HELP!!!! 911!!! Chicken vs. Dog. (Update)

[Bring]

My 22 wk old EE hen just got attacked by a dog!! It's snowing outside and I noticed her sitting outside but next to the chicken yard. She was all wet on her back from the snow landing on her and melting. I picked her up and she didn't fuss. I knew somthing was wrong. In addition to the cold, soaking wet feathers she had a puncture wound just beneath her wing and both earlobes. I imediatly took her in the house, wrapped her up in an old sweater and placed her next to the heater vent. I removed the feathers from around her wound. It seems to be just the skin lacerated but I can see the muscle. She is breathing well. She just wants to lay there and sleep. I sleeping normal for a hurt chicken?? I wonder if she's deaf now. She doesn't respond until I touch her and even then it's just a twitch of the head. Like I said, she's breathing good. I thought the first thing I needed to do was warm her up. The bleeding has stopped. What else can I do for her??

(UPDATE)

It's been four days now. My hen is awake more but will only open one eye. She's been walking arou d but only for short intervals. She's very weak still. She's drinking water on her own now but still refuses to eat. I've offered scrambled egg, plain yogurt, crumble, yogurt mixed with crumble and still nothing. I don't know what else to do. Her crop is empty and she's looking pretty scrawny. Can I tube/force feed her? How?

 

[The Chicken People]

I am no expert but keep her warm in a quite place so she can rest up after the terrible ordeal she has been through and maybe someone else will chime in....

 

[newduckie]

Quote:
I would put peroxide on the wounds.

 

[Countrywife]

if the wounds are minor, it is probably the cold. doctor her with some antibiotic, keep her in the house and warm, perhaps a little special food.

 

[Bring]

What's a good food for her?? "special food".

 

[msdoolittle]

Need to keep her warm...I'd personally keep her in a box/cage/confined area in the warmest room in your house. I'd try to get her 'hospital area' in the low 80s by using either a small heating lamp positioned CAREFULLY, a human heating pad under the box, or, put her in a small room (bathroom) and use a space heater. She is likely in shock, so you really need to watch her! Give her some water, and some favorite foods.

I had this happen to my little Silkie. Same thing, dog attack with small puncture wounds. I cleansed them with soap and water, removed some feathers around the wounds, so they wouldn't get in the way of healing, and oh so carefully put some Neosporin (with a Qtip) on the wounded areas. After she came out of her shock, which took a day or so, she really did fine. You can use peroxide as an initial cleanser, but DON'T use it after your initial cleaning of the wound, as it damages cells which are trying to repair the wound. And, when you use a greasy antibiotic cream like Neosporin, you really have to be very careful about the amount applied, or they will coat themselves with it. I put on just enough to moisten the wound. Just let her get lots of rest and make sure she's taking in food and water later today.

Hopefully the dog didn't do any crushing of the inner parts. As an uplifting story, I have a rescue chicken that seriously had her rear end torn clean off....seriously. I cleaned her up really well, using antibiotic cream on the wounds, and she is 100% today!

Wishing you both lots of luck!

(by far, not an 'expert', but I was a veterinary tech for about 4.5 years in an 'exotic' animal practice)

 

[dlhunicorn]

in addition to the excellent advice above you need to FLUSH that puncture wound out with sterile saline (you can make your own by boiling 1/3 tsp salt in a quart of water for five minutes and cool)... you can fill that with triple antibiotic cream.
Put electrolytes in her water for the shock and dribble along her beak at regular intervals.

 

[Bring]

what do i do when i don't have any electrolites? What else contains electrolites that I can give her?

 

[dlhunicorn]

diluted childrens pedialyte... human electrolytes (for diarrea)
you were asking about special foods... offer her some yogurt... she might be interested in that and it will hydrate her.

 

[Bring]

I just dribbled some regualar water over her beak and she woke up and drank some. She can't open her left eye all the way. It looks red. Dog must have gotten that too. Eye is still intact though. She seems to be perking up with the water. She still won't eat though. She'd rather sleep.