Hen with large abcess/infection - Graphic pictures

[Happy Chooks]

I found one of my hens this morning unable to hold her wing up. I thought maybe she broke it, but when I picked her up, I noticed a lot of swelling on the underside around the wing bones. The swelling goes all the way down to her body. It's also weeping through the skin. I noticed she has bumblefoot between her toes as well, so that will need to be taken care of, but it isn't bothering her right now.

I'd like to try to save her, and I have penicillin on hand. How much of a dosage should I give her to really try to knock this infection out of her? How often should I give it to her?

 

[Eggcessive]

I usually look for this link when giving advice on the emergency forum. Check the last paragraph of post # 2: https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/352701/how-do-i-administer-a-penicillin-shot-to-a-chicken

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thank you for the information. I've given penicillin before, but I want to make sure I give her a high enough dose to give her a chance.

 

[speckledhen]

Kelly, it depends on how much the infection is raging on the inside and you really can't know that by looking at the outside, unfortunately. You may need more than penicillin, but if you want to try that first, you need at least a full cc to start, given for about 4-5 days. That is roughly a double dose for a standard hen. You may recall that thread by Cetawin about our Delilah and her infection that began as a leg injury. Penicillin, even an extra large dose, didn't knock it out, just down, enough to keep it hidden, and it grew inside her until it burst out the back.

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thank you Cyn. I have it on hand, and I want to get something in her ASAP. The weight from the swelling, her wing is just dragging on the ground. If I don't see any improvement in a few days, I'd be happy to try something else. But at this point, I'm certain to lose her if I do nothing.

There is no wound, so I'm not sure how she got this way.

 

[speckledhen]

Kelly, that is what a soft tissue infection does, makes infection with no actual wound or opening. Happened to Zane and happened to Delilah. Fortunately, Dr. Peter Brown saved Zane by sending me a 10 day round of Cipro, which knocked out his hock infection, after several rounds of pen did little to help it. It was Stacey's vet, if you remember gumpsgirl, who said that even a leg injury without a wound like Zane's required antibiotics. If he hadn't, I would never have thought to give them or to tell Cetawin to give DeDe antibiotics just in case when she got hung on a cage by her spurs and hurt her leg.

 

[casportpony]

I can't comment on the best antibiotic to use, but I can say that you can get Cipro and most other antibiotics without a prescription, just search for the drug you want and "fish". You guys have been on BYC for a long time, so you probably already knew that.

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Here are a couple of links with dosing info:

http://avianmedicine.net/content/uploads/2013/03/09_therapeutic_agents.pdf
http://avianmedicine.net/content/uploads/2013/03/18.pdf

Both can be found here, which has some very good info:
http://avianmedicine.net/

-Kathy

 

[casportpony]

Penicillin info:
http://www.merckmanuals.com/vet/pharmacology/antibacterial_agents/penicillins.html

Procaine Penicillin:
http://www.vetstreet.com/sterile-penicillin-g-procaine

-Kathy

 

[Happy Chooks]

Thanks for all the information.

Should I skip the penicillin or give it a try? I could order the Cipro, if I should use that instead.