*Warning Graphic Photos* I had to perform gross crop surgery. Lesson learned and a question

[ledbythelamb]

After that I always duct-taped his spurs (worked like a charm).

I'd never thought to use duct tape on spurs! That is epic and will now be in my arsenal of roo care!

 

[Abriana]

I'd never thought to use duct tape on spurs! That is epic and will now be in my arsenal of roo care!

It works great! Napoleon was very fierce and attacked hawks multiple times, so I figured he needed them and I didn’t want to take them off completely (not to mention that comes with dangers like severe bleeding). And it was overall easier for everybody.

 

[ChemicalchiCkns]

Ooo that is neat. I vomited a Hen once, by accident!, so yours proper work and fast later attention was P R O P E R.

 

[BigBlueHen53]

You did an amazing job! Thank you for sharing so we can learn from your experience.

X2! This is amazing! Keep us updated.

 

[Trisseh]

I definitely agree with you that the better option was to do something rather than nothing. (Although ideally she would have went to a vet when you initially found the open wound - they would be able to tell if they could safely remove the adhesion and clean up any devitalized tissue.) My only concern with this wound has nothing to do with your bang up job cleaning it up and suturing it (it looks excellent aside from the fact that as mentioned it’ll be a lot more work to remove them. Haha). The biggest issue is if you have devitalized tissue there, which it appears it might be, what often happens when you remove sutures is it just kind of falls open again. If the tissue is dead it can’t mend. I’m actually surprised it’s held together as well as it has, because often those types of wound fall apart around the sutures. If her crop is closed up after you remove the sutures but the skin is still open (which I suspect will be the case, unless there’s a breakdown in the crop tissue as well) then you’ll just have to handle it as an open wound that will heal by second intention. (On its own, from the inside out.)

my thoughts for at this point would be to leave your suture in as long as you can, within reason, unless it gets smelly or starts to fall apart, and probably remove it around the 3 week mark.

I would definitely also make sure you’re feeding her in such a way to minimize excess stress on her crop while she’s healing. (You may have already mentioned doing this but I got distracted by the pictures haha). Gruel, softened food, no big chunks of anything, that kind of thing.

kind of reminds me of a cat spay we had once that basically died on the table, was resuscitated, and then had dehiscence of her suture line, I guess because of the lack of oxygen for the space of time she was basically dead... crazy things. Animals are so amazing.

great job saving your girl.

 

[impr3]

The biggest issue is if you have devitalized tissue there, which it appears it might be, what often happens when you remove sutures is it just kind of falls open again. If the tissue is dead it can’t mend.

I was concerned about this too based on the pictures. However, it sounded like ledbythelamb had been checking on the chicken very frequently and sewed her up pretty quickly after the tear occurred so I'm hopeful that the wound edges didn't have time to die.

 

[ChemicalchiCkns]

... dehiscence ...

Thans to you I have now waisted ~35 minutes on Wikipedi.

 

[Trisseh]

Thans to you I have now waisted ~35 minutes on Wikipedi.

You’re welcome.

 

[ledbythelamb]

**UPDATE** I removed the sutures yesterday, 16 days post op. It was clearly healed together although one end has a big scab that is likely a deep scab but she hasn't messed with it (my main concern) and I had stopped putting ointment on it because I just wanted the thing to dry.
The sutures WERE hard to remove, as was mentioned it could be. Lesson learned, individual sutures next time. I had to snip each individual loop and take out in little pieces after I first splashed antiseptic on the whole area. If i'd done individual sutures I could have just snipped a few out and made sure the wound was staying closed with a full crop and then taken the rest out when I was sure.
Thankfully, seems its all holding together fine. Its a bumpy looking scar and I'll try to get photos soon.
She looks healthier and her comb and wattles are normal colored now.
I also should have debrided the wound if I had been thinking clearly, to remove the nearly dead edges. As it turns out some of that excess did just kinda rot off.
All in all it has turned out well. There are SO many things I know now that I would do differently.
I live in the country and honestly Im more likely to just humanely euthanize a bird than I am to take it to a vet. But I'm glad I was able to give her another chance, since I was mainly to blame for her predicament!

 

[StPaulieGirls]

Did your hen survive this ordeal, ultimately? You sure were resourceful!!