Skin Ripped Off - Died

[Omniskies]

Isn't that the luck. I brag about our LGD doing a great job and while she is sleeping the ONE dog she allows in the yard attacked my birds. I have a 5-6 month old Muscovy drake who and the skin on his back and tail ripped off.

The muscle is exposed, there is no skin to cover it. I don't want to give up on him. What can I do?

 

[easttxchick]

I found this while searching for something that could maybe help you. Kasia posted this on another thread.
Hope it has some info you can use.
Good luck with your bird.

"I run a bird, duck and chicken rescue and have gotten several severely injure ducks and chicken. One duck came in after being hit by two cars and her back end has been totally skinned and her leg was broken and the bone was sticking out. Of course this happened on Christmas Eve night so my vet wasn't available when she was dropped off at our house. I was trained by a wildlife sanctuary and basic avian first aid from my avian vet so I pretty much know what to do in such emergencies.

Here is what I would suggest. Get some iodine or betatine, and dilute it 1 part of iodine to 10 parts of water. Rinse the open wound areas twice a day with the iodine/betadine solution. Since this was dog inflicted, they really do need to be put on antibiotic injections or orally. The skinned areas will not grow skin back, some of the tissue will die, so gentle debridement will be necessary.

To dress the wounds, use honey. My avian vet said that honey is a natural antibiotic and even he uses it on deep wounds to promote healing. Honey has healing properties. The skin won't grow back over the areas, and if you do find maggots, that won't necessary be a bad thing. Maggots eat only dead tissue. I have an Americauna hen, Phoenix, that was hit by a car and sat on the side of the road fo 4 days before I got her. The maggots are what saved her live and kept her from getting an infection.

I think your ducks have a great chance, as long as they are kept clean and their wounds are cleaned twice a day."

Maybe something in Kasia's post can help you! I sure hope so.

 

[Omniskies]

Thank you for the information. We have iodine so I will start that.

Any other information is greatly appreciated.

 

[Kittymomma]

https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=237982
Post #4 by Threehorses

 

[Omniskies]

Perfect, Kitty. I'm confidant that he will pull through now.

I do have another question now that I have started treatment. I have him wrapped in a towel. He was in the sink in warm water to wash him and had his feathers trimmed so nothing is touching the wound. I have him in my lap to help keep him warm, but have his backside exposed to the air.

One side muscle keeps twitching and spasming. Is this just part of his natural shivering due to the cold, a damaged muscle/nerve, or something more sinister? I know it's chilly, but I don't want to cover it up.

 

[easttxchick]

Could be due to cold/shock. Do you have a heat lamp? Maybe you can put one on him just to warm him up a touch-don't want to get him too hot, though.

 

[Omniskies]

A heat lamp is doable. It's looking an awful lot like shock. What are the major shock symptoms, though, just in case I'm wrong.

 

[awesomefowl]

The skin won't grow back?

 

[Omniskies]

I didn't think the skin would fully, if ever, grow back. I wasn't sure if that meant he had no chance due to infection.

 

[easttxchick]

I wouldn't give up on him. Many people have had ducks/chickens attacked by predators and they have made a full recovery. Just make sure to keep the wounds clean and keep neosporin without pain reliever on his wounds. Maybe give him some antibiotics in the water.
If you have electrolytes, they are good for stress as well.
I can't find the symptoms of shock, but I think keeping him in a warm, dark, quiet place will be the best thing to do. Don't move him unless you have to.