Worming with Horse Wormer (Safeguard & Panacur)

[orrpeople]

@orrpeople , the area must be cleaned and all maggots must be removed manually. Very good chance there will be a wound, and it's not too severe a wound you could spray with permethrin. Flystrike is a very serious, life threatening condition.

Got it. May be too late - poor thing. Had sprayed the maggots with a flea, tick and lice spray yesterday before worming. Did all the prescribed treatments and no sign of maggots today, but the wound is really deep. I did some research once you gave me the correct diagnosis. Will watch her, but I wonder if the maggots made to much progress... this shows that you can read about all kinds of parasites - I remember spending time looking into this one in particular - and then mis-diagnose the problem due to lack of experience. Thank you again.

 

[orrpeople]

Well, she's still hanging on. She's alert with a very small appetite. If it's okay, I'd like to give a quick run-down of what we are doing and see if you have any further suggestions.
Mostly I force feed her and use a syringe to get liquid into her (a 1/3 electrolyte, 2/3 water mix) - although she will eat some watermelon on her own. I've been giving her Nutri Drench as a supplement, scrambled egg, a little plain yogurt, and some soaked chick starter.
She's often asleep but has moments of wakefulness.
In the morning I make a betadine/warm water bath and soak her backside for about 10 minutes. She gets a blow-dry to keep everything dry, and I trimmed feathers around the wound. Three times a day I use a syringe to flush her wound with a betadyne/wound wash (largely purified water) solution. And, because she still does a little pooping, I clean the wound area which is directly beneath her vent afterwards.
Part of me wonders, "Is this too much time/energy for one chicken?" And then part of me wants to do everything I can to help her back to normal - partly because I feel so terrible for her delayed diagnosis.
Okay. Sorry for the ramble. Any suggestions? Words of wisdom? Thanks so much.

 

[orrpeople]

?

 

[casportpony]

I think you're doing a great job.
If she were mine. Can you post some pictures go the wound?

Okay, if she were mine I would:

• Weigh her daily
• Tube fluids - 8-12 ml per pound now, repeat in 60-90 minutes if crop has mostly cleared, then again in 2-4 hours.
• Once hydrated I would tube feed 8-23 ml per pound at least twice a day.
• Start antibiotics.

This link is one of the better tub feeding videos I have found: https://lafeber.com/vet/tube-feeding-birds/

Let me know if you want to tube feed and I'll post more info about the supplies and where you can get them.

 

[orrpeople]

Tube feeding - great idea - will watch the video and would love to hear more. Okay, question about antibiotics - oral or cream? Prescription from a vet? Thank you so much!

 

[casportpony]

Tube feeding - great idea - will watch the video and would love to hear more. Okay, question about antibiotics - oral or cream? Prescription from a vet? Thank you so much!

I was thinking oral or injectable, and maybe topical. Do you have a be that will prescribe antibiotics?

 

[orrpeople]

 

[orrpeople]

That little greenish bit on top of the wound doesn't come off with scrubbing. Not sure what to do w it. I just applied topical (Neosporin), hence the shine.

 

[KsKingBee]

Kathy, should she try sewing the wound up?

 

[casportpony]

Kathy, should she try sewing the wound up?

If it was very fresh, maybe, but I think this one is quite old, and it looks like it might be infected. Would like to see more pictures after a another cleaning.