Water belly - can’t pull back on syringe!?

[Willowbirch]

I have a little silkie with water belly. I’ve drained her a few times without issue and she’s very happy afterwards. The last two times I’ve tried to drain her I can’t pull back on the plunger of the syringe for some reason. It feels stuck tight like it’s vacuumed closed. When the syringe needle isnt inserted in her, it moves freely. What am I doing wrong?

 

[Eggcessive]

It could be that the fluid is becoming thicker or infected. The needle might be in the wrong place, or against the wall of something inside, but it is hard to know. There can be different reasons for water belly, including egg yolk peritonitis, fatty liver disease, heart failure. I drained a little bantam hen of mine who developed water belly at 11 years old. I drained her because of labored breathing, then again after 3-4 days. The last and third time I drained her, the fluid was very thick, probably from infection or white blood cells, and I could hardly get any out. She died within a day or two later.

 

[Willowbirch]

Thanks for the reply. When I took the needle out she drained a bit of fluid that looked just like fluid I’d drained off in the past - dark yellow and not thick. Maybe I’m sticking her in the wrong spot! I’ll try again tomorrow.

 

[Eggcessive]

Let us know how she gets along. Though I know how to drain, I usually don’t because ascites is usually fatal from the original cause. Each time you drain disinfect the skin and use a sterile needle, since infection is possible.