infected pus-leaking ear??? DOG PUNTURE is there chicken antibiotics??

[akanalynnn]

My STUPID FREAKING DOG attacked one of my ladies... she was dazed at first, weren't sure if she'd make it... Well, she has, she is talking, eating, walking, etc like normal...except

Here ear (or a puncture wound very near it?) is leaking what appears to be a LOT of fluid/pus like substance... So much so that it's running all down her neck, and she keeps opening and closing her mouth a lot, the poor thing. I really like this chicken, what can I do to clear this up? It is obviously infected, and appears to be getting worse quickly.

Should I get a warm cloth and at least clean the thing? It's pretty gnarly.

HOW do i get antibiotics??? I can't afford the vet right now!!

 

[JestersEye]

It sounds to me like she is opening and closing her beak because she's not used to the sensation of her ear canal with the membrane torn open. (If you've ever had a broken ear drum, you know what I mean.) In other animals, such as turtles, this tissue should be able to heal on its own, but it can be a dangerous avenue for infection!

I would probably start by rinsing the area with saline or a weak hydrogen peroxide solution. I'd stick to something clear, rather than Betadine (iodine) solution, in order to get a better idea of what the wound or discharge looks like. The darker-color of the iodine solution could mask the existence of blood or pus, which you might need to keep a watch for.

I would definately isolate her and give her a supply of drinking water with a broad spectrum antibiotic powder added to it: Duramycin-10 or an equivalent form. Other than that, you could offer her extra protein with her regular feed, and give her time to rest and heal.

Best wishes...
Shari

P.S. - You can purchase the antibiotic powder at a livestock feed store.

 

[mypicklebird]

It is not your dog's fault. Many dogs will chase and attack chickens- chickens look like prey to them. Try not to be mad at the dog. Work on keeping them safely apart.

As for the injury- when did it happen? If it just happened (ie less than an couple of hours), the fluid you are seeing is unlikely to be pus. That takes time to form- more like 12-24 hrs. Fluid from the area of the ear may be CNS. Less likely to be survivable long term.

If this happened yesterday, of course you should try to clean it up if you cannot take her to a vet. Any potentially more than minor injury in a person, dog or chicken that is under your care should be cleaned promptly. The best chance a wound has to heal fast and well is to NOT get infected. You can use dilute betadine or saline- these are both gentle cleaners. Remove any gunk from the area including feathers stuck to the wound. Confine her away from other chickens, keep her warm, offer her tasty food and water. Do a search on wound care in the forum- lots of helpful hints on various OTC salves and chicken nursing care.

Topical antibiotics are not helpful in deep punctures, systemic (oral or injectable) might be helpful. Tetracycline class will probably not help with bacterial from a dog mouth, sulfa class drug might, best would be the ones you can get from taking her to a vet, sorry but the truth. OTC drugs can be bought from most feed stores, read the labels for recommendations on dosing and directions.
Jess

 

[akanalynnn]

This happend two days ago...the first day she was very lethargic but seems to be acting better and better, although the wound looks worse. I will work on getting the antibiotic....

The poor thing...

and it is DEFINITELY PUS. I mean, its yellowy/green

 

[akanalynnn]

ok well I just went out and cleaned it with a watered down hydrogen peroxide...
I couldn't find any punture wound, but it appears here ear is completely scabbed over...I didn't want to remove the scab, so I just cleaned it.

All down her neck looks like it's been picked at and is rather feather-less, although she is with only one other friend, who I have never seen pick at her (it's a silkie not real aggressive)

 

[mypicklebird]

Ugh- so she recovered from the shock, and now she has an abscess right next to her eye/brain. Bad place for a infected deep wound. She might be opening and closing her mouth due to pain, or difficulty breathing due to swelling or material is draining into her oral cavity (the ear and sinuses connect to there), or she is septic and starting to gasp due to multiple system failure. Prognosis is grim without strong intervention in terms of wound care and appropriate antibiotics. She really needs someone experienced to hands-on assess her, look in her mouth, flush and trim the wound- give her appropriate pain meds and antibiotics. Find a willing vet, or at least a willing doityourselfer!
jess

 

[mypicklebird]

scabs trap pus underneath, the scab probably IS dried pus. off with the scab.

 

[akanalynnn]

ok.... but it's really on there! I'm going to have to get tweezers to pull it off...

Should I move her inside so I can clean her often and so she stays clean? Or will that just stress her out more??

 

[JestersEye]

You might want to use a paper towel or cotton ball soaked in warm water / hydrogen peroxide solution or saline, in an effort to drench or soak the scab. It should come off easier if you soften it first. You'll have to hold the moist material onto the chicken's head for a bit and slowly work the gunk off to release the trapped pus. It needs to be cleaned thoroughly underneath and inside the wound.

 

[JestersEye]

Moving her inside or isolating her from other chickens is probably a good idea, to keep her from getting pecked at and also to prevent a maggot infestation in the wound.