Fox attack, big flesh wounds

[Wyorp Rock]

Update: This morning she is looking quite perky, eating, drinking, and having an annoyed peck at us when we were checking the wound. She has diarrhoea but I think that’s probably normal after stress plus maybe the aspirin? Her appearance gives me some hope she’ll live, though that gaping wound I am still a bit worried about. We have been using non-stick wound dressings from the first aid kit but this morning when checking it the wounds were starting to dry out and go a bit crusty. I haven’t been able to get any antibiotic cream/ointment (animal or human), we can’t get it here without a script but I thought I’d get some betadine cream today. About antibiotics though, I did see antibiotic powder for birds at the pet shop, which you mix into their water. Would this be any good?

Where is here? I may have missed it - adding your location to your profile is helpful so we can give better suggestions.

If you are in the UK or Europe you likely have Germolene, that can be used on the wounds.
I would not apply a dressing to the wound unless she is picking at it, the wound needs to be kept relatively moist with your ointment(s) but it generally needs to breath in order to heal. Chicken wounds usually granulate from the inside out.

Here's some photos of what healing wounds might look like
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wounds-pictures-of-how-they-heal.1325817/

 

[Lonnie33]

Where is here? I may have missed it - adding your location to your profile is helpful so we can give better suggestions.

If you are in the UK or Europe you likely have Germolene, that can be used on the wounds.
I would not apply a dressing to the wound unless she is picking at it, the wound needs to be kept relatively moist with your ointment(s) but it generally needs to breath in order to heal. Chicken wounds usually granulate from the inside out.

Here's some photos of what healing wounds might look like
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/wounds-pictures-of-how-they-heal.1325817/

Thanks for the info, the pics are helpful! I’m in Australia, sorry! I covered the wounds to stop feathers sticking in it, as the open gash is under her wing. But will try leaving the cover off. I’m keen to know if an oral antibiotic for birds would be a good idea in place of antibiotic cream/ointment. eg https://www.petcircle.com.au/produc...MIrNjUzYOF5QIVhpOPCh3uAgXtEAQYBCABEgLTJvD_BwE Thanks!

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Thanks for the info, the pics are helpful! I’m in Australia, sorry! I covered the wounds to stop feathers sticking in it, as the open gash is under her wing. But will try leaving the cover off. I’m keen to know if an oral antibiotic for birds would be a good idea in place of antibiotic cream/ointment. eg https://www.petcircle.com.au/produc...MIrNjUzYOF5QIVhpOPCh3uAgXtEAQYBCABEgLTJvD_BwE Thanks!

Do you have vet care? Your vet may be able to give you a different antibiotic. Tetracycline may be helpful for wounds if that's all you can get. You will still want to apply a topical antibiotic/antibacterial ointment to the wound if possible. What would you use on yourself if you had a cut? Do you have something like Neosporin?

 

[Lonnie33]

Do you have vet care? Your vet may be able to give you a different antibiotic. Tetracycline may be helpful for wounds if that's all you can get. You will still want to apply a topical antibiotic/antibacterial ointment to the wound if possible. What would you use on yourself if you had a cut? Do you have something like Neosporin?

Thanks, I can get tetracycline in a powder which mixes in the drinking water, I’ll try that, along with the 2 antiseptics I’ve been applying 3x per day (clorhexidine spray and betadine iodine ointment). Access to antibiotics is regulated in Australia, you can’t get it without a prescription, we use antiseptic creams on cuts on ourselves. So far the vets have been unhelpful. Good news is she seems to be doing pretty well so I’ll keep up the treatment and see how it goes. Thanks very much to everybody who has been helping me with this!