible, I recommend you take her to a vet if possible. Also one more thing you should is increase the protein in her diet just a bit, you could do this by providing dried meal worms or chicken scratch of some kind. I hoped this help and that your hen feels better!

 

[Eggcessive]

I agree that vet care is always best if available and affordable. It is good that you have wound care experience as a nurse, so you know what you are doing. Vetericyn wound spray is very good, and some use diluted chlorhexidene or saline. Most use plain antibiotics ointment over the wound to keep it from drying out, and if possible leave it open to air. A clean old towel is good for bedding to keep cleaner. Injuries around the neck and back can be serious if an air sac or organ is damaged. Does she seemed paralyzed or is she moving all her extremities? Keep her warm while she is weak or in shock. Many deep wounds heal just fine in chickens, but some do not make it because of internal injuries from squeezing.

 

[Chloe+chickens=LOVE]

Make sure NO FLIES come near her. Make sure you keep the wound clean and flush it out daily.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would not use BluKote on such a deep wound. It can be helpful on minor wounds and scabs.

 

[Phillyrn87]

Thank you all she has survived the night. Still eating drinking and now pooping. Will be going to store to pick up spray and electrolyte powder

 

[Eggcessive]

That is good. I like Poultry NutriDrench or Poultry Cell vitamins with electrolytes, but SaveAChick vitamins with electrolytes will work.

 

[SnapdragonQ]

I double getting Vetericyn to use on her. I keep it in my medicine chest and have used it on a large variety of animals and wounds. It will help things heal from the inside out. You can also use neosporin/generic on her as well. And no BluKote!
While BluKote is helpful to have in the arsenal for less serious animal injuries, it will burn/sting and dry things out.
As a nurse your intuition to keep things moist and flexible is right. Flesh wounds in humans are not a whole lot different than those in animals... in that what flesh needs for healing is essentially the same species to species. And you already understand what you are undertaking and what to expect. One of the big differences is that animals can survive a surprising amount of injury and heal up very well.
Everything Eggcessive said is spot on and Sunshine Ducky too, if you can get her to a vet that would be best.

 

[Stacy124720]

One of my hens had a large super deep wound all the way to the fascia and muscle, it looked awful! (Rooster scratched her and she bled, then the rest cannibalized her). I thought she would not survive but I took the advice on BYC of the Vectericyn spray and neosporin original, morning and night. Feeding scrambled eggs for extra protein. Using the probiotic/electrolyte in her water. I can't believe how fast she is healing, and how it all filled in! I don't know how she didnt need a skin graft it was that bad. I am keeping her in a small coop enclosure in my guest room... I read how chickens have amazing healing abilities. I hope your girl heals fast! ❤

 

[Phillyrn87]

Update- she is still doing good. Dressing change went well... somehow it already looks smaller. Used vetericyn and silver honey. Got the electrolyte water as well and some scratch/mealworms and I’ll make her some eggs later she is in her post dressing nap. Thanks so much for all suggestions! This one is my daughter and I’s favorite hen. Dazzling blue eggs. Will continue to update