dog bite - what to do

[Lesapple]

Help. My best layer a 4 year old araucana was mauled by a neighbor's dog today. (please no posts about neighbors dogs, its already bad enough). The gash is about 6 inches by 3 - 4 inches. Not deep, but past the feathers and the skin down to the soft tissue. Any encouraging words or advice? should we put her down? give her penicillin? wait and see? she's been such a good girl.

TIA

Lesley

 

[hooligan]

Do you have any pix of the wound and how long ago did this happen?

 

[tx_dane_mom]

It kind of depends on where the wound is...my MIL's chicken had a whole THROUGH it's throat where the water & feed was litterally coming out as it ate/drank & after a week it actually healed up & it's doing great now. SHe was a praying fool and it worked...
If it affects the vent I would think it would not be a good prognosis.... otherwise if all her parts are intact, I would try Iodine and lots of it.
So sorry this happened. It's always the best ones my chicken eating dog gets too

 

[Lesapple]

I can take a picture in the morning -- she got up to her roost tonight and is resting. It happened today -- my best guess is between 6 -12 hours ago. She let me check it out for a bit -- removed a feather, then pecked at me -- hadn't done that before.

 

[chickenannie]

My guinea had a dog bite -- smaller than your injury. We thought he was dead, but we put him in a hospital pen for 3 days and he was up and walking after that. He seems fine now. So don't give up on her yet!

 

[Lesapple]

So the injury is 3/4 down the back and runs the rest of the way to where the tail feathers start. Honestly to my novice eye, I'm surprised she isn't in two and dead already. I'm tempted to try to put a baby t-shirt on her to try keep dirt out of the wound. My mom did that with a cat when I was a kid. Thanks for the posts.

 

[hooligan]

Is there any way you can bring her in to keep an eye on her and limit her exposure to germs outside?
Have you put anything on it or given her any asprin?

 

[Lesapple]

She's looking better than expected this morning. I tried to take a photo, but she wasn' t interested in posing. Is walking funny, but I would be too. I haven't put anything on it and haven't given her anything. We have only three chickens right now and I just cleaned out the coop, so I'll keep her in there for the time being.

 

[sundance]

Have you tried Bernadine, and if the flesh is torn open try doing what the hospitals do for a person today, pull it together and super glue it.I know sounds crazy, but our local hospital doesn't use stitches anymore, its super glue

 

[Pupsnpullets]

Chickens are super tough. I've taken care of mine by spritzing the wound clean with diluted teatree oil and water then dusting them with antibiotic powder.

Barb