Severe Wound on Hen from Dog Bite!! HELP PLEASE!!!

[amberruments]

If any of what I'm going to say below bothers you or you don't feel able, then this is a good time to seek vet care. When it's not an option, we do the best we can.
I'm going to suggest that you clean up the wound as best you can, removing as much of the blu-kote as you can. I personally would use chlorhexidine (hibiclens). If you don't have that then sterile saline or warm, mildly soapy water, or a diluted betadine solution. If it smells bad, like rotten meat, etc. then it's infected. Use warm, wet compresses to try to soften it up, flush it out really well. This may take some time. Get some new pictures once you've cleaned it up. If you see any pus, it will be creamy, pale yellow or white, and firm like cheese, flush it out. There may be tissue that needs to be debrided, pictures will hopefully help with that. Then apply plain neosporin or plain triple antibiotic ointment to cover the entire area. I would start her on an antibiotic also. I would really try to not bandage or cover it, that can hold bacteria in. Fish mox (amoxicillin) is available on line and some tractor supply stores carry it (not all). If you have any amoxicillin on hand that is left over from a human, you can use that too. Those would be oral. Tractor Supply stores carry inject-able penicillin, you will need syringes (3ml is usually the smallest they have) (needle size 22) for that, also should be in the store. Let us know what you have/get and someone will help with dosing.
Info for injecting here (it is not difficult):
https://sites.google.com/a/poultrypedia.com/poultrypedia/poultry-podiatry#chickens_shots
Scroll down to 'give injection', and below that is 'treat with penicillin injection'.

How often should I flush it out and put the neosporin on the wound?

 

[coach723]

Flush it out really well now. Apply the neosporin 2 or 3 times a day to keep it covered with ointment and moist. How it looks will determine if it needs to be flushed out again. If you find any punctures while you are cleaning it up, flush those out really well, I use an oral syringe to flush area's like that. Punctures can be a particular problem as they tend to close at the surface and trap pockets of bacteria inside.

 

[coach723]

Yes, that's perfect. Dose I use is .1 cc per lb of bird weight, once a day for 5 to 7 days. There are other dosing recommendations, some say less than .25 cc for 1-10 lbs. Some say .25 to .5 cc, per day, 5-7 days. This med is formulated to absorb slower so only once a day is needed. Be sure to put the needle in 1/4 inch into the breast muscle, not deeper, and alternate sides of the breast each day. Also, let the medication come to room temp before injecting, and shake it up really, really well, the particles are large and will settle out.
**Edit** Don't know where the post went, but the Penicillin G Procaine 300,000 units per ml, that was showing, is what my answer is referring to.

 

[Brooks_]

I have called every avian vet in my area and none of them are open for chickens.

That makes me mad. My area has two avian vets (aside from the vet school) and both treat poultry. As for the penicillin, I wish I could help. Best of luck. FWIW, it didn't look that bad...I've seen some nasty on here. Caring is half the battle.

 

[FactoryReject]

About a week ago my hen was bitten by a dog on her lower back. We slushed with with saline and peroxide and sprayed with blue kote and now we just have her sitting in the house in a crate to keep an eye on her. She has been drinking fine and eating a little and walking okay but slowly. I have a sweater on her right now because our main problem was her pecking at her wound. I just want a second opinion whether you think she can survive or now because I don’t want her to suffer more that she has. The picture does not show the full wound but it goes a little more under her feathers. What should I do???Picture

I'm so sorry for you are your hen. Her feathers are absolutely beautiful by the way. I have dealt with this kind of thing before and would give you some tips, but looks like everyone else took the words out of my mouth. Good luck. I think she will be just fine.