Fly Strike between skin and skull- how to treat?

[Lelilamom]

I have a Wyandotte that was injured by a raccoon and has a significant injury on her head. Both eyes are closed and she has a gash on her head. I've been treating her every day and keeping it clean and dry. I had her coated in blukote. This morning I discovered a fly strike under the skin of her head. I picked all that I could see out from between the skin and skull but how do I treat the wound and keep them off. I'm sure there's more that I don't see.

Or do I dispatch her because at this point more harm has been done that can't be undone?

 

[azygous]

Flystrike can occur at any time in any wound small or large. Care needs to be taken to prevent flies from reaching a wound. At the same time, as long as a chicken is behaving normally, eating, and pooping, there is reason to believe they will recover.

Wound treatment must be ongoing every day. The wound must be cleaned and kept moist every day, not permitted to dry out. Blu-kote is fine to use, but a moist topical dressing over it should also be used to prevent the wound from drying out. Healing all but ceases when a wound, especially larger wounds, is allowed to dry out.

 

[Lelilamom]

Flystrike can occur at any time in any wound small or large. Care needs to be taken to prevent flies from reaching a wound. At the same time, as long as a chicken is behaving normally, eating, and pooping, there is reason to believe they will recover.

Wound treatment must be ongoing every day. The wound must be cleaned and kept moist every day, not permitted to dry out. Blu-kote is fine to use, but a moist topical dressing over it should also be used to prevent the wound from drying out. Healing all but ceases when a wound, especially larger wounds, is allowed to dry out.

It has to stay moist? I thought the wound had to dry! Should I pack it with bacitracin?

 

[azygous]

Yes. Tissue regrowth depends on nourishment from being kept moist. Wounds may heal all right if left to dry out, but if you wish for optimal healing and new tissue growth, keep the wound moist with something like bacitracin. No pain reliever, though.

 

[Lelilamom]

Yes. Tissue regrowth depends on nourishment from being kept moist. Wounds may heal all right if left to dry out, but if you wish for optimal healing and new tissue growth, keep the wound moist with something like bacitracin. No pain reliever, though.

Well, I packed her up good and went out to check her at noon. The warmth of her head had melted it good so I packed her again. I offered her food and water which is hard because she appears to be blind right now, but once she figured out that I had water and food, she gobbled both down.

I must admit I'm overwhelmed. I've cared for some pretty significant wounds before but this one is beyond me. To see under the skin and see her skull and ocular threads etc is almost more than I can bear. And the smell too is getting to me. I may have met my match after 8 years.

 

[azygous]

When to call it quits on caring for a severely injured chicken depends as much on your limits as the chicken's. At any time, if you feel you can't go on, or if you feel your patient isn't making progress and is suffering too much, it's okay to end it.

 

[Reliablesquirrel]

Your poor hen! What an awful thing to happen.