HELP! Chicken injured from dog attack

[RebeccaD17]

My Sansa was attacked by one or both of our dogs Thursday night.

There was a large flap of skin hanging off of her left breast that I cut off. She wasn't bleeding and doesn't seem to have any internal injuries. She has been drinking a lot of water, which I am glad to see - but hasn't been eating much.

QUESTION 1: Since she isn't eating solids, I was thinking about making her a "smoothie" of sorts with fruits, veggies, and yogurt and feed it to her slowly and a little at a time to get some food in her?Any ideas for good nutritious thing to add that will help her heal quickly?

QUESTION 2: I have been trying to keep her wounds clean and uncovered so they can breathe and dry out. Unfortunately, it also gets nice and warm under her wing so I have been concerned about bacteria growth and checking it. When I checked her this morning, where the underside of her body meets the underside of her leg, there is some green. I don't know if this is gangrene or bruising (as I have seen mentioned in other posts). I have attached a picture so you can see what I'm talking about.

QUESTION 3: Should I keep applying Neosporin?

Any ideas on 1) what the green is and what to do about it and 2) how to keep bacteria from growing in the warmth under her wing?

Treatment so far:
1. Immediately after attack, I cleaned with water and peroxide, trimmed the feathers around the wound as much as I could, and applied Neosporin
2. Since then, I have been applying Veterycin Plus Poultry Care multiple times a day

I have Iodine but haven't applied it as I wanted to look more into dilution since I have seen that straight Iodine should be diluted.


Thanks so much for any help and ideas!

 

[sylviethecochin]

You do not want the wound to dry out!

 

[sylviethecochin]

Mist that thing now, with saline solution or Ringer's Lactate (either is good)

I've just taken a second look. Rinse that thing with a saline solution until it's clean. No bloody chunks, no feathers. Don't be worried if it restarts the bleeding a bit. That's good.

Now that we've got the really vital stuff out of the road, I'm going to edit this post a bit.

1. That's a really big wound and I would put her down. I'm the one who nurses chickens through Marek's and stitched up an inch-deep rip in a duck's back, so consider the source.

2. Aspirin is a thing for chooks. Use one regular aspirin and dissolve it in a cup of water. Then take a tablespoon of that and mix it with two cups of water. I'd also add a pinch of baking soda and some corn syrup to help it go down easier.

3. Vetricyn is a non-painful disinfectant. (Okay, just re-read your post. Sorry.) So is Red-Kote. Either should be available at any local feed store. Buy them and coat that wound. In the meantime, you can use triple antibiotic ointment. That'll even help hydrate the wound, which is a good thing.

4. Bind up the wing so that feathers and dirt have a harder time getting into the wound. Look up chicken slings and see if they're at all useable in your case.

5. Yes, chickens bruise green. I pray that that is what that is.

 

[RebeccaD17]

You do not want the wound to dry out!

Thanks so much for the feedback. I have heard conflicting information as far as whether to let it dry or keep it wrapped. Will keeping it wrapped (which will in turn keep it moist) cause bacteria build up / infection?

 

[sylviethecochin]

Thanks so much for the feedback. I have heard conflicting information as far as whether to let it dry or keep it wrapped. Will keeping it wrapped (which will in turn keep it moist) cause bacteria build up / infection?

If you use clean bandages, and change them often, it shouldn't. Be careful and soak them a bit if they stick before taking them off.

EDT: And the reason I say that dry is bad is because dry cells = dead cells = infection. Look up the history and use of cauterisation if you're curious. Living cells can producce antibodies. Dead ones just let stuff sit on them.

EDT: If you do go that route, I would definitely use some sort of antibiotic ointment to help keep it from sticking.

EDT 2: Just read a site that says not to use antibiotic ointment because of allergic reactions (dermatitis) Use Vaseline.

Hope this helps and good luck!

 

[Liz Birdlover]

I've stitched up some gory wounds from hawk attacks on Homing Pigeons, also have had some of those pigeons wounded so badly, it was impossible to stitch anything. I have seen skin missing from scalps, wings, legs, even stitched up a ripped open crop where food was spilling out and set legs where bones were sticking out and jagged. I guess I've been lucky, because every patient not only survived, but you can't even tell they were ever injured, even the bad leg that only held on by a piece of skin, others can't even pick them out of the bunch. Also, that is bruising and normal, yes bruises can look green, blue, purple, yellow, etc. If it was gangrene you would surely smell something hideous. The main thing I did, clean area, I use peroxide, even if it was just by rolling a Q-tip gently, if I could not stitch I would use Neosporin, applying by gently rolling a Q-tip or dabbing with a disinfected finger, then apply a non-stick sterile pad, then wrap with roll gauze, then wrap finally with the sports tape, it sticks to itself and not the patient and this stuff is good as it seems to resist unwrapping from curious pecking. You have to press to get it to seal to itself, so what I did was get my finger under the previous layer, then press the last layer, so I am applying pressure to my own fingers getting the tape to stick to itself, not pressing on the wound. Check and change dressing every 2 days. Also, Penicillin is a good antibiotic and is available at Tractor Supply; for the drinking water 5ccs per gallon of water kept refrigerated, or if you are comfortable you can give injection instead, .5cc. Finally, provide a cage in a quiet, safe space indoors so there is no stress of other pecking birds or weather conditions. Since you have dogs, I don't know where you could keep the bird feeling secure and quiet from barking. One of my friends had a similar situation, so since her upstairs bedroom bathroom was off limits to the dogs, she set the chicken cage up in her jacuzzi tub and kept bathroom and bedroom doors closed just in case. Another friend had chicks, so she set them up in her laundry room where the door was always shut. I hope this helps, good luck!

PS) I've used Neosporin or Bacitracin for years with no issues, but you do want to make sure not to use any product with the pain reliever ingredient ending in "caine" as it is toxic to birds. Also, any injury on heads, I'd use eye ointment, so if it gets in their eyes it won't hurt them.

 

[sylviethecochin]

I've stitched up some gory wounds from hawk attacks on Homing Pigeons, also have had some of those pigeons wounded so badly, it was impossible to stitch anything. I have seen skin missing from scalps, wings, legs, even stitched up a ripped open crop where food was spilling out and set legs where bones were sticking out and jagged. I guess I've been lucky, because every patient not only survived, but you can't even tell they were ever injured, even the bad leg that only held on by a piece of skin, others can't even pick them out of the bunch. Also, that is bruising and normal, yes bruises can look green, blue, purple, yellow, etc. If it was gangrene you would surely smell something hideous. The main thing I did, clean area, I use peroxide, even if it was just by rolling a Q-tip gently, if I could not stitch I would use Neosporin, applying by gently rolling a Q-tip or dabbing with a disinfected finger, then apply a non-stick sterile pad, then wrap with roll gauze, then wrap finally with the sports tape, it sticks to itself and not the patient and this stuff is good as it seems to resist unwrapping from curious pecking. You have to press to get it to seal to itself, so what I did was get my finger under the previous layer, then press the last layer, so I am applying pressure to my own fingers getting the tape to stick to itself, not pressing on the wound. Check and change dressing every 2 days. Also, Penicillin is a good antibiotic and is available at Tractor Supply; for the drinking water 5ccs per gallon of water kept refrigerated, or if you are comfortable you can give injection instead, .5cc. Finally, provide a cage in a quiet, safe space indoors so there is no stress of other pecking birds or weather conditions. Since you have dogs, I don't know where you could keep the bird feeling secure and quiet from barking. One of my friends had a similar situation, so since her upstairs bedroom bathroom was off limits to the dogs, she set the chicken cage up in her jacuzzi tub and kept bathroom and bedroom doors closed just in case. Another friend had chicks, so she set them up in her laundry room where the door was always shut. I hope this helps, good luck!

Agree with most of the above, but Peroxide has been shown to kill cells and slow healing.

EDT: As has iodine. I wouldn't use it.