HELP! One of my Guinea Hens has been attacked and has a BIG gaping hole! Graphic Description/Photos

[Gwynny7]

Hello BYC!

I am hoping someone can help point me in the right direction as to what antibiotic I should get for my guinea hen. She got attacked while out yesterday and my Dad say the other guineas drinking out of the "hole" in her back.  We locked her up in a big cage as soon as we saw there was a problem.

I cleaned her skin and the deep wound using Povidone Iodine Swabs.  I used two packs since I wanted to not get her contaminated with bacteria.  Unfortunately after I cleaned the wound/hole she started bleeding again (filling up the hole like a well).  I sprayed the wounds  liberally with Vetericyn Wound and Skin Care which is good for wounds, cuts, abrasions, skin irritations and scratches.  Then I put some gauze over the wound and applied some pressure to try to get the clotting process started.  It seemed like the material in the well was getting thicker (clotting I think).

What I need to know is what antibiotic should I get to help prevent her from getting an infection?  I will try to do some research online but personal experiences shared with me would be greatly appreciated!

Do you have tips / advice on how to take care of an injury like this? 

Update: Posted photos I took last night. Sorry for poor quality. These photos were taken before I cleaned her up.

 

[Ameraucanas]

It sounds like you've been doing the right thing, which is great. Two things to remember during the healing process are 1- don't panic, and 2- you're doing your best. Also, make sure that she is warm, and that she has access to plenty of food and water. If I were you I would do these things to help her-
1 Flush the wound out with saline solution http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/En/He.../Normal-Saline-Solution-How-prepare-home.aspx
2 Apply an antibiotic ointment- as long as the name of the ointment doesn't end with caine (for example benzocaine)
3 Watch her closely for any signs of infection
4 (This part is optional, but recommended) Take her to the vet (When my chicken was attacked, I took her to the vet, and now she's fine.)
5 If you keep an eye out for infection and follow the other instructions, she will probably be fine, even if you don't take her to the vet, as chickens are surprisingly resilient.
6 When she hasn't been bleeding for at least 12 hours, if she is still in a great deal of pain, dissolve 5 aspirins per gallon of water, and let her drink it. Keep in mind, this won't actually treat the wound, it will just reduce the pain.
7 When she is eating, drinking, pooing, not bleeding, is mostly healed, and has been by herself for at least three days, you may introduce her to the rest of the flock as long as you keep an eye out for the first 24 hours to make sure they aren't pecking her. If they are, remove her ASAP until she is fully healed.
-Ameraucanas

 

[Gwynny7]

Thank you so much! Do you think I should do some more betadine today or try the saline solution? For the saline solution, how do you get it out of her wound without holding her upside down (which probably would not go very well)? She has been eating and drinking which is really good. Last night we gave her some millet as I worked on cleaning her up. I did not get attacked at all which is good. My Dad found she laid an egg this morning for us! We are not planning on eating eggs laid by her for a while since we do not want to risk getting sick if let's say she passes bacteria into the eggs. Do you know if there is a recommended wait time on eating eggs from an injured bird? Thanks again for all your help!

 

[Cassowary]

Hi Gwynny,
My guinea fowl was attacked by a hawk and had flesh/fat ripped open on either flank. I gave him quick-chick water (has vitamins) and four shots of Penicillin (once per day) and he healed up. Although he probably got an infection in his wound, the Penicillin killed the bacteria. Next when the same guinea got attacked by an owl, I caked the fast bleeding wound with baking soda to clog it up. The wound bled through, but I kept applying the baking soda and pressing it on for a few minutes to kill the flow. I used Penicillin on my guinea fowl again. A few days after the wound stopped bleeding, I washed off the layers of baking soda and applied Vetericyn for about a week. Once again my guinea healed. So, that being said, if I were you I would use Penicillin for any bacterial infection that could make your guinea fowl sick. Penicillin is a good multi-bacterial killer and can be bought at a local co-op or pharmacy. I won't be surprised if your guinea fowl survives--they are tough birds!

 

[Cheymarie]

What dosage of penicillin should be used?

 

[crystal star]

Hi Gwynny,
My guinea fowl was attacked by a hawk and had flesh/fat ripped open on either flank. I gave him quick-chick water (has vitamins) and four shots of Penicillin (once per day) and he healed up. Although he probably got an infection in his wound, the Penicillin killed the bacteria. Next when the same guinea got attacked by an owl, I caked the fast bleeding wound with baking soda to clog it up. The wound bled through, but I kept applying the baking soda and pressing it on for a few minutes to kill the flow. I used Penicillin on my guinea fowl again. A few days after the wound stopped bleeding, I washed off the layers of baking soda and applied Vetericyn for about a week. Once again my guinea healed. So, that being said, if I were you I would use Penicillin for any bacterial infection that could make your guinea fowl sick. Penicillin is a good multi-bacterial killer and can be bought at a local co-op or pharmacy. I won't be surprised if your guinea fowl survives--they are tough birds!

how do i figure dosage for penicillin for a guinea fowl.

 

[R2elk]

how do i figure dosage for penicillin for a guinea fowl.

This thread is from 2016 The person you replied to hasn't been on BYC since May 2021. Before you, the last person who replied to this thread was in 2018 asking essentially the same question you just asked. They never received a reply.

Try starting your own thread with your question.