Raccoon attack HELP!!! Photos

[micstrachan]

You’re doing a great job. We’re all rooting for you and your girl!

 

[XanderWiFi]

I hope you see this in time. The fact she is eating, drinking, pooping means she appears to have miraculously avoided severe organ damage and/or shock that would shut down her bowl.

Please do not wash out that neck wound with chlorhexidine or blue kote. Chlorhexidine is a surgical prep, superficial wound cleanser. It is not meant to be applied to mucous membranes or internal organs. You are looking at a major surgical/trauma wound-the basic first aid principles do not apply the same as superficial hurts and wounds.

The full extent of the wounds is difficult to see. Please trim back the feathers and take new pictures from various angles to provide better intel. These wounds can be salvaged but it is going to take a loooooong time, a lot of patience/effort and will be very precarious.

She needs long term injectable antibiotics. Superficial antibiotics are not going to cut it and again, aren't meant to be applied to organs, nor would you have enough to cover the space.

These large wounds need a big time saline washout. After that, you will need wet to dry packing soaking gauze in sterile water/saline, packing the wounds, then wraping kerlix or vet tape to hold everything in place-not super tight, mind you, just enough to hold it in place. Organs and flesh must be kept moist. Organs aren't meant to dry out in the air.

Packing will likely need to be changed twice a day. Re-wet before removing. Slowly, very slowly, if infection does not kill her, granulation and the wound edges will begin to heal. Eventually you can hopefully stop the packing and stirristrip the wound edges closed THEN you will be ready for triple antiibiotic, chlorhexidine, etc.

She's fighting hard. It would be completely understandable to end her suffering. But I have also seen others here nurse their chickens back from horrific injuries just like this. I was not so lucky, but thankfully her attacker was not terribly efficient to give her this chance.

If you must put her down. I recommend a 20 gauge birdshot shell. Best of luck and keep us posted.

 

[Motherhen93]

I hope you see this in time. The fact she is eating, drinking, pooping means she appears to have miraculously avoided severe organ damage and/or shock that would shut down her bowl.

Please do not wash out that neck wound with chlorhexidine or blue kote. Chlorhexidine is a surgical prep, superficial wound cleanser. It is not meant to be applied to mucous membranes or internal organs. You are looking at a major surgical/trauma wound-the basic first aid principles do not apply the same as superficial hurts and wounds.

The full extent of the wounds is difficult to see. Please trim back the feathers and take new pictures from various angles to provide better intel. These wounds can be salvaged but it is going to take a loooooong time, a lot of patience/effort and will be very precarious.

She needs long term injectable antibiotics. Superficial antibiotics are not going to cut it and again, aren't meant to be applied to organs, nor would you have enough to cover the space.

These large wounds need a big time saline washout. After that, you will need wet to dry packing soaking gauze in sterile water/saline, packing the wounds, then wraping kerlix or vet tape to hold everything in place-not super tight, mind you, just enough to hold it in place. Organs and flesh must be kept moist. Organs aren't meant to dry out in the air.

Packing will likely need to be changed twice a day. Re-wet before removing. Slowly, very slowly, if infection does not kill her, granulation and the wound edges will begin to heal. Eventually you can hopefully stop the packing and stirristrip the wound edges closed THEN you will be ready for triple antiibiotic, chlorhexidine, etc.

She's fighting hard. It would be completely understandable to end her suffering. But I have also seen others here nurse their chickens back from horrific injuries just like this. I was not so lucky, but thankfully her attacker was not terribly efficient to give her this chance.

If you must put her down. I recommend a 20 gauge birdshot shell. Best of luck and keep us posted.

not using blue kote or chlorohexy...been doing good with saline and vetricyn. have a newborn so once i get him all settled i will be goin in for some detail work on the neck. i will take pics and i hope to get some solid intel. like i said the neck is the make it or break it for this hen. no organ damage. thankfully. injectible antibiotics??? i dont know anything about that. i bought what i could afford for this hen. already 100$ in. she gets 500 mg amoxicillin a day. you are mentioning organs? do u see any organs in the pics? i wasnt aware of any organ exposure. just tissue. and possibly trachea which i will post a pic of

 

[Motherhen93]

is 500 mg of amoxicillin ok actually? i havent really researched dosage. i just wanna make sure she is getting something. some day its been 250 mg

 

[Latestarter]

@superchemicalgirl I know you're a human pharmacist... does 500 mg of amoxicillin seem a bit high for a chicken? That sound more like a human sized dose to me.

 

[Motherhen93]

@superchemicalgirl I know you're a human pharmacist... does 500 mg of amoxicillin seem a bit high for a chicken? That sound more like a human sized dose to me.

i wont dose again until i hear back

 

[Latestarter]

How's your poor girl doing today?

 

[Chickassan]

I'm not an expert, but 500mg could cause diarrhea which you don't need right now. 250mg is a very good dose for a bird her size. I'm rooting for this little lady.

 

[rjohns39]

@casportpony can you help with dosing instructions?

 

[Eggcessive]

Amoxicillin dosage for a 5 pound chicken would be 125 mg twice a day, or 100mg 3 times a day.