Hello, I’m new here! I have been a long time lurker and reader but never posted until now.
On Thanksgiving day, our 4 yo hen Olive was chased and caught by our friend’s dog and badly wounded on her side just below her wing. The wound is large, about the size of my hand, and deep enough that the muscle was visible.
We immediately doused the wound in Vetricyn (sp?) and started her on amoxicillin (we had some from our dog’s bladder infection). The next day we were able to get ahold of a bird vet, who told us over the phone to start treating the wound daily with sugardine. We have done so since then and continued the antibiotics until they ran out at 10 days.
Olive’s attitude has been very good, she has been eating and drinking well, and surprisingly has been able to fly up to the highest roosting bar from day one. She has been a very sweet and cooperative patient.
So far the wound seems ok, no signs of infection and it seems drier and smoother in appearance, although it is a little hard to tell for sure because we have kept it coated with the sugardine. Fortunately it has stayed very clean because we’ve kept her in the coop which is tile floor lightly bedded in shavings and cleaned daily. She is with her best chicken friend and both have left the wound alone.
My question is, should we continue daily treatment with the sugardine? If so, for how long? I imagine it will take months to fully heal and I’m hoping we won’t have to keep it up that long! (Also, we are leaving for a few days after Christmas and it is a 2 person job holding Olive, carefully lifting her wing, and applying the concoction. Our farm sitter will be here alone.) Also not sure when to let her free range again. I just really want to make sure we keep infection at bay while it heals.
We’ve messaged the bird vet these questions, but we haven’t gotten a response so far. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!!
On Thanksgiving day, our 4 yo hen Olive was chased and caught by our friend’s dog and badly wounded on her side just below her wing. The wound is large, about the size of my hand, and deep enough that the muscle was visible.
We immediately doused the wound in Vetricyn (sp?) and started her on amoxicillin (we had some from our dog’s bladder infection). The next day we were able to get ahold of a bird vet, who told us over the phone to start treating the wound daily with sugardine. We have done so since then and continued the antibiotics until they ran out at 10 days.
Olive’s attitude has been very good, she has been eating and drinking well, and surprisingly has been able to fly up to the highest roosting bar from day one. She has been a very sweet and cooperative patient.
So far the wound seems ok, no signs of infection and it seems drier and smoother in appearance, although it is a little hard to tell for sure because we have kept it coated with the sugardine. Fortunately it has stayed very clean because we’ve kept her in the coop which is tile floor lightly bedded in shavings and cleaned daily. She is with her best chicken friend and both have left the wound alone.
My question is, should we continue daily treatment with the sugardine? If so, for how long? I imagine it will take months to fully heal and I’m hoping we won’t have to keep it up that long! (Also, we are leaving for a few days after Christmas and it is a 2 person job holding Olive, carefully lifting her wing, and applying the concoction. Our farm sitter will be here alone.) Also not sure when to let her free range again. I just really want to make sure we keep infection at bay while it heals.
We’ve messaged the bird vet these questions, but we haven’t gotten a response so far. Any advice would be much appreciated! Thanks!!
