dog bite

[smoper]

Help!!!!............One of my chickens was attacked by a dog on monday late in the day .She was bit under her right wing and is missing a chunk of skin about the size of a half dollar on her back near were the tail feathers start.she is breathing heavy with a slight wheeze/noise with labored breathing..dam dog...please observe leash laws, people... I can get her to take sips of water by dipping her beak/putting drops of water on her beak....not much she will only drink a very small amount.I put tetracycline hydrocloride in the water .4 grams/pint. She is alert but in pain.Isolated her inside,just sits.cannot get her to eat.gave her yogurt --- all she does is tries to wipe/clean her beak,so very,very little yogurt actually gets eaten.should i clean the wound? If so with what?There is NO skin- can see fat tissue/muscle.I am going to try to give her some electrolyte/vitamin supplement(save a chick)made by savacaf.com..any suggestions are welcome,as my daughters and I are very sad and feel frustrated--- what else can I do to help her?

 

[Chickencoop1996]

honestly if I was in that situation I'd put her down especially if she's not eating but that's just my opinion

 

[NonnasBabies]

&

from Louisiana! Sounds like your doing all you can for her!! Hope she gets better!!

 

[DuckLover2399]

Hello

&

from oklahoma! sorry i would put her down. I personally wouldnt want to see my animal suffer. Hopeing she can make it

 

[4-H chicken mom]

and

from Ohio. So glad you joined. So sorry about your hen. It sounds like a lung might have been pierced. If so there isn't much you can do for her. But if you don't think that is the case, I don't know if you have a TSC or not but I got this wound care called EMT Gel First Aid in a Tube for my dog, but it can be used on all animals including birds and reptiles. It is really sticky like honey. It worked great on my White Rock's tail that was pull out. Good luck, I hope she recovers.

 

[chi-rn]

One of my chickens lost an eye in a fight over food with... of all things, a crow! It's been difficult. After much study & little luck getting her to take antibiotic-laced water, I purchased colloidal silver spray (suggested by someone on this site) intended for wounds in dog & cats. It helped so much! It has antibiotic/antifungal properties--- used to be used for wounds prior to invention of antibiotics & silver (Silvadene) is still used on burn victims. Also... get whatever nourishment you can into her. I know seeds are not best, but chickens love 'em. Purchase vitamin-enriched seeds like you would get for a pet caged bird-- NOT wild bird seed. Also, go to a pet store or a home improvement store (garden shop area... ask) & purchase live or dehydrated mealworms... chickens will often eat these when they won't eat anything else. Think of it as getting into her whatever you can... dip the worms in water first so she'll get a bit of moisture with them.... but maybe not antibiotic water at first, as it may discourage her from eating. Hand feed her. I've brought two chickens back from the brink using this method. Good luck... prayers for you & yours!

 

[weimarmama]

&

from Alabama. Dog bites tend to get infected extremely easily & because they're usually puncture wounds that makes the chance of infection even greater. I had several very deep ones on my hand from a dog that we were rehabbing a couple of years ago & more recently from an injured cat, & even though I kept the wounds clean, both times they still got infected & hurt like the dickens. So, I would definitely clean it thoroughly & even flush the wound out. I'd wash it very well with an antibacterial soap & water at least a couple times a day, then pat it dry using a gauze pad or paper towel, & then apply an antibiotic ointment (one without a pain reliever). But I agree with 4H chicken mom, it does sound like the lungs might have been injured.

I really hope she makes & I wish you lots of good luck with her

 

[Imp]

Chickens can survive some horrific wounds.
Here is a thread with good info about wound care. Pay attention to post #16.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=203024

And a thread on pain mgmt.

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=374821

Good luck

Imp

 

[smoper]

Thank you everyone for all the info and support.I have gotten her to eat last night although it was only about 2 teaspoons of chick crumbles soaked with the water I give her that has tetracycline hydrocloride in it( .4 gm per cup of water).She still is very alert.She now will activly drink water from a spoon held near her beak.Still, she must be in alot of pain,but no sign of infection.will let you all know how she does....Thanks again to all..I have not cleaned/flushed the wound as she won't let me touch it.no smell or discoloration;will it heal even though it looks like it needs a skin graft?I need to get neosporin without pain med.(only have it with-afraid to use on her-why no pain stuff in neosporin?).she will stand to turn herself around sometimes,then sit right back down.Going to check on her now..........

 

[Southwind]

I have had severely wounded (raccoon) chickens heal up just fine. Chickens are real hardy critters. They can tolerate stuff that would kill other animals. If she is eating and drinking she will likely pull through.
Even if a hunk of skin is missing.