Please help! Labored breathing, puffed up after predator attack

[tofutop]

Today a cat managed to get one of our chicks, and she had a wound on her back, where her tail starts growing. We havent given her anything other than electrolyte water and she's sleeping with a heat lamp now. However her breathing is fast and laboured, and she seems to have puffed up. Her legs are also more spread out than usual. We have washed her wounds and put diluted Betadine and antibacterial cream on her wound. Is there anything I should or could do to help? She chirped softly before this, but was more responsive. Now she chirps loud enough occasionally, but her breathing is getting more labored. Please help! Any advice is welcome.

 

[Eggcessive]

You have done everything I would have done. It might be in shock, and after some rest and electrolytes it may be alright. Chicks can be pretty delicate creatures, so only time will tell. If there are internal injuries, that could really complicate her recovery. Make sure that her heat lamp is around 80 degrees on the floor, but higher could make her pant more (unless she is only a week or so old.)

 

[tofutop]

Thank you so much. Eggcessive, do you think I should give her some food mixed in water? She seems worse today, sleeping very often. Also, she sleeps standing. I worry that this isn't good for her as she already seems so weak. She is very puffed up and has almost doubled in size. Her crop is still relatively large, but she doesn't seem to be pooping much. Does anyone have advice on this?

 

[Eggcessive]

Feel of her body to make sure that she doesn't have air under the skin from a leaking air sac due to injury. She may not have that, but is just looking puffed up. Crops can become slow emptying after illness or injury. Liquids are the most important now, but putting some water into her feed, and a little raw or chopped egg would be good for her. Make sure that she doesn't have pasty butt, so just clean it off if you notice that. How old is she exactly? Here is some info on a leaking air sac:
http://www.thepoultrysite.com/publications/6/diseases-of-poultry/223/subcutaneous-emphysema/
http://www.ijasvm.com/ijasvmadmin/upload/IJASVM_5113cbc51d31b.pdf
https://www.backyardchickens.com/t/171121/deflating-subcutaneous-emphysema

 

[tofutop]

Louie left us yesterday, and it was only after her death that we discovered there was an air sac inside her as she refused to let us examine her. I feel horrible and responsible for her death. Perhaps I should have insisted on examining her. Thank you so much, you've given us lots of support.

 

[Eggcessive]

Sorry about losing Louie. With attacks by other animals, we just never know if they will survive or not. I've have several injured, and the one that looked the least injured was the one who died. I had a 2 week old chick with a large leaking air sac who I was able to save by deflating it several times, only to get through the fence and be picked off by one of the dogs a month later.