Eye has glazed over...is it gone?

[superjules75]

Two chihuahuas attacked my flock and one of my buff orps had to be put down. The other survived but was bitten on the head. The day of (last Saturday) both eyes looked swollen but when she opened them, they looked normal. Now one of her eyes has glazed over. Does that mean she is blind in that eye? Help...we're really trying to save her but she is not really eating and seems kind of traumatized.

 

[jjthink]

Last Saturday was a long time ago at this point. She may have needed (and still need) antibiotic for infection, electroltyes for shock, Rescue Remedy for stress, aspirin for pain relief. Liquid childrens vitamins (Polyvisol) to bolster her if she's not eating, hydration if not drinking.

I will have to be away from the computer for most of the next couple days but please, post absolutely everything you can about what happened, her injuries, what you've done so far etc. so folks here can do their best to help you.

Time is of the essence.

I hope very much she'll be alright.
JJ

And p.s. I hope you can find the owners of the dogs and take maximum action against them.

 

[fatboys farm]

i agree with jjthink. i would suggest the antibiotics you mix with water quick. chins up chickens are rather hardy. armadillos are possiums on the half shell.

 

[superjules75]

I appreciate your willingness to help. I'm new to the site but am so grateful it is here.

She was definitely in shock right after the attack. She had her face in the corner of the coop and wouldn't move. Our third chicken had flown to our neighbor's roof so we retrieved her and having her there actually seemed to help. We found one puncture wound on her head and have been applying antibiotic ointment to it and it looks much better. We've put tetracycline in their water but I don't know how much she is actually drinking. We've been hand feeding her fruit, especially kinds with water (canteloupe). I bought some pedialyte, but she won't allow us to give it to her and I hate to traumatize her more. She walks around the yard with our hen who wasn't injured but doesn't seem to be picking anything up off the ground. Both sides of her face were missing feathers but when she opened her eyes they looked ok. It has only been in the last day or so that the one looks bad. I just really want to pull her through this if possible. I already lost one of the 3 and I'd hate to lose her.

BTW...I chased the dogs out and saw the neighbor they went back to and he has given them away to his mother. I told him if I ever saw them on my property again...he wouldn't see them again.

 

[jjthink]

Just a quick thought about electrolytes - I sometimes will spritz/dribble a bit on a piece of fruit (such as the cantelope you mention) and they'll take it that way thus avoiding stressing them with the whole dropper thing.

If you can handle her (easiest time might be after she's gone to bed and is zoned out or 1st thing in the a.m. when it's still kind of dark but they're awake) you can very gently and slowly dropper 3 drops daily of Polyvisol children's liquid vitamins along her beak line, so she swallows on her own and doesn't choke. If there's anything she especially loves as a snack you can give her the snack as a reward after (in her current state, very little may thrill her but that's where pain relief from aspirin may help [1 baby aspirin crushed into 1 cup of her water, changed at least daily, for a few days or so]).

So sorry about the poor hen that didn't make it.

People who are irresponsible with their dogs get on my very last nerve. They should be billed, fined etc. for this - there are lots of posts that can help you sort out how to do this. Look up posts by horsejody, for example. First things first of course, and that's getting your injured girl better.

JJ

 

[superjules75]

I should have said pullet because thy are/were 22 weeks and about to start laying which makes it even more sad. I've put Pedialyte on the fruit but will try the vitamins and see if that helps. Hopefully, she'll pull through.