Help. Chicken attacked by dog

[cloudcasachickens]

My chicken beautiful girl apollo, got attacked by her dog cousin today. He’s suddenly nabbed her up, by the time we stopped him she was badly injured. So far I have cleaned the wound, a placed a wet to dry dressing over it

 

[Shezadandy]

Poor thing! Give her a nice warm dark quiet spot so she can recover. If you've got towels you don't mind either washing or throwing out, use them to line the bottom - you don't want to have her kicking bedding or other particles up into that wound.

As much as you can, trim the feathers around the edge of the wound - if a trip to the store is in order for wound supplies, grabbing a small curved pair of sewing scissors is a handy thing for getting in close to the skin without risking poking her. ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fiskars-4-Orange-Curved-Scissors-1-Each/34932916 )

You won't want the feathers matting to the skin as the healing process proceeds- it will just make a gooey mess- and naturally the feathers have all sorts of stuff on them. I'm a fan of Vetricyn - usually found at farm supply stores - it can work absolute wonders. It is pricey, but - a little goes a long way. It doesn't burn healing flesh like hydrogen peroxide can- hydrogen peroxide is good for an initial flush of bacteria, but not for ongoing treatment.

In cleaning it, if she will tolerate being put at an angle that will let any potential pooling moisture down in the wound to drip out- just barely beyond vertical. Given that it's a dog bite and the bite is fairly deep, I would probably avoid stitching up.

I hesitate to recommend aspirin for pain relief just yet until you know there's no further bleeding. Aspirin is a blood thinner. BUT - if you're headed for the store, pickup the children's chewable aspirin - the adult stuff tastes terrible, but the children's chewable ground up (a pill crusher- usually by the pharmacy counter, comes in really handy). Sprinkled over a favorite treat- watermelon, cantelope- I've never had one refuse it.

 

[cloudcasachickens]

Thank you so much for your response. We used a dankins solution to irrigate and clean the wound. We then did a wet to dry. She is inside with us, crated, with water, I will increase her protein intake and green veggies intake, I will get electrolyte replacement tmmrw to make sure she’s as strong as possible.

My plan is wet to drys for the first week twice a day, (if she makes it that long).

Poor thing! Give her a nice warm dark quiet spot so she can recover. If you've got towels you don't mind either washing or throwing out, use them to line the bottom - you don't want to have her kicking bedding or other particles up into that wound.

As much as you can, trim the feathers around the edge of the wound - if a trip to the store is in order for wound supplies, grabbing a small curved pair of sewing scissors is a handy thing for getting in close to the skin without risking poking her. ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fiskars-4-Orange-Curved-Scissors-1-Each/34932916 )

You won't want the feathers matting to the skin as the healing process proceeds- it will just make a gooey mess- and naturally the feathers have all sorts of stuff on them. I'm a fan of Vetricyn - usually found at farm supply stores - it can work absolute wonders. It is pricey, but - a little goes a long way. It doesn't burn healing flesh like hydrogen peroxide can- hydrogen peroxide is good for an initial flush of bacteria, but not for ongoing treatment.

In cleaning it, if she will tolerate being put at an angle that will let any potential pooling moisture down in the wound to drip out- just barely beyond vertical. Given that it's a dog bite and the bite is fairly deep, I would probably avoid stitching up.

I hesitate to recommend aspirin for pain relief just yet until you know there's no further bleeding. Aspirin is a blood thinner. BUT - if you're headed for the store, pickup the children's chewable aspirin - the adult stuff tastes terrible, but the children's chewable ground up (a pill crusher- usually by the pharmacy counter, comes in really handy). Sprinkled over a favorite treat- watermelon, cantelope- I've never had one refuse it.

Poor thing! Give her a nice warm dark quiet spot so she can recover. If you've got towels you don't mind either washing or throwing out, use them to line the bottom - you don't want to have her kicking bedding or other particles up into that wound.

As much as you can, trim the feathers around the edge of the wound - if a trip to the store is in order for wound supplies, grabbing a small curved pair of sewing scissors is a handy thing for getting in close to the skin without risking poking her. ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fiskars-4-Orange-Curved-Scissors-1-Each/34932916 )

You won't want the feathers matting to the skin as the healing process proceeds- it will just make a gooey mess- and naturally the feathers have all sorts of stuff on them. I'm a fan of Vetricyn - usually found at farm supply stores - it can work absolute wonders. It is pricey, but - a little goes a long way. It doesn't burn healing flesh like hydrogen peroxide can- hydrogen peroxide is good for an initial flush of bacteria, but not for ongoing treatment.

In cleaning it, if she will tolerate being put at an angle that will let any potential pooling moisture down in the wound to drip out- just barely beyond vertical. Given that it's a dog bite and the bite is fairly deep, I would probably avoid stitching up.

I hesitate to recommend aspirin for pain relief just yet until you know there's no further bleeding. Aspirin is a blood thinner. BUT - if you're headed for the store, pickup the children's chewable aspirin - the adult stuff tastes terrible, but the children's chewable ground up (a pill crusher- usually by the pharmacy counter, comes in really handy). Sprinkled over a favorite treat- watermelon, cantelope- I've never had one refuse it.

Poor thing! Give her a nice warm dark quiet spot so she can recover. If you've got towels you don't mind either washing or throwing out, use them to line the bottom - you don't want to have her kicking bedding or other particles up into that wound.

As much as you can, trim the feathers around the edge of the wound - if a trip to the store is in order for wound supplies, grabbing a small curved pair of sewing scissors is a handy thing for getting in close to the skin without risking poking her. ( https://www.walmart.com/ip/Fiskars-4-Orange-Curved-Scissors-1-Each/34932916 )

You won't want the feathers matting to the skin as the healing process proceeds- it will just make a gooey mess- and naturally the feathers have all sorts of stuff on them. I'm a fan of Vetricyn - usually found at farm supply stores - it can work absolute wonders. It is pricey, but - a little goes a long way. It doesn't burn healing flesh like hydrogen peroxide can- hydrogen peroxide is good for an initial flush of bacteria, but not for ongoing treatment.

In cleaning it, if she will tolerate being put at an angle that will let any potential pooling moisture down in the wound to drip out- just barely beyond vertical. Given that it's a dog bite and the bite is fairly deep, I would probably avoid stitching up.

I hesitate to recommend aspirin for pain relief just yet until you know there's no further bleeding. Aspirin is a blood thinner. BUT - if you're headed for the store, pickup the children's chewable aspirin - the adult stuff tastes terrible, but the children's chewable ground up (a pill crusher- usually by the pharmacy counter, comes in really handy). Sprinkled over a favorite treat- watermelon, cantelope- I've never had one refuse it.

 

[Shezadandy]

If she made it this long- that's really good. It is amazing what chickens can survive and heal from. I hadn't heard of Dankin's solution, but having looked it up, it's got a long track record! I learn something new every day. Obviously infection is the biggest concern due to what comes with a dog bite, but it's open enough that hopefully nothing will fester- smelling her whenever you handle and/or treat her will be a really good indicator. When you feel like she's bright enough to deal with further inspection, give her a really good look over and make sure there aren't other puncture holes - look under the wings, in all the folds- between the thighs and abdomen- that kind of thing.

One potential thing to know and be prepared to do is tube feeding. If she won't eat and drink, getting enough hydration and nutrients down to keep her going is a valuable thing. Most of us use a "puppy feeding tube" which can either be found online at valleyvet.com or Jeffers, along with a 35ml "feeding syringe". Some use a 60ml but even with my big hands I could never hold the chicken and depress it (and they cost more!)- plus I don't like to overinflate the crop, so I stick to around 25ml-30ml of whatever I'm giving - water with electrolytes in one go in seconds instead of going 1 little bit at a time. Only if she's not eating and drinking on her own, though. We always keep a few of these around along with baby parrot food (Kaytee) - it's a powder that can be mixed thin enough to make it through the feeding tube. Again- only if intake is an issue, but good things to have around.

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail...itemguid=3269e695-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

 

[glassdragonfly]

Poor girl! I think your on the right track with her.I would offer tuna or scrambled eggs to get her eating. You can make homemade electrolytes for her. I don't have the recipe but you can search it. Easy to make yourself.

 

[twendt]

Don't use Dankin's !! We stopped using it for wounds years ago in the hospital. It kills good tissue. Continue wet to dry dressings. Flush the wound with normal saline (0.9%). And use wet to dry dressing, apply triple antibiotic ointment if you wish.. She needs antibiotics. If cost is an issue, use FishMox 500mg daily for 14 days. You can easily get it on Amazon or online.

 

[Shezadandy]

Don't use Dankin's !! We stopped using it for wounds years ago in the hospital. It kills good tissue. Continue wet to dry dressings. Flush the wound with normal saline (0.9%). And use wet to dry dressing, apply triple antibiotic ointment if you wish.. She needs antibiotics. If cost is an issue, use FishMox 500mg daily for 14 days. You can easily get it on Amazon or online.

So in that respect is Dankin's like hydrogen peroxide, i.e. a one time thing to flush out deeper wounds but not for continuing care? Before today I hadn't heard of it (dankins).

 

[cloudcasachickens]

We use Dankins in the hospital all the time, for the chicken I diluted it to almost undetectable. It’s very expensive so it’s used less frequently( in hospitals setting), but I splashed with Betadine as well, and the Betadine is what I will continue to do daily wound changes with.

Don't use Dankin's !! We stopped using it for wounds years ago in the hospital. It kills good tissue. Continue wet to dry dressings. Flush the wound with normal saline (0.9%). And use wet to dry dressing, apply triple antibiotic ointment if you wish.. She needs antibiotics. If cost is an issue, use FishMox 500mg daily for 14 days. You can easily get it on Amazon or online.

 

[cloudcasachickens]

Essentially yes, it’s harsh because it contains bleach. We use in the hospital for wounds that cannot be closed to ensure they stay clean. However, because she’s a chicken, I figured dilute as much as possible to make sure it’s safe for her. I am changing her dressing in a little bit this am I will post pics.

So in that respect is Dankin's like hydrogen peroxide, i.e. a one time thing to flush out deeper wounds but not for continuing care? Before today I hadn't heard of it (dankins).

 

[cloudcasachickens]

Poor girl! I think your on the right track with her.I would offer tuna or scrambled eggs to get her eating. You can make homemade electrolytes for her. I don't have the recipe but you can search it. Easy to make yourself.

I love the tuna idea! I have been giving green veggies, yogurt and water. Headed to TSC this am for some Nurti- drench to add to her water.