URGENT!!! PLEASE HELP!! Dog attack left open wound!!!

[SilverBirds]

Wrap gauze or cut an old shirt or towel and wrap it around her neck and body to keep it from getting infected. Add electrolytes to her water so she can get an extra sugar boost.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

I think you have gotten great advice and I would say it's a waiting game as long as you did all things up above it think she will make it I have seen lot worse live

 

[SilverBirds]

I had one of my hens attacked by a dog about three years ago. She had really deep puncture wounds in her back. We had to give her stiches and it took about 2 months or so for her to fully recover. She is now a healthy 8 year old lady

 

[stellasstar]

I had one of my hens attacked by a dog about three years ago. She had really deep puncture wounds in her back. We had to give her stiches and it took about 2 months or so for her to fully recover. She is now a healthy 8 year old lady

Oh goodness, 8 years! What a healthy, happy lady! So glad to hear she recovered. Did you do the stitches yourself or did you take her to a vet?

 

[stellasstar]

Thank you, everyone! I sprayed her wounds down the best I could with Vetericyn and she is now roosting comfortably in a quiet, dark room. I'm so worried about her neck; the top lawyer of her skin is completely ripped, leaving her muscle exposed. Do you think she should get stitches or will it heal on its own? I appreciate all of you so much!

 

[SilverBirds]

Oh goodness, 8 years! What a healthy, happy lady! So glad to hear she recovered. Did you do the stitches yourself or did you take her to a vet?

We stitched her ourselves. We don't have any that will take "exotics" in our immediate area.

 

[Eden83_haaretz]

How's your chicken doing? We have a vet that is an expert on wounds like these; works at a Zoo and the deer have open wounds all the time, before stitching them up he powders the wound with an antibiotic and it works wonders (had a cat that was bitten badly and he did just that; the wound never got infected, he also injected antibiotics).
Hope your chicken recuperates quickly.

 

[Wyorp Rock]

I have a chicken that was attacked by a dog about one hour ago. I found her in the backyard with AT LEAST two open wounds. She is walking and talking, but she is struggling.

WOUNDS:
- There is a large gaping wound in the back of her neck, about half the length of her neck's circumference. Her spine or muscle is visible.
- She is missing a lot of the feathers on her back leaving a raw, agitated wound about the size of a baseball.

All vets are closed for the night and no emergency place will see a chicken. What can I do for her until tomorrow?

I will post photos if needed. All advise is extremely appreciated!!

The wounds on the her back were done yesterday as well?

I'd keep it sprayed with veterycin, leave open and don't cover unless she's picking at herself. She's got a LOT of pin feathers coming in, so a cover is going to make her uncomfortable.

For the fresh neck tear/wound, clean it and keep it sprayed with the Vetericyn as well.

 

[Lenny loves chickens]

How is she today?

 

[stellasstar]

I have a chicken that was attacked by a dog about one hour ago. I found her in the backyard with AT LEAST two open wounds. She is walking and talking, but she is struggling.

WOUNDS:
- There is a large gaping wound in the back of her neck, about half the length of her neck's circumference. Her spine or muscle is visible.
- She is missing a lot of the feathers on her back leaving a raw, agitated wound about the size of a baseball.

All vets are closed for the night and no emergency place will see a chicken. What can I do for her until tomorrow?

I will post photos if needed. All advise is extremely appreciated!!

UPDATE: Almost one month after the attack-

Cheesecake is healing up very nicely and is back outside with her sisters! She had three wounds total; the skin on her back was scratched up, her neck was ripped open, and the skin underneath her left wing was disconnected from her body.

All wounds are healing well. Her back is already growing new feathers! It has been a long, hard process but she is thriving again. <3 Her sisters did not attack her and welcomed her back with open wings.

I can't thank you all enough for your urgent replies. If I did not follow your advise and take action imminently, the outcome could have been a lot worse.

To anyone who's chicken might be going through the same thing Cheesecake went through; don't panic, gently clean the wound as stated above, apply Vetericyn Plus to her wounds 2x a day, and give her a clean room to relax in while the wounds scab over. People are right when they say chickens are hardy ladies... it is amazing what they can recover from!

Again, thank you all!