Ascites Draining

[Eddie12109]

I did this once but I need a refresh. I decided I will drain my 7 year old hen. She has had since October and she is really filling up.

What side do you insert the needle and in what area should it be?

Should I insert the needle and slowly fill up the syringe and then unscrew it and let her drain out with only the needle in her?
I don't want to cause shock from removing too much at once.

How much is safe to let out? She is very full but not showing any symptoms

How do I stop the flow of liquid coming out? Last time I did this, I couldn't stop the hen from leaking out and I believe she went into shock.

@Wyorp Rock @Eggcessive @casportpony

 

[Wyorp Rock]

It's better to just drain a small amount, then let it slow drip.
There is a lot of risk involved in draining, going into shock or cardiac arrest is a good possibility.

 

[Eddie12109]

So probably pull 30 ml and then leave the needle in her and let her drip, but then, last time, it continued to drip. If it continues to drip by itself without the needle, is there still a risk of cardiac arrest or shock?

 

[Wyorp Rock]

There's always risk when draining.

 

[azygous]

I just drained a hen with ascites a couple weeks ago. It was the second hen I've drained in my fifteen years of keeping chickens. Both hens died afterward, one from infection from the needle and the most recent, I'm guessing from cardiac arrest.

Two things I recommend before draining an ascites patient. One is to start them on an antibiotic beforehand and the second is to hydrate them with an electrolyte solution beforehand. I think if I had done this, my two-year old Golden Sex-link would still be alive. Even though I didn't remove all of the fluid, she had been sick and it didn't occur to me she could be dehydrated and that I should pump her up with fluids first. She was already on the antibiotic for infection.

The procedure is simple. The fluid is just barely under the skin. It aspirates easily. The patient is usually very tolerant of the procedure. It's the after effects that can kill.

 

[Eddie12109]

What antibiotics would you recommend? And should I give antibiotics today and give electrolytes and then tomorrow do it? Because I would rather do it today

 

[Eddie12109]

And I’m on my way to the feed store to pick up the needle and syringe, what antibiotics should I get?

 

[azygous]

Any broad spectrum antibiotic like amoxycillin will do. I strongly recommend waiting 24 hours to do the procedure. Hydrating with electrolyes which can counter the effects of shock and getting the antibiotic in her system is a wise precaution to take. These two things are what I will be doing as a matter of course in the future with any ascites patient.

 

[Eddie12109]

What size of syringe and needle do you recommend?

 

[Eddie12109]

I ran out