Help bear attack... should I euthanize?

[ryneaeiel]

Poo update: this morning her watery poo is tinged yellow.
I included a glimpse of the section of wound above her tail that I think is one of the most painful spots. It is also where I think some smell is coming from. I can take better pictures later today when I change her gauze during babies nap time. But you can see in the photo it is the area that is weepy on the gauze. The area under the wing the gauze looks mostly clean when I change it, but I'm keeping it there to keep her feathers off it or trimmed feather nubs from scratching it further.
By now she has had 2 doses of antibiotics. She ate mostly all of her first dose mixed with scrambled eggs. This mornings dose I mixed/ hid in rice and mealworms mix and she picked out the mealworms and ate maybe half-ish of the rice. I have to go out this morning so I'm leaving it in there with her so she can pick at it more. Shes mostly picking at food. Sunflower seeds, and scrambled eggs, the treats. She ate some bits of cherry tomato. She is hobbling around and changing positions in her crate. Her water has diluted electrolytes still so maybe today should be the last day of that? I think 3 days is the limit for electrolytes right? Could that be adding to her watery poo?
Thank you everyone who is following, and helping me navigate this. She obviously had a will to live.
The bears were back yesterday afternoon. I had left the dogs out on our deck, and they sounded the alarm. I think our hound dogs bark got them to run off this time, but they were going right for the coop. We started scoping out what we need for the electric fence, and will hopefully have it up by this weekend. I'm trying to work around taking care of the hen, but doing it at times where the toddler isnt screaming at the door. Which I imagine would be stressful for the hen, cause it sure is stressful for me! I would be changing her gauze each morning but that's tough so it's getting done at naptime, and bedtime. And I just encourage her to eat and drink throughout the day. I feel like shes not out of the woods because of infection. But her comb is still bright red and she is picking at food drinking and moving around. I just know this can go downhill so fast.

If possible, I'd recommend getting some packing gauze (little strips) and spraying it with antiseptic, then packing it into the deep punctures (not into the lung-hole though — that needs a bit more time to heal.) Change the packing twice daily. The wounds need to heal from the inside out, but letting mangled flesh sit against mangled flesh in the warm skin of a chicken is a breeding ground for bacteria. When needed, I use surgical clamps and tweezers to pack gauze into the smaller holes where your fingers can't fit.

If needed, you can simply cut the Clavamox into smaller pieces with a pill splitter and put them at the back of her mouth so she's forced to swallow it. One piece, swallow, next piece, swallow, etc. It'd be easier (and quicker) I think than trying to get her to eat it with a meal.

Edit: The yellow poop is one of two things given her condition: kidney disfunction (very bad) or bacterial infection (less bad but still bad.) I'm hoping it's just a result of the bacterial infection, which is more manageable than kidney damage.

Edit 2: If you haven't done a flush yet, get Povidone-iodine, a large syringe (no needle), sterile saline, and packing gauze from your local pharmacy. Warm the saline in the microwave and take it out, then stir to make sure there aren't any hot spots. Apply a few drops to your wrist to be sure it isn't too hot. Suck up the saline with the syringe and then irrigate the wounds by putting the tip of the syringe into the wounds and pressing down on the plunger. Wipe down the tip of the syringe with rubbing alcohol between each wound. Once all the wounds are irrigated, spray down the gauze strips with the iodine and then (with gloves and sterilized tools) pack the gauze strips into the deep wounds (except the lung wound.) Change the dressings twice a day.

Edit 3: Some people give their chickens electrolytes constantly, but the most common suggestion is to give for 5 days, and after that only once a week.

 

[CCinVT]

If possible, I'd recommend getting some packing gauze (little strips) and spraying it with antiseptic, then packing it into the deep punctures (not into the lung-hole though — that needs a bit more time to heal.) Change the packing twice daily. The wounds need to heal from the inside out, but letting mangled flesh sit against mangled flesh in the warm skin of a chicken is a breeding ground for bacteria. When needed, I use surgical clamps and tweezers to pack gauze into the smaller holes where your fingers can't fit.

If needed, you can simply cut the Clavamox into smaller pieces with a pill splitter and put them at the back of her mouth so she's forced to swallow it. One piece, swallow, next piece, swallow, etc. It'd be easier (and quicker) I think than trying to get her to eat it with a meal.

Edit: The yellow poop is one of two things given her condition: kidney disfunction (very bad) or bacterial infection (less bad but still bad.) I'm hoping it's just a result of the bacterial infection, which is more manageable than kidney damage.

Edit 2: If you haven't done a flush yet, get Povidone-iodine, a large syringe (no needle), sterile saline, and packing gauze from your local pharmacy. Warm the saline in the microwave and take it out, then stir to make sure there aren't any hot spots. Apply a few drops to your wrist to be sure it isn't too hot. Suck up the saline with the syringe and then irrigate the wounds by putting the tip of the syringe into the wounds and pressing down on the plunger. Wipe down the tip of the syringe with rubbing alcohol between each wound. Once all the wounds are irrigated, spray down the gauze strips with the iodine and then (with gloves and sterilized tools) pack the gauze strips into the deep wounds (except the lung wound.) Change the dressings twice a day.

Edit 3: Some people give their chickens electrolytes constantly, but the most common suggestion is to give for 5 days, and after that only once a week.

Ok. So I will try the feeding her the small pieces of pill this time around. It sort of crumbled when I tried cutting them down smaller than 1/4 sized so that's why I tried hiding it. I dont have idodin on hand and maybe could get some tonight... (correction: I just found a small amount of iodine left, but it's old and expired. Is it better to hold off till I get a fresh bottle or use it this time cause it will be better than nothing? Do I need to dilute it?) can I cut the 4x4 gauze squares I have into smaller strips if I sterilize my scissors? And can I use something I have on hand to spray down the gauze? Until I can get strips and iodine? Is the vetericyn not strong enough for this type of wound?
I do have saline and was squirting it from the bottle to rinse under and in the nooks. I can use a syringe. I do have some of those. Then I was covering and spraying whole area with vetericyn, and then squirting the neosporin into, and filling the holes (not into the lumg hole)using a q tip to push it around not my finger to cover the whole raw surface. I've been using gloves always, and spraying down a couple gauze squares with alcohol to set my tweezers and scissors on. Each gauze square I open as I I use it and unfold and put the untouched side down over the wound. So the deep tear area you would pack strips agianst that wound area too? What about the open skinned area? Is it ok to keep a draped apron like covering? Basically all the edges where there is thick skin ridge should have strips packed in so there isnt warm pockets for Infection to keep growing correct? I do not have surgical clamps. I have been using tweezers, and just the force of the saline and vetericyn spray to get under the edges.
Ok so 2x daily is what I've been able to do but I understand ive got some trouble areas like you said with flesh on flesh punctures and where the skin is peeled back thick along the perimeter. I just want to do a good job with this first cleaning I'm about to do today, and maybe by tonight i can have strips and iodine. I'll keep with the electrolytes for now then because it hasn't been 5 days. I also dont have a microwave to warm the saline.

 

[CCinVT]

Ok. Dr. Google is telling me to not use expired betadine. So I didnt. My husband is getting me fresh betadine and gauze strips and another bottle of ointment because I've gone through alot. I used saline from the bottle right into a syringe and irrigated as best I could. There is one puncture under her tail that is small I couldnt pack anything into it is about the size of the tip of the syringe so I irrigated it well. On her side there is a thick ridge of skin and I irrigated under that and then soaked a strip of gauze with vetericyn and packed it in there. The same with the deep gash I posted a pic of above and another not too deep but dime sized puncture. The skinned/ripped skin on her side is down to muscle with strips of skin that slide. Under those sections of skin the muscle looks pink and good. The exposed muscle looks not so good. I sprayed the entire survive with vetericyn and coated with ointment again.
I was able to pop some of the pills Into her mouth but many she just refused to swallow they just sat in the back of her mouth or would shake it out of her mouth! I put the rest of it in egg again and she ate most of it.
She did stand up and start clucking so that's the first I've hear her voice. I'm worried with packing under the skin that I'm going to push bacteria into a healthy area?

 

[ryneaeiel]

can I cut the 4x4 gauze squares I have into smaller strips if I sterilize my scissors? And can I use something I have on hand to spray down the gauze? Until I can get strips and iodine? Is the vetericyn not strong enough for this type of wound?

Yes, cutting the gauze squares will work, but you'll want to get the strips asap as they come in one long strip and are easier to remove -- cutting pieces off risks losing a piece deeper inside the wounds. If you don't have iodine, use Vetericyn. The iodine is stronger, but Vetericyn is better than nothing.

So the deep tear area you would pack strips agianst that wound area too? What about the open skinned area? Is it ok to keep a draped apron like covering?

I'd pack strips into the deep tear, but afterwards cover it (and the rest of the packed punctures) with a gauze bandage if possible.

I'm worried with packing under the skin that I'm going to push bacteria into a healthy area?

Once you get the iodine on the strips and pack the wound, it will kill off any bacteria that's in there. The reason you want to pack the wound is actually to prevent bacteria from festering inside -- puncture wounds like those will usually heal at the top and that causes the bacteria to be trapped in the wound and fester. Packing it prevents the wound from closing off and ensures that it heals from the inside-out.

 

[CCinVT]

Yes, cutting the gauze squares will work, but you'll want to get the strips asap as they come in one long strip and are easier to remove -- cutting pieces off risks losing a piece deeper inside the wounds. If you don't have iodine, use Vetericyn. The iodine is stronger, but Vetericyn is better than nothing.

Ok. We didnt find wound packing strips at the pharmacy. I did get iodine though. I cant try again for the gauze strips, and will cut them for now. I left a tabs sticking out so I wouldn't lose any strips.

I'd pack strips into the deep tear, but afterwards cover it (and the rest of the packed punctures) with a gauze bandage if possible.

I have gauze squares, and that stretchy wrap that sticks to itself. I lightly wrapped it so the gauze stayed over her wounds. Today the one square draped gauze under her wing did come off this afternoon because shes adjusting her positions more. And moving more. She is hobbling to her food now.
I used iodine tonight.

Finally besides packing the wounds with the iodine gauze, I still used the neosporin over the rest of the raw surface area Just spreading a layer.

Thank you for explaining the packing. That makes sense. And thanks for sticking with me through this. I really want to give her the best chance I can.

Pictures are of wounds before iodine packing tonight.

this first picture is "skinned area" under her right wing. 2nd picture is "shallow non air" puncture on left side

this picture above is her all wrapped up for bed after being packed with the iodine strips. Below is right side /back view. Gash below trimmed feathers is where the air was coming from, and area above tail is deep skin tear where it seems to be the most tender.
Her tail nub makes her wince. The final picture is an example of my iodine strips packed into the deep tear above her tail. It's very jagged with lots of potential bacteria pockets. Under her wing I packed as best I could under the whole bottom edge of skin and lose edges.

 

[ryneaeiel]

I have gauze squares, and that stretchy wrap that sticks to itself. I could lightly wrap it so the squares dont move? I was trying to let it breath a bit, but the one square draped under her wing did come off this afternoon because shes adjusting her spot a bit more.
I'll use iodine tonight.

Use the gauze squares, but don't tape them, you're just risking introducing more bacteria. Write down how many you put in each wound so that you can count them out when you do dressing changes, that way you'll keep from losing any.

Finally besides packing the wounds with the iodine gauze, I still should use the neosporin over the rest of the surface area? Just spreading a layer right?

Yes, use the Neosporin over the surface area. It doesn't need to be super thick, just enough to keep the skin there moist.

Thank you for explaining the packing. That makes sense. And thanks for sticking with me through this. I really want to give her the best chance I can.

Of course. We'd do anything for our animals.

 

[CCinVT]

Use the gauze squares, but don't tape them, you're just risking introducing more bacteria. Write down how many you put in each wound so that you can count them out when you do dressing changes, that way you'll keep from losing any.

She kept pulling the gauze off, and was.feeling fiesty so I edited to add picture of how I held the gauze on. It's not taped totally down just a band around her to loosely hold them on her. I didnt get your message about writing down the number of strips but will make sure I do it from now on. The spot under her wing is where I worry I could lose one so I left alot of tab hanging out.

 

[Gizabelle]

I've been following this thread, and just wanted to tell you how great it is to see updates and hear she's still doing ok.

You're BOTH troopers, and you're doing an amazing job.

 

[CCinVT]

I've been following this thread, and just wanted to tell you how great it is to see updates and hear she's still doing ok.

You're BOTH troopers, and you're doing an amazing job.

Thank you. It's very nice to hear.

Shes picking at her food less today, but I think the packing the wounds was hard on her. She pulled some out when I put her back last night so I had to redo it then I put the wrap around her to hold the gauze in place. I just put her in the tub lined with newspaper so I could do some laundry and wash her rags (shes been set up in our laundry closet) I hear her pecking around at the food so maybe the change of scenery is good. I opened the window to so some fresh air and can hear the others outside.

 

[CCinVT]

Yes, cutting the gauze squares will work, but you'll want to get the strips asap as they come in one long strip and are easier to remove -- cutting pieces off risks losing a piece deeper inside the wounds. If you don't have iodine, use Vetericyn. The iodine is stronger, but Vetericyn is better than nothing.


I'd pack strips into the deep tear, but afterwards cover it (and the rest of the packed punctures) with a gauze bandage if possible.


Once you get the iodine on the strips and pack the wound, it will kill off any bacteria that's in there. The reason you want to pack the wound is actually to prevent bacteria from festering inside -- puncture wounds like those will usually heal at the top and that causes the bacteria to be trapped in the wound and fester. Packing it prevents the wound from closing off and ensures that it heals from the inside-out.

When I get a chance to change her packing gauze today will it be stuck? And if so should i use saline to moisten/pull it out? Specifically thinking of the one under the edge of her skin. I'm less worried about the deep gash amd more shallow puncture.