Coyote Attack & Prolapsed Vent?

[Hillbilly Texan]

One of my 6-month old silver wyandotte hens was grabbed by a coyote yesterday morning around 8 am. My dog and I gave chase immediately hoping that he would release her. My dog chased the coyote from our property and I continued to look for her in case the coyote dropped her but didn't find her. Later in the day around 3 pm I found her among the rest of my flock! She was foraging and seemed to be moving around fine but was missing her tail feathers as well as all the feathers on her bottom. There were leaves and other debris stuck to the area. I brought her in and bathed her in warm water so I could better see the damage.

Upon closer inspection, I found tearing around the vent area and what appears to be a prolapsed vent with white liquid seeping from her vent. Because of the obvious injuries, I was afraid to push it back in. I called our local vet, explained what had happened and asked if they could treat a hen with a possible prolapsed vent and was told they could. It is a large veterinary clinic with many doctors that is geared toward farm animals. I took her and the young vet's first question was "What is her purpose?" I knew I was in trouble. He was hesitant about even handling her. I replied that I guess all my chickens are pets; I have 18 including her. In addition she lays eggs that we sell. Long story short, I was told that all he could do was treat the superficial wounds and wait to see what happens. I asked what about the prolapse and he said he would need to consult with another vet in the office with 20+ years experience. When he came back, he insisted that she didn't have a prolapsed vent and there was nothing he/they could do.

I am new chicken keeper and diagnosing prolapsed vent from multiple online searches. I've attached photos. Is this what I'm dealing with?

She is currently segregated in a kennel in a dark room and I have given her broken up Pepcid Complete tablets along with powdered Vitamin D3 and added Rooster Booster Vitamins & Electrolytes with Lacto Bacillus to her water. She seems to be eating and drinking but there isn't much poop but there is some. She survived a coyote attack for pete's sake; the least I can do is give her a fighting chance!

 

[rjohns39]

Hi and welcome again to BYC I'm looking for one of our first folks now. It may take a few as I don't see anyone on line.

 

[coach723]

In one picture it looks like MAYBE a slight prolapse, not sure from the angle of the picture, all the other pictures look like a wound to me. So what appears to be a prolapse may just be swelling from the wound. If all of the damage is external then there is a good chance she can heal and recover. If there are any tears inside the cloaca, in the intestine or oviduct, then it's more problematic as it will be a high risk for infection, especially if there are tears that go through to the abdominal cavity. As droppings are going to go through there, it's going to get dirty. All I can tell you is what I would do if it were my bird. Clean up the area as well as you can, chlorhexidine is good, or just warm soapy water. Trim any remaining feathers that are touching the wound, so you can keep it as clean as possible. I would use a lubed glove and finger to gently try to examine her cloaca to see if she has any internal tears or if it's just external. You can use plain neosporin on the wounds. You can use vetericyn wound and skin care spray for daily cleaning, and reapply the neosporin. You can also use manuka honey on the wounds if you'd rather be more holistic. Keeping her in a dark/low light area while she heals is a good idea to try to keep her from laying until she heals. I usually keep them on towels or puppy pads so that it's easier to keep the area clean, rather than any loose bedding. If she's eating and drinking well, then hopefully she will recover and be fine. Vitamins and probiotics can help with healing. If you see signs of infection, then you will likely need to treat with antibiotics. If there are internal tears, then worst case scenario you may have to decide to euthanize, but time will tell and hopefully it's not that severe and it's all external. If there is any prolapsed tissue then it's important to not let it dry out and become necrotic. I would do as I said above, and see if the swelling goes down and what it looks like in a day or so. Either the honey or neosporin would keep it moist. Often preparation H can help with the swelling from a prolapse, but since there are wounds I'd probably use the honey instead as it's also antibacterial. I would also recommend that you give her a very thorough going over, every inch of her, to make sure that there are no other wounds anywhere else. Separate feathers, look under wings etc, looking for cuts and punctures. They can hide injury very well. If you want to dose her with an antibiotic I usually use amoxicillin, 125mg, twice a day orally, for 5 days. (http://www.allivet.com/p-2377-fish-...4wcStYxG24CT7LCKMRk2HB1pctmhrciMaAks8EALw_wcB)
I've not had to treat a vent injury like this, my wounds have been elsewhere, but that's what I'd do. Maybe others will have more suggestions or personal experience with tears around the vent that will help. Best of luck to you.

 

[Hillbilly Texan]

Thank you so much for responding! Before receiving your post, I crushed a Pepcid Complete into powder (as she didn't eat the one I had crumbled earlier), added 1.5 ml NutriDrench all to to spoonful of catfood which she loves. She ate it all greedily. I then gave her a warm soak with Epsom salts with a little Dawn in the water to clean all the tissue and to be able to inspect her thoroughly. She is very sore and doesn't want to be handled. I found a superficial wound under one wing which I applied Neosporin. However, this is my concern. It appears that part of the protrusion is now black. I tried to push back in with a gloved finger but it just popped back out. The whitish yellow secretion from her vent is pretty much continuous but she is pooping, eating and drinking. What else should I do?

 

[rjohns39]

we should wait to hear from others but keep it moist. neosporin, honey,etc. what ever your using.

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Wow, you're doing great with her so far. This is my first year as a chicken person, so the learning curve for a coyote attack has been huge for me!

My rooster Henry is eight weeks out from the attack. I ran into the woods like you did and made all the right turns until I found him just sitting there, badly wounded and in shock.

The primary treatment I've used has been Manuka honey. You can use local raw honey as well. Manuka is the lamborghini, but other honey heals beautifully, too. The recommendation for towels over bedding or blankets is a good one. You can place a bath towel or two on the floor and layer a folded sheet on top. This allows for air circulation and makes it easier when dealing with honey.

I have no experience with vent wounds, but I will say that by the end of the first day there was a lot of blackened tissue. It may have been blood clotting and dead tissue beginning to harden. Based on the your photos I'd probably not push anything back inside her in case it's infected and decaying.

There are probably punctures elsewhere. The epsom salt bath was a great thing to do for her. I would do this daily. Observe her breathing and listen for any indication of a body cavity or air sac puncture. Discontinue baths if you discover a sucking wound, unless it's up higher and you can protect it from the water. This was the case with Henry.

It's absolutely amazing to me that you saw your hen carried off by a coyote and found her back with the flock later in the day! Please keep us posted on how she's doing.

 

[Hillbilly Texan]

Wow, you're doing great with her so far. This is my first year as a chicken person, so the learning curve for a coyote attack has been huge for me!

My rooster Henry is eight weeks out from the attack. I ran into the woods like you did and made all the right turns until I found him just sitting there, badly wounded and in shock.

The primary treatment I've used has been Manuka honey. You can use local raw honey as well. Manuka is the lamborghini, but other honey heals beautifully, too. The recommendation for towels over bedding or blankets is a good one. You can place a bath towel or two on the floor and layer a folded sheet on top. This allows for air circulation and makes it easier when dealing with honey.

I have no experience with vent wounds, but I will say that by the end of the first day there was a lot of blackened tissue. It may have been blood clotting and dead tissue beginning to harden. Based on the your photos I'd probably not push anything back inside her in case it's infected and decaying.

There are probably punctures elsewhere. The epsom salt bath was a great thing to do for her. I would do this daily. Observe her breathing and listen for any indication of a body cavity or air sac puncture. Discontinue baths if you discover a sucking wound, unless it's up higher and you can protect it from the water. This was the case with Henry.

It's absolutely amazing to me that you saw your hen carried off by a coyote and found her back with the flock later in the day! Please keep us posted on how she's doing.

Honey is my next step! I don't have Manuka but do have organic local honey. I'm giving her a little rest right now. The bath was tiring. She loved the blow drying at first but wouldn't let me finish. I have her bedded on several thick layers of puppy pads so when the top layer is soiled I can remove it and a ready layer is already in place underneath. It was the way I did my brooder until I started using litter.

I have been reading your post regarding Henry although I haven't caught up to current time yet. Fascinating and heartbreaking. I would love to see photos!

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Honey is my next step! I don't have Manuka but do have organic local honey. I'm giving her a little rest right now. The bath was tiring. She loved the blow drying at first but wouldn't let me finish. I have her bedded on several thick layers of puppy pads so when the top layer is soiled I can remove it and a ready layer is already in place underneath. It was the way I did my brooder until I started using litter.

I have been reading your post regarding Henry although I haven't caught up to current time yet. Fascinating and heartbreaking. I would love to see photos!

The discussion is over twenty pages now, so gradually as you read along you'll come across some photos. I think I first posted them in the third week, and some videos were added later.

 

[Latestarter]

Since the coyote was almost successful this time, you can almost surely count on a return visit. Plan accordingly as far as your pullet security is concerned. Good high strong fencing, machine gun emplacements, armed guards, etc.

Sorry you and your girl had to go through this, but hope she recovers. What you're doing for her seems appropriate. I would have done pretty much the same thing as what you're doing. I think I'd be totally P'd off at that vet though. They KNEW it was a chicken, you told them! They could have asked the question about purpose BEFORE you brought her in and ran up charges. That was BS IMHO.

 

[getaclue]

I agree with coach. It looks more like wounds, and swelling than a prolapse. coach's advice is spot on, and should be followed.