4.30.2010

Don't look if you're squeamish

What you need to fix a broken chicken:

40 cc of tube fed Harrison's Recovery Formula
0.8 cc Trimethoprim, an antibiotic
125 mg tablet Clavamox, another antibiotic
1 gram of Benebac Gel, a probiotic (because of the anti-'s)
0.8cc Carprofen, strawberry flavored, for pain
Chlorhexadine for flushing the wound
Tube of Golden Yellow poultice to pack the wound after flushing


As time has gone by, it's gotten simpler.  We dropped the tube feeding (but she's so skinny! i'm constantly worried I should forcefeed her again).  Then the pain reliever.  Last night we lost the first antibiotic and the wound flushing.  All we've got now is the second antibiotic for a few more days, the probiotic, and the Golden Yellow.  I want to show you the wound progress now, in case you are as morbidly curious about these things as I am.  If not, tune out now.

Here it was 15 days ago, after the surgery to close everything up.  I didn't think it looked that bad.  Of course, the feathers are covering half of the back wound and all of the tail bite.


Here's 11 days ago, when things got putrid and before the vet cleaned everything up.  Eeeew.


Nine days ago, after the vet took out the yuck and put the first application of the magical curry medicine.  This was the day I got so sad about how pointless it all was.  If you know where to look you can see that the wound is bone deep.


This is today.   Okay, I know it may not look that good from the aerial view, but trust me, the improvement in nine days is nothing short of miraculous.  It is dry, infection-free, and the bone and muscle is completely covered.  The edges are healing to pink and the center fills in more and more every time I look at it.  You can see that the feathers are coming back. 


Yesterday I put Batty in the yard for an hour with the other chickens.  She kept up with them, did all of the chickeny stuff like scratching, bug-catching, dust bathing, tail shaking (with her 2 tail feathers).  At dusk, she went to the coop and flew up to the roost with everyone else.



I let her sit there for a bit, but eventually had to take her back in to her hospital jail (formerly Tiny Dog's crate).  It will be a happy day for both of us when she goes back to the coop for good.

1 comment:

  1. Icky indeed. That's one plucky chicken, lucky to have a persistent and brave human.

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