Wry neck after weasel attack.

[Thelma1984]

Hi All,

Unfortunately, our flock was attacked by a weasel last week. One lost one Silkie, but another did survive, while the rest of the flock was unharmed.

Thelma was bitten on the back of her head and neck but survived. After cleaning the wound, it seemed to be healing well, but a few days after the attack, she developed a wry neck and could not drink and eat on her own. We currently have to feed her with a syringe. Unfortunately, she's hardly interested, so we have to force her beak open.

Her neck seems to be weakening, and her head sometimes hangs upside down. Pictured is her baseline position now. She can straighten it out more with effort but quickly returns to this position. The wound is on the obscured side of her neck. We did get some vitamin E and Selenium as suggested online for Wry neck. Still, I'm not too optimistic it will work since this seems to be related to a physical injury rather than a nutritional deficit unless the deficit is due to her reduced appetite over the last six days.

We don't want to give up on her if she can make a comeback, but at the same time, we are concerned we are doing her more harm with force-feeding, and her current quality of life is low.

Has anyone seen a recovery from this kind of injury and condition, or should we put her down at this point?

Thanks for any advice,

 

[Tookie]

How is she doing?

 

[Tami2]

Awww, I'm so sorry.

 

[CFLRanching]

Oh no! Bless your heart (and her's). Did you give her any oral antibiotics (or intramuscular) or just clean the wound with an antibacterial/antibiotic? Just curious, since yes there is trauma to that area, that can lead to the wry neck, but I'm thinking more of her body also possibly having an infection (since if bitten the saliva crosses that blood barrier). All those tiny little weasel teeth, who knows what's on them. So sorry she was a victim (and your other RIP), we don't have weasels here in FL, but thinking of the teeth (and like I said I know there is trauma to the flesh back there too) I would try an antibiotic (even an injectable in that area. Is she fevered?

Just a thought (because I saw where someone had done this for spraddle leg but inverted) but what if you tried to make a cup collar (like a small solo, maybe two stacked together for more firmness) cut out the bottom , maybe hotglued a couple pieces of foam or some folded fabric to the sides (not all the way around so it's not choking her, but in a few places to support her head) and then put loops of thicker fabric through the sides and put the loops under her wings to hold the cup in place (so she couldn't shuck it off) if she were able to shake it off. Kind of like a dog postsurgery collar? I tried to draw what I was thinking, it's a little rough but hopefully it might be helpful. Hope she gets better.