Ascites or internal laying-should i atempt draining?

[atmaclean]

@atmaclean , I understand you not wanting to do a necropsy, but if you do find a way to do it you will almost certainly see the underlying cause of the ascites, and that will make you feel better about not draining soon enough.

Would it be too late to do it now? She passed away about 24 hours ago....??

 

[atmaclean]

Thank you casportpony It is so comforting to have fellow humans who understand how I feel about my girls

 

[casportpony]

Would it be too late to do it now? She passed away about 24 hours ago....??

Not too late.

 

[casportpony]

Thank you casportpony It is so comforting to have fellow humans who understand how I feel about my girls

So many caring people here on BYC.

 

[rebrascora]

As Kathy says, not too late if you can psych yourself up to it. I'm actually quite impressed that you managed to stick a needle in and drain her if you feel so apprehensive about cutting the skin.
As regards not feeling a mass, it is only egg yolks that are deposited into the abdomen during internal laying, so you would not feel a mass like an egg. Some of them become packed between the intestines and get flattened into little yellow discs as the pressure builds up with the increasing numbers and the fluid leaches out of them. There is no hard shell or egg white, just lots of egg yolks.... some solidified and the most recent ones to be released from the ovary are usually still liquid.
If you can do it, it is quite fascinating and does really help in my experience. But don't feel we are putting pressure on you. Only you can decide what you are comfortable with.
If you decide to do it, I find it is best to cut into the abdominal cavity by nipping the flesh and making a cross ways incision just below the breast bone, so that you don't nick the intestines and then working from there. Ideally you want to get everything out intact. Plucking the area first will make it easier.

 

[casportpony]

I do like @rebrascora does, but there is also good info in this pdf:

 

[atmaclean]

Thanks for the necropsy link. It was very interesting and informative. I could not bring myself to necropsy my girl, however. Bad timing as well. We had an early Thanksgiving today at our house and company may not have been appreciative I feel more confident about this terrible situation, however, and will hopefully, recognize it a lot sooner so I can help relieve some pain and ease breathing for a time, at least. Hopefully, someone will figure out how we can prevent it through better management or genetics or??