please help, sick white leghorn gurgling/sneezing with swollen abdomen (slightly graphic pictures?)

[Hungry Chicken]

Is she an everyday layer? When did she lay last? How does her crop feel?
If she hasn’t laid in awhile she could be egg bound.
Her poor belly looks pretty swollen. It could be water belly but I would rule the other stuff out first.

@azygous @Eggcessive

I don't think she's laid for a few weeks but we thought that was because she was getting older. When she was younger she did lay (almost) daily without fail. Crop is slightly full, a little bit hard but not excessively so

 

[Hungry Chicken]

The gurgling she is doing is because of the fluid in her abdomen. It's a symptom called Ascites.

Personally, looking at your other thread which was a week ago (give/take), and now hearing the gurgling and seeing the swollen abdomen, I'd consider putting her out of her misery.
https://www.backyardchickens.com/th...t-any-help-would-be-much-appreciated.1629967/


That said. Draining may help for a short period of time or not - hard to know, some hens feel better while others continue to decline. You can try draining if you wish. Yes, there's risks involved in anything you do - only you can determine if it's worth a try.

Thanks for the advice. It is late here so I will see if I can get a needle in the morning if she hangs on until then. I can't tell how much pain she is in but is kind of gasping. Not gurgling anymore though but breathing hard. I may consider putting her down if she is that far gone and doesn't improve

 

[The Coop Crew]

Let us know how she’s doing this morning

 

[Hungry Chicken]

She is still hanging on! Is definitely drinking and eating but not sure it's enough. Crop is kind of squishy. Sitting around from her heavy belly. Unfortunately I can't get a needle/syringe to drain her until tomorrow. Does anyone know what I can do to help her until then? And about the draining - I've seen some tutorials and posts about it. Sounds like a lot can go wrong but I'm desperate. I've also read that I should drain on the right side to avoid organs - would that be my right or her right?

 

[azygous]

Is the swelling mainly between and in front of the legs and pushing the legs apart? Or is it mainly behind the legs and below the vent? The former would be water belly while the latter would be a reproductive infection.

When was the last time she laid an egg?

If it's water belly (ascites), draining just prolongs the inevitable. The liver would be failing and there's no fixing it.

If you decide to drain, you won't be inserting the needle more than a quarter inch. The fluid is just under the skin, not deep in the abdominal cavity. Be sure to disinfect the puncture site. Then after you pull the fluid into the syringe, unscrew the cylinder from the needle to empty, leaving the needle inserted. Reattach to withdraw more fluid. This avoids numerous punctures which increases the chances of infection.

 

[The Coop Crew]

She is still hanging on! Is definitely drinking and eating but not sure it's enough. Crop is kind of squishy. Sitting around from her heavy belly. Unfortunately I can't get a needle/syringe to drain her until tomorrow. Does anyone know what I can do to help her until then? And about the draining - I've seen some tutorials and posts about it. Sounds like a lot can go wrong but I'm desperate. I've also read that I should drain on the right side to avoid organs - would that be my right or her right?

View attachment 3879920
View attachment 3879919

Oh sweet girl

 

[ChicNmom]

@Hungry Chicken

I like this lady's videos. She is a veterinarian. It's the birds right side. I usually get the syringe full and then pull the plunger out and let it drain out the tube once it gets started. I take the whole syringe out when it slows to a drip. Some fluid will still seep through. It's easier for me to hold onto it because some chickens get fidgety. But they usually realize they feel better. I have also kept them occupied with a treat while draining.

https://www.bing.com/search?q=drain...efig=E2C8437782664C7284F7BB593ACA4A58&pc=LCTS

 

[Hungry Chicken]

Is the swelling mainly between and in front of the legs and pushing the legs apart? Or is it mainly behind the legs and below the vent? The former would be water belly while the latter would be a reproductive infection.

When was the last time she laid an egg?

If it's water belly (ascites), draining just prolongs the inevitable. The liver would be failing and there's no fixing it.

If you decide to drain, you won't be inserting the needle more than a quarter inch. The fluid is just under the skin, not deep in the abdominal cavity. Be sure to disinfect the puncture site. Then after you pull the fluid into the syringe, unscrew the cylinder from the needle to empty, leaving the needle inserted. Reattach to withdraw more fluid. This avoids numerous punctures which increases the chances of infection.

Thanks for the advice. Swelling is mainly behind the legs & below the vent. I don't think she's laid an egg for a few weeks but at first we attributed that to getting older rather than illness. Is alcohol wipes enough to disinfect? And does it matter where we insert the needle?

 

[azygous]

Wash her entire butt with soap and water. No poop should be present anywhere on her. Yes. Wipe it well. Aim for center mass and be very careful to only insert the needle one-fourth of an inch. Any deeper is unnecessary and risks puncturing vital organs.

You may be dealing with peritonitis. You will find out when you see the fluid you've withdrawn. If it's peritonitis, the fluid will be dark and murky with a bad odor. Ascites fluid is clear with only a slight yellow tint and odorless.