Henny attacked-- any additional advice appreciated!!!

[5Chances]

One of my older hens was attacked by one of our dogs when he slipped out of the kennel past my son... I was there. He grabbed her about twice carrying her through the back yard the last time. He dropped her and she ran and hid. When we found her- she had about a 4 -5 inch laceration, no punctures we could find, but the skin is separated from the muscle...all the way around the injury and down her side. We cleaned her with peroxide. She was not bleeding too bad considering, but after I squirted the peroxide on her I was worried about it running "inside her" (like where her skin is separated??) did I make a Bad choice? We sewed her up leaving drain holes and I packed the incision with neosporin.... We put the fan on her and put her in the big dog crate because it was warm here today and she was panting hard when we found her. She has eaten and was actually up walking aroun like normal. But I am keeping her crated and quiet as I am worried about infection... Any advice for further treatment? Had a vet friend say he would get her a bay trio injection monday if any signs of infection.

Also, I went to check on her before bed and I noticed her crop seems full of water. Which I know she has drank some but my mind went back to "where did that peroxide go!"? Is it at all possible the peroxide could have run down "inside her" and pooled at her crop area? I honestly think she's been drinking water from all her stress from earlier. She honestly seems like she feels fine- I worry about dumb stuff sometimes... But I'm not as sure of myself about vetting chickens as I am dogs and cats!! And I'm not at all concerned with sour crop-- i know its not that. It's about a handful size not huge full- Do their crops get full of water if they drink a lot at once? I just figured she was finally thirsty from all of her stress today. bless her heart. She seems ok other than the gash in her back.

 

[BlessedCountry6]

wow, sounds like you did a great job patching her up. I am not sure about the water or the peroxide. I am sure someone else can respond to that. what I know of dog wounds it sounds like you did well.

 

[MrsBachbach]

One of my older hens was attacked by one of our dogs when he slipped out of the kennel past my son... I was there. He grabbed her about twice carrying her through the back yard the last time. He dropped her and she ran and hid. When we found her- she had about a 4 -5 inch laceration, no punctures we could find, but the skin is separated from the muscle...all the way around the injury and down her side. We cleaned her with peroxide. She was not bleeding too bad considering, but after I squirted the peroxide on her I was worried about it running "inside her" (like where her skin is separated??) did I make a Bad choice? We sewed her up leaving drain holes and I packed the incision with neosporin.... We put the fan on her and put her in the big dog crate because it was warm here today and she was panting hard when we found her. She has eaten and was actually up walking aroun like normal. But I am keeping her crated and quiet as I am worried about infection... Any advice for further treatment? Had a vet friend say he would get her a bay trio injection monday if any signs of infection.

Also, I went to check on her before bed and I noticed her crop seems full of water. Which I know she has drank some but my mind went back to "where did that peroxide go!"? Is it at all possible the peroxide could have run down "inside her" and pooled at her crop area? I honestly think she's been drinking water from all her stress from earlier. She honestly seems like she feels fine- I worry about dumb stuff sometimes... But I'm not as sure of myself about vetting chickens as I am dogs and cats!! And I'm not at all concerned with sour crop-- i know its not that. It's about a handful size not huge full- Do their crops get full of water if they drink a lot at once? I just figured she was finally thirsty from all of her stress today. bless her heart. She seems ok other than the gash in her back.

Just keep her quiet in that kennel for a few days to give her wound time to heal and for her stress to level out. You can also monitor her wound, infection, eating and poop by keeping her in one spot. In the future, don't use peroxide on a wound. I can't remember what I've read about it, but my daughter is a wound nurse and worked in dermatology and she said they do not use peroxide. I think it inhibits healing or makes good flesh die or something.
I guess since you sewed the skin back together you just need to watch to see if he skin lives or dies or if infection sets in. You may see some ugly coloring in the next few days from bruising. I had a hen that had it's skin ripped like yours. I just had to cut it off, there was no sewing it that back on. I worried about the exposed muscle. I ended up using something called WonderDust on her wound. It's a charcoal based powder with antibacterial properties. Anyway, it dried everything up real quick and put a big black scab on the wound in a day or two. It kept the flies and other nasties from getting to her and she healed up just fine. There was a poster a few weeks back whose hen was half eaten by a hawk with bone left exposed and everything. She cleaned it, gave penG injections for infection, put a antibacterial spray for wounds on it and last I heard the bird is doing quite well. And it was missing alot of flesh!
So, just keep her quiet, watch for infection (might take those shots just in case), keep it clean and she should be fine. I would probably not let her back out until you take those stitches out. Just in case. Chickens can survive some nasty wounds.