I have a 2 year old standard Cochin who has been an internal layer (at least that's what is seems to be to me. She has had the large, distended belly for over a year now. After researching on the forums last year I did not expect her to do well for this long. She does not get around as well as the rest of the flock, but she has always enjoyed her treat of dandelion greens and has been alert and has not shown signs of pain.
Yesterday I was shocked to see a blob of red tissue oozing out of her belly. It was hanging behind her and she seemed to pay it no notice. She was acting fine and eating, drinking pooping normally. My husband and I examined it more carefully after bringing her to the chicken infirmary in the garage. It was coming out of a small ripped opening of the skin that was only about a centimeter wide (a couple inches below the vent), but the tissues was trailing behind her for over two inches and was kind of bloody. It could not be pushed in even if we had wanted to. It looked like some sort of mucosa tissues. We were not sure if it was part of the oviduct tissue or what. It wasn't a tube really - like the intestine. Even if I had taken a picture I don't know if it would give readers a good idea of what it was.
Anyhow, we cleaned it off well with iodine, and since she couldn't keep dragging that stuff behind her, we tied it off and snipped the extra tissue away. The area smelled like a clean wound, and there were no signs of infection. We put styptic powder on to stop the bleeding. Through this procedure she did not seem to show signs of pain oddly enough. She just seemed bothered that we were holding her still and putting stuff on her belly.
So today there is no more oozing. She is eating, drinking and pooping ok. She is alert and looks at me like "What am I doing in this dog kennel?"
I know this condition will get her in the end and most say there is little a vet can do. But for now she is not showing distress.
MY QUESTION IS: Should I give her injectible antibiotics to prevent infection? If so what kind - Pen G is typically given for skin wounds, but I don't know if this would fall under that category.
If anyone has any ideas on that question or comments on her general condition, please let me know. - THANKS
Yesterday I was shocked to see a blob of red tissue oozing out of her belly. It was hanging behind her and she seemed to pay it no notice. She was acting fine and eating, drinking pooping normally. My husband and I examined it more carefully after bringing her to the chicken infirmary in the garage. It was coming out of a small ripped opening of the skin that was only about a centimeter wide (a couple inches below the vent), but the tissues was trailing behind her for over two inches and was kind of bloody. It could not be pushed in even if we had wanted to. It looked like some sort of mucosa tissues. We were not sure if it was part of the oviduct tissue or what. It wasn't a tube really - like the intestine. Even if I had taken a picture I don't know if it would give readers a good idea of what it was.
Anyhow, we cleaned it off well with iodine, and since she couldn't keep dragging that stuff behind her, we tied it off and snipped the extra tissue away. The area smelled like a clean wound, and there were no signs of infection. We put styptic powder on to stop the bleeding. Through this procedure she did not seem to show signs of pain oddly enough. She just seemed bothered that we were holding her still and putting stuff on her belly.
So today there is no more oozing. She is eating, drinking and pooping ok. She is alert and looks at me like "What am I doing in this dog kennel?"
I know this condition will get her in the end and most say there is little a vet can do. But for now she is not showing distress.
MY QUESTION IS: Should I give her injectible antibiotics to prevent infection? If so what kind - Pen G is typically given for skin wounds, but I don't know if this would fall under that category.
If anyone has any ideas on that question or comments on her general condition, please let me know. - THANKS
