Dog attack

[Luke82]

So I have two chickens that have been attacked by dogs three days ago. Each have wounds on their backs, one seemingly worse than the other. Both have some puncture wounds and I have been spraying with vetricyn each night. The one with the deeper wounds took a dust bath it seems like and they got a bit of dirt in the wounds. I’m not sure if what I am doing is enough to ward off infection. Any help would be appreciated!

 

[BigBlueHen53]

Hi, sorry about your chickens. We had a dog get hold of one of our hens a year or so ago so I can imagine what you are dealing with. Do you have a spray bottle? We mixed up some sterile saline and flushed her wounds thoroughly with that twice a day. Then we gently blotted it dry with a clean cloth or paper towels and gooped some Neosporin ointment on it. Finally we sprayed it with Veterycin gel to keep it from drying out. Be sure the Neosporin is the original formula, and does not have pain reliever in it. In about three weeks she was about completely healed. Watch out for maggots getting in the wound and don't let the other hens peck at her. We kept ours in a crate in the house while she healed. Good luck!

 

[Luke82]

Hi, sorry about your chickens. We had a dog get hold of one of our hens a year or so ago so I can imagine what you are dealing with. Do you have a spray bottle? We mixed up some sterile saline and flushed her wounds thoroughly with that twice a day. Then we gently blotted it dry with a clean cloth or paper towels and gooped some Neosporin ointment on it. Finally we sprayed it with Veterycin gel to keep it from drying out. Be sure the Neosporin is the original formula, and does not have pain reliever in it. In about three weeks she was about completely healed. Watch out for maggots getting in the wound and don't let the other hens peck at her. We kept ours in a crate in the house while she healed. Good luck!

Yes I can mix up a spray bottle like that. I just can’t really keep her inside, do you think I will be able to manage with her outside? I’m trying hard but now that she took the dust bath I got really worried. Thank you!

 

[coach723]

You can also use a clean condiment squirt bottle, or a larger oral syringe for flushing out wounds. Be liberal with the ointment after flushing, that will help keep stuff from getting in there. Reflush as needed. They usually heal up fairly quickly, unless it's a really large wound. Just keep an eye on it for any signs of infection.