Silkie with back wound and leg issue. (graphic photos)

[karenhos]

Hello! We have a 9 year old Silkie girl that needs some experienced advice. We have 2 bigger younger chickens that she was living with, she's always lived with other big chickens, we noticed about 4 weekends ago that she had a hardened area on her back that we determined was from a wound, although we couldn't really see one, so we gave her epsom salt baths and sprayed BluKote on the area. She was acting normal, didn't seem to bother her at all. The next weekend my daughter saw one of the other chickens pinning her down and pecking her on the head. She was walking after that but stumbling and tumbling. We kept up with the baths and Blukote and gave her 100mg of antibiotics twice a day we had here (Fish Mox) and B12. Called many vets around our area and either they didn't see chickens or didn't have an appointment for 2 weeks. So we were on our own, we have injectable Tylan 50 here but expired in 2012 so afraid to use that. Fish antibiotics were all we could get (in Ca). We used the antibiotics 4 days then stopped, she seemed more lethargic so went back on the fish antibiotics and found a vet 3 hours away where were going anyway to work on a property so we brought her with us and he saw her last Saturday. Although right after the attack by the other chicken she was walking although stumbly now she doesn't walk, her left leg just seems loose and nothing there. The vet thought the leg was nerve damage and possibly could come back, the back wound either he cracked open on purpose or it just happened to crack there but one side is open now and he said it was a pus pocket, chicken pus is like cottage cheese and the hardened area will eventually come off but it will be ugly. I'm not sure if it's better that it opened up or not. He said to give it 2 weeks, he gave her pain medicine Meloxidyl - 0.1 mL 5 doses and Clavamox, stop using Blukote because it won't let it heal, he could do an xray but it wouldn't change his diagnosis, use Neosporin on the wound, her demise would be the leg problem not the wound. I asked if I should stay with the Epsom salt baths everyday and he said "sure". Now the Clavamox label says 0.1 mL by mouth every 12 hours for 10 days - that seems too small, like smaller than a canary would get. We wondered if it was a mistake and emailed and called -front desk said she would leave a message for the Dr - but no answer back. The wound does not look better, it smells, it cracked open more - unless that's opening up from the baths and letting the bad stuff out. She's eating primarily scrambled eggs, B12 at first now B Complex, and some yogurt, banana, chicken feed, apple, worms. She stares at the water so we mix it in with the eggs or drip it in her mouth (she doesn't like) or sometimes floating worms in it she'll try. She seems happy when eating and somewhat feisty at times but not trying to walk around. My husband was able to order Baytril and that came after the vet visit - 25ml bottle 10% oral solution 1ml = 100mg enroflaxin. I realize she's old and has had a happy life, my initial thought was that if the back healed possibly she could learn to get around with the gimpy leg - in her own area away from the other chickens, and be happy a while longer. Right now she needs a major change and I'm not sure what to do. Change the meds? Higher dose of Clavamox? We've been giving her 0.2 ml but that still seems too small. Switch to Baytril? Continue baths? I also have PerioGard® (Chlorhexidine Gluconate Oral Rinse USP, 0.12%) which we used once to rinse wound, is that a good idea? She was vaccinated as a baby and I don't see anything on her legs like mites, the leg doesn't seem broken, it does sometimes crackle and pop when moving it. I really appreciate any advice, what we're doing isn't working and I feel everyone here is more experienced than a lot of vets! Sorry about the graphic photos

 

[MysteryChicken]

Hello! We have a 9 year old Silkie girl that needs some experienced advice. We have 2 bigger younger chickens that she was living with, she's always lived with other big chickens, we noticed about 4 weekends ago that she had a hardened area on her back that we determined was from a wound, although we couldn't really see one, so we gave her epsom salt baths and sprayed BluKote on the area. She was acting normal, didn't seem to bother her at all. The next weekend my daughter saw one of the other chickens pinning her down and pecking her on the head. She was walking after that but stumbling and tumbling. We kept up with the baths and Blukote and gave her 100mg of antibiotics twice a day we had here (Fish Mox) and B12. Called many vets around our area and either they didn't see chickens or didn't have an appointment for 2 weeks. So we were on our own, we have injectable Tylan 50 here but expired in 2012 so afraid to use that. Fish antibiotics were all we could get (in Ca). We used the antibiotics 4 days then stopped, she seemed more lethargic so went back on the fish antibiotics and found a vet 3 hours away where were going anyway to work on a property so we brought her with us and he saw her last Saturday. Although right after the attack by the other chicken she was walking although stumbly now she doesn't walk, her left leg just seems loose and nothing there. The vet thought the leg was nerve damage and possibly could come back, the back wound either he cracked open on purpose or it just happened to crack there but one side is open now and he said it was a pus pocket, chicken pus is like cottage cheese and the hardened area will eventually come off but it will be ugly. I'm not sure if it's better that it opened up or not. He said to give it 2 weeks, he gave her pain medicine Meloxidyl - 0.1 mL 5 doses and Clavamox, stop using Blukote because it won't let it heal, he could do an xray but it wouldn't change his diagnosis, use Neosporin on the wound, her demise would be the leg problem not the wound. I asked if I should stay with the Epsom salt baths everyday and he said "sure". Now the Clavamox label says 0.1 mL by mouth every 12 hours for 10 days - that seems too small, like smaller than a canary would get. We wondered if it was a mistake and emailed and called -front desk said she would leave a message for the Dr - but no answer back. The wound does not look better, it smells, it cracked open more - unless that's opening up from the baths and letting the bad stuff out. She's eating primarily scrambled eggs, B12 at first now B Complex, and some yogurt, banana, chicken feed, apple, worms. She stares at the water so we mix it in with the eggs or drip it in her mouth (she doesn't like) or sometimes floating worms in it she'll try. She seems happy when eating and somewhat feisty at times but not trying to walk around. My husband was able to order Baytril and that came after the vet visit - 25ml bottle 10% oral solution 1ml = 100mg enroflaxin. I realize she's old and has had a happy life, my initial thought was that if the back healed possibly she could learn to get around with the gimpy leg - in her own area away from the other chickens, and be happy a while longer. Right now she needs a major change and I'm not sure what to do. Change the meds? Higher dose of Clavamox? We've been giving her 0.2 ml but that still seems too small. Switch to Baytril? Continue baths? I also have PerioGard® (Chlorhexidine Gluconate Oral Rinse USP, 0.12%) which we used once to rinse wound, is that a good idea? She was vaccinated as a baby and I don't see anything on her legs like mites, the leg doesn't seem broken, it does sometimes crackle and pop when moving it. I really appreciate any advice, what we're doing isn't working and I feel everyone here is more experienced than a lot of vets! Sorry about the graphic photos

Keep the wound clean, & moist, & make sure she's separated from the rest of the birds?

 

[Eggcessive]

Clavamox dosage is 50-60mg per pound every 12 hours. What is the strength of your liquid suspension? The chlorhexidene in the Periogard would be okay to disinfect the wound. You could alao us Hibiclens chlorhexidene from a pharmacy and dilute it in half to 2% with water. Plain antibiotic ointment is good to apply to the wound after cleaning twice a day.

 

[karenhos]

Clavamox dosage is 50-60mg per pound every 12 hours. What is the strength of your liquid suspension? The chlorhexidene in the Periogard would be okay to disinfect the wound. You could alao us Hibiclens chlorhexidene from a pharmacy and dilute it in half to 2% with water. Plain antibiotic ointment is good to apply to the wound after cleaning twice a day.

Last weigh in she was 1.8 pounds, this is 50mg per ml (correct?) and their RX says 0.1 ml but that's tiny, I think they meant 1.0 ml. So now she's had this small amount 2x per day since Saturday - should I up it to 1.0 ml at least or switch to the Baytril? Thank you!

 

[karenhos]

Keep the wound clean, & moist, & make sure she's separated from the rest of the birds?

Thank you!

 

[karenhos]

Last weigh in she was 1.8 pounds, this is 50mg per ml (correct?) and their RX says 0.1 ml but that's tiny, I think they meant 1.0 ml. So now she's had this small amount 2x per day since Saturday - should I up it to 1.0 ml at least or switch to the Baytril? Thank you!

Sorry, forgot the pic!

 

[ellend]

Clavamox dosage is 50-60mg per pound every 12 hours. What is the strength of your liquid suspension? The chlorhexidene in the Periogard would be okay to disinfect the wound. You could alao us Hibiclens chlorhexidene from a pharmacy and dilute it in half to 2% with water. Plain antibiotic ointment is good to apply to the wound after cleaning twice a day.

Surgical R.N. here: hibiclens is NOT to be used on any open wound. INTACT skin only. You can use hydrogen peroxide diluted 50% with water. (I would use iodine on on intact chicken skin, not hibiclens...hibiclens transcutaneous absorbtion can be toxic, & birds are fragile.) I'm surprised your vet did not empty the pocket of pus... Don't keep guessing & giving her random drugs for probably too short of periods of time, at inaccurate doses. I know you're desperate, but when medications aren't used at specific doses for specific periods of time, they can hurt but not help. If she is unable to use a leg, my suggestion is that she's had 9 good years...don't make her suffer.
I wish you all the best. Sorry this has occurred. You've done very well giving her 9 years...be happy for her.

 

[karenhos]

Thank you everyone, she passed away in her sleep last night. That's the best way, I thank you for all of your suggestions, we were once known as the egg capital and yet no local vets could see her. She was definitely loved and gave us a lot of joy She was the last of our original flock and was "mine", I'm amazed that being the smallest and lowest on the pecking order she outlasted all others. We still have two chickens and we're getting bees again next weekend so we'll continue to enjoy our little "farm" Happy Easter everyone! **At one time, Petaluma was known as the "Egg Capital of the World," sparking such nicknames as "Chickaluma". Petaluma hosted the only known poultry drugstore and is the place where the egg incubator was invented by Lyman Byce in 1879.

 

[ellend]

Keep the wound clean, & moist, & make sure she's separated from the rest of the birds?

Hello! We have a 9 year old Silkie girl that needs some experienced advice. We have 2 bigger younger chickens that she was living with, she's always lived with other big chickens, we noticed about 4 weekends ago that she had a hardened area on her back that we determined was from a wound, although we couldn't really see one, so we gave her epsom salt baths and sprayed BluKote on the area. She was acting normal, didn't seem to bother her at all. The next weekend my daughter saw one of the other chickens pinning her down and pecking her on the head. She was walking after that but stumbling and tumbling. We kept up with the baths and Blukote and gave her 100mg of antibiotics twice a day we had here (Fish Mox) and B12. Called many vets around our area and either they didn't see chickens or didn't have an appointment for 2 weeks. So we were on our own, we have injectable Tylan 50 here but expired in 2012 so afraid to use that. Fish antibiotics were all we could get (in Ca). We used the antibiotics 4 days then stopped, she seemed more lethargic so went back on the fish antibiotics and found a vet 3 hours away where were going anyway to work on a property so we brought her with us and he saw her last Saturday. Although right after the attack by the other chicken she was walking although stumbly now she doesn't walk, her left leg just seems loose and nothing there. The vet thought the leg was nerve damage and possibly could come back, the back wound either he cracked open on purpose or it just happened to crack there but one side is open now and he said it was a pus pocket, chicken pus is like cottage cheese and the hardened area will eventually come off but it will be ugly. I'm not sure if it's better that it opened up or not. He said to give it 2 weeks, he gave her pain medicine Meloxidyl - 0.1 mL 5 doses and Clavamox, stop using Blukote because it won't let it heal, he could do an xray but it wouldn't change his diagnosis, use Neosporin on the wound, her demise would be the leg problem not the wound. I asked if I should stay with the Epsom salt baths everyday and he said "sure". Now the Clavamox label says 0.1 mL by mouth every 12 hours for 10 days - that seems too small, like smaller than a canary would get. We wondered if it was a mistake and emailed and called -front desk said she would leave a message for the Dr - but no answer back. The wound does not look better, it smells, it cracked open more - unless that's opening up from the baths and letting the bad stuff out. She's eating primarily scrambled eggs, B12 at first now B Complex, and some yogurt, banana, chicken feed, apple, worms. She stares at the water so we mix it in with the eggs or drip it in her mouth (she doesn't like) or sometimes floating worms in it she'll try. She seems happy when eating and somewhat feisty at times but not trying to walk around. My husband was able to order Baytril and that came after the vet visit - 25ml bottle 10% oral solution 1ml = 100mg enroflaxin. I realize she's old and has had a happy life, my initial thought was that if the back healed possibly she could learn to get around with the gimpy leg - in her own area away from the other chickens, and be happy a while longer. Right now she needs a major change and I'm not sure what to do. Change the meds? Higher dose of Clavamox? We've been giving her 0.2 ml but that still seems too small. Switch to Baytril? Continue baths? I also have PerioGard® (Chlorhexidine Gluconate Oral Rinse USP, 0.12%) which we used once to rinse wound, is that a good idea? She was vaccinated as a baby and I don't see anything on her legs like mites, the leg doesn't seem broken, it does sometimes crackle and pop when moving it. I really appreciate any advice, what we're doing isn't working and I feel everyone here is more experienced than a lot of vets! Sorry about the graphic photos

Surgical R.N. here: hibiclens is NOT to be used on any open wound. INTACT skin only. You can use hydrogen peroxide diluted 50% with water. (I would use iodine on on intact chicken skin, not hibiclens...hibiclens transcutaneous absorbtion can be toxic, & birds are fragile.) I'm surprised your vet did not empty the pocket of pus... Don't keep guessing & giving her random drugs for probably too short of periods of time, at inaccurate doses. I know you're desperate, but when medications aren't used at specific doses for specific periods of time, they can hurt but not help. If she is unable to use a leg, my suggestion is that she's had 9 good years...don't make her suffer.
I wish you all the best. Sorry this has occurred. You've done very well giving her 9 years...be happy for her.

 

[ellend]

Surgical R.N. here: hibiclens is NOT to be used on any open wound. INTACT skin only. You can use hydrogen peroxide diluted 50% with water. (I would use iodine on on intact chicken skin, not hibiclens...hibiclens transcutaneous absorbtion can be toxic, & birds are fragile.) I'm surprised your vet did not empty the pocket of pus... Don't keep guessing & giving her random drugs for probably too short of periods of time, at inaccurate doses. I know you're desperate, but when medications aren't used at specific doses for specific periods of time, they can hurt but not help. If she is unable to use a leg, my suggestion is that she's had 9 good years...don't make her suffer.
I wish you all the best. Sorry this has occurred. You've done very well giving her 9 years...be happy for her.

For future reference--chlorhexidine is hibiclens. Don't use it. Use 1/2 strength hydrogen peroxide or iodine.