Chicken wing ripped ripped off by bobcat. Help! (Graphic pictures)

[Gail03]

As you all can see in the title we had an incident with a bobcat this morning. Everybody was fine except for our rooster who ended up getting attacked. His entire wing was ripped off save for the hummurus bone and a couple of spare muscles. We don't have any vets near us who will take chickens, this would be an easy fix except for the bone sticking out of the wound. Any body have any advice on what to do? I saw a similar post that ended in success by kdwhita whos rooster was attacked and she snipped the bone off until it was under the skin so it wasn't in the way and let the wound heal up. I am willing to do that but I am looking to find the best option first. (Edit: I spoke too soon , I just went out again after a bit and saw one of my hens had a wing injury too her radius is broken but it is a much easier fix than my rooster.)

 

[azygous]

Have you washed the wound thoroughly with soap and water, and then irrigate for several minutes to flush out all bacteria you can?

Your very best option would be to see if there are any flaps of skin tissue you can lay over the exposed muscle to begin the process of building tissue. This approach, if the configuration of the wound cooperates, gets new tissue growth in a fraction of the time it requires to achieve granulation - the growth of new tissue.

If you are going to trim the bone, I suggest doing it now. That way you don't ruin any new tissue growth.

For a wound of this size, I also suggest an oral antibiotic to assist his immune system in defeating bacterial growth.

The number one rule of any wound treatment is never to let the wound dry out. The second rule is to flush and irrigate the wound with saline every single day, at least once a day, or twice would be ideal.

 

[Gail03]

Update: It has almost been 4 weeks since the incident, and yes the rooster is still alive lol. He is still healing but we have not had any problems regarding the wound, no shock, no bone infection, no rot. I will make a full update post when he is done healing with all of the pictures I took to help anyone else that goes through something similar.

 

[Eggcessive]

I would suggest a vet if possible. If not, trim the bone now using a good antiseptic such as Betadine or Chlorhexidene 2%. I would try to get some cephalexin for fish or some clindamycin antibiotic to give since bone infection could be a possible problem.
https://www.allivet.com/p-2389-fish...MI8vD-6OCq7AIVEr7ACh3SwgWvEAAYAiAAEgIQAPD_BwE

https://www.allivet.com/p-8015-fish...MIhcOHluGq7AIVhMDACh2DUwf7EAAYAiAAEgJnWPD_BwE

 

[black_cat]

As @Weeg said, definitely bring him in if you haven't already!!!!!! You don't want any flys laying eggs in that wound. I'd put him in a dog crate with towels for bedding. Make sure he has easy access to food and water. Put him someplace warm. I'll also tag @casportpony @ChickenCanoe and @HeatherKellyB

 

[HeatherKellyB]

How is your bird doing today?

 

[azygous]

I'm pleased you are willing to get involved and do something. It requires courage to tackle something as serious as this wound. Most would simply euthanize. If the patient is agreeable to fight to stay alive, I'm all for doing as much as possible to help him.

I think your decision to trim the bone or not relies on how much movement that fragment still has. If it has free movement, radially and vertically, it would likely defeat any attempts his body makes to grow tissue over that vestigial appendage, and may pose the danger of errupting through future new tissue during moments of activity. If you have a friend in the medical profession, they could provide some feedback on how to decide this.

Meanwhile, I suggest treating for shock which can set in at any time and be life threatening. Warm Gatoraid will work or warm sugar water with a small pinch of salt and baking soda, giving as the only water source for all of today.

 

[Weeg]

I don't know if anyone has said to separate him inside your house idealy, or somewhere were flies wont get in the wound. If flies get in the wound and lay eggs, that would be terrible. Good luck with him! ☺ Avery

 

[CHlCKEN]

How is he doing? I agree, bringing him inside would help to prevent flys laying eggs in his wound- and where there are fly eggs, there are maggots. I have a severe fear of maggots and and any white insect larvae. I wouldn’t want to deal with maggots so I know you probably wouldn’t either the poor rooster would NOT enjoy it at all. A wound like that would make me worry that a possible fleshy scar after recovery, would prevent you from being able to enter him back into the flock, without risk of it being pecked

 

[CHlCKEN]

Updates? Did he survive?