Neck injury on new chick!!

[cameobelle]

Our cat grabbed our hours old chick. His mouth was caught quickly and we thought that there were just a few scratches on neck and by wing. She seemed fine we cleaned the wound carefully with iodine and applied some antibiotic ointment. The chick got in her food and my son noticed some food on the wound. While carefully cleaning I noticed the wound seemed worse than we had thought. I recently went to see if she needed water and it seemed to come out of the wound. She is breathing fine, walking, chirping, doesn't seemed bothered by wound at all. We removed the food and water because we are worried about a puncture into the chest cavity. Are we doing the right thing? Is it possible for this to heal?

 

[BigBlueHen53]

I don't know. Let me flag some of the experts.

@Wyorp Rock
@Eggcessive
@azygous
@casportpony

Somebody should be along shortly to help.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

Our cat grabbed our hours old chick. His mouth was caught quickly and we thought that there were just a few scratches on neck and by wing. She seemed fine we cleaned the wound carefully with iodine and applied some antibiotic ointment. The chick got in her food and my son noticed some food on the wound. While carefully cleaning I noticed the wound seemed worse than we had thought. I recently went to see if she needed water and it seemed to come out of the wound. She is breathing fine, walking, chirping, doesn't seemed bothered by wound at all. We removed the food and water because we are worried about a puncture into the chest cavity. Are we doing the right thing? Is it possible for this to heal?

Can you post some photos of the injury?
If you think food is coming out of the wound, there may be a puncture or tear at the crop.

It's very hard to know if it will heal properly or not, especially on an hours old chick. So tiny to treat.

 

[azygous]

Yes, chicks heal with proper wound care. But a puncture wound from a cat is loaded with the nastiest bacteria imaginable. That will be the biggest danger to the chick. It would help if you could treat it with penicillin. See if you can find some at a feed store.

It sounds like the wound is on the crop. This isn't a big problem. It will close soon enough. For the next few days, do not give the chick anything but liquid. Soft boiled egg. Yogurt. Very wet chick feed. Water with electrolytes.

Be aware that infection can occur withing 24 hours and it can quickly kill a chick. That will be your biggest concern.

 

[cameobelle]

Can you post some photos of the injury?
If you think food is coming out of the wound, there may be a puncture or tear at the crop.

It's very hard to know if it will heal properly or not, especially on an hours old chick. So tiny to treat.

I will see about getting a picture tomorrow..

 

[cameobelle]

Yes, chicks heal with proper wound care. But a puncture wound from a cat is loaded with the nastiest bacteria imaginable. That will be the biggest danger to the chick. It would help if you could treat it with penicillin. See if you can find some at a feed store.

It sounds like the wound is on the crop. This isn't a big problem. It will close soon enough. For the next few days, do not give the chick anything but liquid. Soft boiled egg. Yogurt. Very wet chick feed. Water with electrolytes.

Be aware that infection can occur withing 24 hours and it can quickly kill a chick. That will be your biggest concern.

We will see about picking up some antibiotics tomorrow...should we not be worried about liquid getting into the chest cavity? Will the yoke not sustain her for a few days so we can let it heal a little. I am not sure any of the water I gave her even made it to her stomach.

 

[azygous]

The crop is its own enclosed sack. There's also the outer skin that constitutes a second wall. I don't see any big danger with crop contents leaking into the chest or abdominal cavity. The chick would likely be dead by now if this was the case.

Chicks will often eat right away after hatching if offered food. You can safely let it rest tonight, and hopefully the wound will close. But offer only the wet foods I suggested for the next few days. If the chick becomes lethargic, give warm sugar water with poultry Nutri-drench. Get it started on an antibiotic asap.

 

[cameobelle]

The crop is its own enclosed sack. There's also the outer skin that constitutes a second wall. I don't see any big danger with crop contents leaking into the chest or abdominal cavity. The chick would likely be dead by now if this was the case.

Chicks will often eat right away after hatching if offered food. You can safely let it rest tonight, and hopefully the wound will close. But offer only the wet foods I suggested for the next few days. If the chick becomes lethargic, give warm sugar water with poultry Nutri-drench. Get it started on an antibiotic asap.

Will do. Thank you

 

[cameobelle]

It already seems to be closing. I posted a picture but you can't really see what I saw yesterday. The frothy area I think is just Neosporin where the water came out.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

How is she doing now?