- Apr 18, 2016
- 19
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My flock endured an attack last night that left 3 disappeared (presumably dead) and one - my 20 week old Brahma - severely injured. I found her out in the horse pasture this morning. She has suffered deep bites between her wings and on her breast. The skin has been torn and there is no hope of any type of suture closure. She has some very deep puncture wounds in the muscles and tons of open body cavity space.
Luckily I'm a vet tech, so I have some training in traumatic wound management and so far have just treated her like I would a dog or cat, which is to flush the wounds with saline solution, then a dilute betadine solution. Earlier I applied a bandage with some triple antibiotic + pramoxine, but then realized that a petroleum based topical is not the best for keeping wounds clean, and so when I changed the bandage, I just placed saline-soaked gauze on the wounds.
My biggest concerns are pain-management, treatment for infection, and getting her to eat and drink. I mixed up some electrolytes with water and have been trying to syringe it to her, but she won't drink it and I worry about aspiration if I try to force it. Since she is a food-producing animal, I can't use a lot of the things (antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, etc) that I would on a cat or dog.
This is where I need help...what have you used on your chickens to manage pain and treat infection that is okay for a bird whose eggs you intend to eat? And how do you entice an injured hen to eat/drink?
Luckily I'm a vet tech, so I have some training in traumatic wound management and so far have just treated her like I would a dog or cat, which is to flush the wounds with saline solution, then a dilute betadine solution. Earlier I applied a bandage with some triple antibiotic + pramoxine, but then realized that a petroleum based topical is not the best for keeping wounds clean, and so when I changed the bandage, I just placed saline-soaked gauze on the wounds.
My biggest concerns are pain-management, treatment for infection, and getting her to eat and drink. I mixed up some electrolytes with water and have been trying to syringe it to her, but she won't drink it and I worry about aspiration if I try to force it. Since she is a food-producing animal, I can't use a lot of the things (antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, etc) that I would on a cat or dog.
This is where I need help...what have you used on your chickens to manage pain and treat infection that is okay for a bird whose eggs you intend to eat? And how do you entice an injured hen to eat/drink?
