How can I treat water belly in ducks naturally?

[MyBirdsRmyBestFriends]

I forgot to say, welcome to BYC.

Thank you

 

[MyBirdsRmyBestFriends]

TTha

Hello and welcome to BYC! Glad you joined.

"Water belly" is a symptom, not a disease. It is ascites which is the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen. It is caused by underlying disease like liver failure or cancer. In chickens, it is typically a signal that the end is near and quality of life is not going to improve.
The fluid can be drained off using a large bore needle but care must be taken not to drain the fluid too fast as it can cause shock. And symptom relief from the release of the pressure is temporary as the fluid will continue to leak into the abdomen and refill it.

Thank you for saying welcome.

 

[MyBirdsRmyBestFriends]

It has to do with a point system. As you participate, your points go higher, and your "title" changes.

Ok, thanks.

 

[SilverBirds]

Welcome to BYC! Best of luck with your duck.

 

[MyBirdsRmyBestFriends]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

I had a chicken hen with Congestive Heart Failure, it causes fluid from the heart to leak into the body cavities as well. She had had a stroke and I kept her comfortable by draining her belly.

Lay the bird in your lap and look at the belly, do you see yellow pockets of fluid? These are the areas you can drain fluid. Wipe the entire area with an alcohol wipe to disinfect the skin. Insert a size 18 or 16 needle on a syringe in one of the pockets about an 1/8th to 1/4 inch, no more, and draw out approximately 2 mls at a time. Watch for blood vessels, if the syringe starts to fill with blood, withdraw. Have a cup ready to empty the fluid into. Keep moving to a new spot after each 2mls. Don't go too fast because they can go into cardiac arrest, so draw out slowly. After you have drawn out about a 1/4 - 1/3 cup, stop. All these little holes will continue to drain for 24 hours so keep the bird in a clean cage, I used dog pee pads or clean grass hay.

This fluid will return, the rate at which it returns depends on why its building up in the first place.....heart disease, internal infection/laying, liver disease, etc.... It's only a temporary solution but it can help them breathe easier. Good luck!

I don't think I can do that myself. I'm sensitive & things in the body (including animals) makes me nauseous. Even reading about your chicken having a stroke, made my stomach feel

Hello and welcome to BYC!

I had a chicken hen with Congestive Heart Failure, it causes fluid from the heart to leak into the body cavities as well. She had had a stroke and I kept her comfortable by draining her belly.

Lay the bird in your lap and look at the belly, do you see yellow pockets of fluid? These are the areas you can drain fluid. Wipe the entire area with an alcohol wipe to disinfect the skin. Insert a size 18 or 16 needle on a syringe in one of the pockets about an 1/8th to 1/4 inch, no more, and draw out approximately 2 mls at a time. Watch for blood vessels, if the syringe starts to fill with blood, withdraw. Have a cup ready to empty the fluid into. Keep moving to a new spot after each 2mls. Don't go too fast because they can go into cardiac arrest, so draw out slowly. After you have drawn out about a 1/4 - 1/3 cup, stop. All these little holes will continue to drain for 24 hours so keep the bird in a clean cage, I used dog pee pads or clean grass hay.

This fluid will return, the rate at which it returns depends on why its building up in the first place.....heart disease, internal infection/laying, liver disease, etc.... It's only a temporary solution but it can help them breathe easier. Good luck!

I don't think I can do that with the needle because I get nauseous easily from the body including animals. As I was reading about your chicken having a stroke, I felt sick. Just makes me sick why animals get health issues & then they are gone from our lives. I'm sorry about your chicken is she is not alive currently.

 

[TwoCrows]

I don't think I can do that myself. I'm sensitive & things in the body (including animals) makes me nauseous. Even reading about your chicken having a stroke, made my stomach feel

I don't think I can do that with the needle because I get nauseous easily from the body including animals. As I was reading about your chicken having a stroke, I felt sick. Just makes me sick why animals get health issues & then they are gone from our lives. I'm sorry about your chicken is she is not alive currently.

I totally get it, it's not easy to do medical procedures on birds. Have you gotten a medical diagnosis from a vet? If this is an internal infection, antibiotics can lengthen her life, not cure though.

No my gal passed from a bigger stroke. She was alert, happy and thrilled to be alive up until the moment of her passing. Moments before she passed, she nearly jumped out of her basket for a raisin. (She lost use of her legs due to the first stroke)

 

[MyBirdsRmyBestFriends]

I feel very overwhelmed & I don't know what to do. I'm crying. Every day I wake up & have to check if he is still alive. The antibiotics the vet prescribed haven't worked. I just want him to be ok. He is still living his life, but sometimes I feel sick to my stomach of the possibility of him not be alive.

I lost 1 of my other ducks last year in August because of neurological issues & the same vet that prescribed this one antibiotics. In my opinion I don't think they know what they are doing & feels like a waste of time going over there. I told both vets I think it's water belly but they both said it's not. The only way I found out is because 1 of them drained yellow liquid from his stomach.

 

[MyBirdsRmyBestFriends]

I totally get it, it's not easy to do medical procedures on birds. Have you gotten a medical diagnosis from a vet? If this is an internal infection, antibiotics can lengthen her life, not cure though.

No my gal passed from a bigger stroke. She was alert, happy and thrilled to be alive up until the moment of her passing. Moments before she passed, she nearly jumped out of her basket for a raisin. (She lost use of her legs due to the first stroke)

Aw.

 

[MyBirdsRmyBestFriends]

We also have a ducks forum where the duck ppl hang out and can help with duck questions, here : https://www.backyardchickens.com/forums/ducks.42/

Thanks, I'll look & see.

 

[Debbie292d]

Hello and welcome to BYC!

I had a chicken hen with Congestive Heart Failure, it causes fluid from the heart to leak into the body cavities as well. She had had a stroke and I kept her comfortable by draining her belly.

Lay the bird in your lap and look at the belly, do you see yellow pockets of fluid? These are the areas you can drain fluid. Wipe the entire area with an alcohol wipe to disinfect the skin. Insert a size 18 or 16 needle on a syringe in one of the pockets about an 1/8th to 1/4 inch, no more, and draw out approximately 2 mls at a time. Watch for blood vessels, if the syringe starts to fill with blood, withdraw. Have a cup ready to empty the fluid into. Keep moving to a new spot after each 2mls. Don't go too fast because they can go into cardiac arrest, so draw out slowly. After you have drawn out about a 1/4 - 1/3 cup, stop. All these little holes will continue to drain for 24 hours so keep the bird in a clean cage, I used dog pee pads or clean grass hay.

This fluid will return, the rate at which it returns depends on why its building up in the first place.....heart disease, internal infection/laying, liver disease, etc.... It's only a temporary solution but it can help them breathe easier. Good luck!

Bless your heart for going through all of this to keep a beloved chicken alive. I've never dealt with it and just assume that if that day ever comes, and it's one I love, I'll have my neighbor Sue come cull her for me.