The cat's bit one of my chicks! Should I give penicilin?? Help!!

[nomizamir]

I was shouting at the cat so loud that it dropped the chick and ran away..
Now I have the chick, it didn't seem badly injured, it ran back to it's mom and siblings, but when I inspected it closely I noticed it has 2-3 scratches, where the cat held it in his jaws..
it seems the skin is torn but it desn't seem deep.
I cleaned it with isospray (iodine spray) and put him in a small cage inside the house so he can can heal..
My concern is that it might get infected, I know there are a lot of bacteria in the cat's seliva and uner it's nails - I have some penicilin at home (for the sheep) but I don't know how much and how to administer to a little chick??
Thanks you!!

 

[azygous]

Yes, I would advise it. If it were me, I would give the chick one-quarter the dose you would give an adult bird. And make sure you do a full ten-day round.

You're right that a cat has a lot of bacteria that will rapidly cause death. My cat got into a fight with a neighbor cat, and each wounded the other, my cat on his ear. Twelve hours later, my cat was suffering from a raging infection on his ear, and the other cat died.

 

[Jensownzoo]

Yes. I do a lot of cat rescue work and I don't mess around with cat bites. Anything that draws blood gets antibiotics as I do not fancy a stay in the hospital. Scratches I just clean really well, although I have gotten cat scratch fever once and it was unpleasant.

 

[nomizamir]

Thank you!! That's what I thought as well..
But what is the right dose for a five - six weeks old chick?

 

[nomizamir]

" I would give the chick one-quarter the dose you would give an adult bird." - what is the dose for an adult bird?
-is it IM or SubC shot?
-advice for size of needle?
- duration of treatment?
Thank you for any information!!!

 

[Choco Maran]

Make sure you know how to give shots to birds as it is different from other animals. I would seek the advice from a vet on this chick.

 

[azygous]

When I give my birds antibiotics I use the amoxicillin oral gel caps. I give one whole 250mg cap to an adult bird. So if I had to dose a chick, I would break it open and divide it into four doses. Getting it into the chick is your next challenge, though.

With my adult chickens, when they have to get a pill, it gets buried in a dab of peanut butter. Maybe you can think of some treat your chick won't be able to resist you can disguise it in. But I think Choco is right - check with a vet. They may be able to provide you with the proper antibiotic in the proper dose for your little chick.

But there's no debate your chick needs to have a round, usually ten days to two weeks, of a broad spectrum antibiotic. There are also antibiotics that can be dispensed in their waterer, but I've never used those. I don't see how you can be sure of the proper dose giving it that way, although it's a dandy way to treat a whole flock that needs it.