Dog attack :( Does and don'ts and life expectation?

[Skye'sDucks]

Today's update on the hen...

More maggots had hatched/come back, but I made more epsome salt water and based it on her. I was out there for over an hour picking off every single one I could see. Go figure the baster I was using cracked as it was old, so I had to just pour the water over her for most of the time. At least it got out a lot when I could use it.

I can say for certain this time I got every maggot I could see, but I still worry there are more or more eggs. I sat there for quite some time just watching the wound carefully for any that would reappear after I ran out of the water. I soaked her good with the epsome salt water though. I then reapplied vetercyn and made sure to dab the fly repellent around all her wounds.

Should I wash her again soon? Or wait and just keep checking to see if more maggots form? I was thinking of getting another baster and by then wash her again, but I wanted to see what you guys suggest. Either way we'll go and pick up a baster from the store as I don't think we have any in the house other than the one that cracked. That'll probably be in an another hour or less.

I hope I'm doing well managing her wound. Her other ones remain maggot-free and all look like they're doing quite well, nothing smells off.

And I'm very glad to say she was standing this morning when I went out there, and she was also hissing at me when I came close. She had a lot more fight in her which I took as a good sign, even though these maggots are still a big worry.

Also, about the weird yellow clumps...it was really hard to get any good pictures because they had kinda matted into her feathers and weren't in any convenient clumps really. I clipped a little more out but there are some left. I looked under her wings and saw nothing amiss in the feathers, I didn't take a very good look at her vent because I had wanted to take care of the maggots first and by then she was fighting me kinda hard, so I'll check it better once I pull her out again.

 

[Miss Lydia]

It’s def going to be full time for you until all maggots are gone. If the disks are better for you by all means do that. But using the turkey baster can help too. Make sure to get all that gunk off even if it means clipping more feathers if they are fly eggs. You doing all you can for her and I am thinking you are awesome for caring for her!

 

[Skye'sDucks]

It’s def going to be full time for you until all maggots are gone. If the disks are better for you by all means do that. But using the turkey baster can help too. Make sure to get all that gunk off even if it means clipping more feathers if they are fly eggs. You doing all you can for her and I am thinking you are awesome for caring for her!

Thank you! And alright. I feel like a mix of using the turkey baster and then the tweezers worked best, I was bummed it broke and I'm going to ask my mom about going up and getting a baster or at least soon.

Now my only obstacle is that a thunderstorm is coming...I'm not looking forward to everything getting soaked in rain. Plus, I'm not sure if we want to go out right when it's about to rain, so it may have to be put on halt for a little while longer. I don't want to but it might happen. Hoping most of it will blow over.

And I'll work on clipping out that yellow stuff out--it's just kinda gotten over a lot of her feathers so it was hard to clip them but I'll keep working at it.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

New update!

The stores strangely had no turkey basters so we actually ended up getting empty plastic condiment bottles and they work just as well. The storm passed and she was able to keep mostly dry and I just came in from giving her another soaking. There were no maggots that I could see, and I used all the epsome salt water I made and washed her wound out and the feathers around it really well. I also clipped as much of the weird yellow stuff as I could get.

I reapplied vetercyn on just that wound and the one on her back near it and then put the fly repellent around all of her wounds. My question is, tonight or tomorrow should I give a break from the vetercyn or keep applying it every time I soak?

I'm planning on doing at least one more epsome salt bath for today, do you guys think I should do more or just that one? Does it depend if I see any more maggots?

The last question is, where I am doing the epsome salt baths should I rinse it out with water at some point to give both the wound and her feathers around it a 'cleaning' from the epsome salts? Or leave it be?

Thanks so much to everyone who has helped me so far! I have homework to do now but I'll go out in bit to give her another bath if you all think that's ok.

 

[Miss Lydia]

I think just flushing out the wounds with the squirt bottles are probably fine unless you start seeing the maggots again then soak her down. That's great hopefully you have gotten them all. Salt water is a good healer so I wouldn't think you'd need to rinse her. Is she eating now?

 

[Skye'sDucks]

Okay, thanks. I was very heartened to see that she didn't have any more maggots. I hope I did get them all but we'll see.

I totally forgot to update and ask about eating, although I meant to. I haven't seen her eat nor have I seen her touch her food, although I did see a piece of food in her water bowl so it made me hopeful that she was at least picking at it. I was going to ask, when should I be concerned if she still isn't eating, and if I need to give her anything like nutridrench or if I should wait and see? She's still a little lethargic but much more active today. She's been standing a lot and struggles against me more than even yesterday.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

She's doing very well this morning! Was standing up and moving her head while hissing and peeping at me when I came close. I noticed she had some food clouding her water, so I'm very hopeful that means she's eating, or at least showing interest. Her poops have been watery but she did do a more solid one today, too...right when I was trying to examine her. Although it didn't get over me lol.

Her wound was clean and clear of maggots so I decided that I'll soak her with the epsome salt water later this morning instead of right away. I only reapplied some of the fly repellent and I'll treat her wounds in a bit. They all look like they're doing good!

 

[Miss Lydia]

That is a very promising update. Thank you nurse!
I am happy she is doing so well. And no more maggots! Keep up the good work!

 

[Skye'sDucks]

That is a very promising update. Thank you nurse!
I am happy she is doing so well. And no more maggots! Keep up the good work!

I'm happy too! I certainly will.

Although, when I was finishing up washing out her wound today and as I was putting vetercyn on the one on her chest I noticed their was a maggot in there. I'm so frustrated and disappointed with myself that I let that happen. The wound with the maggots was on the opposite side of the bird and I had seen no flies around her chest, and hadn't seen anything in it when I've been checking her, so I didn't think to wash that wound out as a precaution.

I immediately made up more epsome salt water and washed out the wound and the surrounding feathers well, and I managed to get two more maggots but I think that was it. I'll continue washing it out with the other one after this. Her other much more minor wounds are looking great, so I'm leaving those alone since they have been scabbing over and have no holes.

Poor girl though. I feel badly she has had to bear my mistakes as I learn to care for her. I'm just beyond glad she's doing so well despite this issue.

 

[Skye'sDucks]

One last post for today...She is doing well and I spotted no more maggots in either wound when I washed them out this evening. I also noticed it looked like she was picking at her food again, which is good. The hen has gotten quite lively and feisty and it makes me happy to see her slowly returning to herself.

Another picture of my little fighter!

Also, I want to post pictures of her worst wounds to check in with the experienced people on here to make sure they agree with me that they're looking good. I'll just attach them below in case anyone finds them gross. Sorry they aren't great but it's the best I could do.