Chicken neck attack!! Help!

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I have a 24 year old Jack Russell who still likes to aggravate other dogs, and if they nip at her, her skin just tears from being so thin. We've come home to open wounds on her that should have been sewn, but it was too late by that point. I was a vet tech for years and knew that the tissue wouldn't have healed even if we had stitched her. Each time we would clean the wound well, then not put any kind of Neosporin or ointment on it so that it would dry out/scab over and heal from the inside out. We would give her medicine to avoid infection as well. She has a few scars, but she's always pulled through despite gaping wounds, and finally started to slow down and stop being a terror terrier.

I don't know if that will help you after all this, but I'm not sure that suturing the area is going to do any good if the skin isn't going to be able to heal together. Especially if there is the possibility of the croup being torn inside, which would theoretically just be leaking out internally causing more problems. If that were my chicken in the current situation, I think I'd pop those stitches, check for infection and clean it out, stop the Neosporin and ointments to see if the tissue will naturally scab so that it can heal itself. Maybe keep a loose wrap or cloth covering to keep foreign matter out, but not a tight bandage. Good luck with her.
 
JurassicBawk said:
I have a 24 year old Jack Russell who still likes to aggravate other dogs, and if they nip at her, her skin just tears from being so thin. We've come home to open wounds on her that should have been sewn, but it was too late by that point. I was a vet tech for years and knew that the tissue wouldn't have healed even if we had stitched her. Each time we would clean the wound well, then not put any kind of Neosporin or ointment on it so that it would dry out/scab over and heal from the inside out. We would give her medicine to avoid infection as well. She has a few scars, but she's always pulled through despite gaping wounds, and finally started to slow down and stop being a terror terrier.

I don't know if that will help you after all this, but I'm not sure that suturing the area is going to do any good if the skin isn't going to be able to heal together. Especially if there is the possibility of the croup being torn inside, which would theoretically just be leaking out internally causing more problems. If that were my chicken in the current situation, I think I'd pop those stitches, check for infection and clean it out, stop the Neosporin and ointments to see if the tissue will naturally scab so that it can heal itself. Maybe keep a loose wrap or cloth covering to keep foreign matter out, but not a tight bandage. Good luck with her.
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Very good points!
 
casportpony said:
Did you get a baseline weight on her? If not, go to the store now, get a kitchen scale and weigh her.

This level wound care is not well documented on web, and this is when we (BYC members) could really benefit from the advice of a vet. I've been present for many horses and cats being sutured, and it has always involved lots of flushing, creating "margins" (shaving hair away from wound edges), cleaning with betadine or chlorhexadine, dead tissue removal, removal of debris, and antibiotics. In horses, many times the wound is not sutured, it's just managed as an open wound.
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ITA with the vet advice suggestion, @casportpony .
Human wounds are often complex, especially traumatic wounds. Many times, wounds are left to heal by secondary intention (as I mentioned previously) to prevent infection and allow frequent cleaning, packing, and monitoring of the wound. Necrotic areas are removed as they are formed, exudates are flushed away. Systemic antibiotics are the norm but if the wound is especially dirty antibacterial flushes may be used too.
It looks like this wound is quite complex.
JurassicBawk said:
I don't know if that will help you after all this, but I'm not sure that suturing the area is going to do any good if the skin isn't going to be able to heal together. Especially if there is the possibility of the croup being torn inside, which would theoretically just be leaking out internally causing more problems. If that were my chicken in the current situation, I think I'd pop those stitches, check for infection and clean it out, stop the Neosporin and ointments to see if the tissue will naturally scab so that it can heal itself. Maybe keep a loose wrap or cloth covering to keep foreign matter out, but not a tight bandage. Good luck with her.
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At this point I agree. I would not leave the wound wide open, though---I would keep a moist dressing on it as I described in a previous post.
 
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casportpony said:
If the skin edges where the yellow stuff is have not joined, I think I might want to open it a little and see if there is pus in there.
View attachment 1140211
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Okay! I will look to see if it's separated as I *think* it still is. I'll separate and look for pus. We let her have some free time outside for a bit and she was walking around like normal with her tail up again. I did see her poop and it was a dark green color and all liquid/soft. There was no white cap.
 
Time is of the essence... get that baseline weight asap, and it might also be a good time to think about getting another antibiotic. Maybe some Baytril?
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/baytril-enrofloxacin-sources.959119/
It's banned for use in poultry, so that's one concern, but if you really want to save her, you might need it, or something more broad spectrum than penicillin.
 
Anabariful said:
Thank you! :hugsShe appears to be "okay" as of now. I saw her eating so fingers crossed she will pull through.
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I saw in another group a hen that was carried off and badly injured by a hawk, she made it home, I think she was gone a good 6-8 hours and last I heard she was recovering from her injuries. the fact your girl is alive 7 hours later says alot for her fighting spirit. but I would take her to a good vet and at least have her looked at, and they can guide you on wound care for this and she probably will need an antibiotic. best of luck for you precious Gretchen, she is a fighter
 

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