Drained ascites fluid and now in respiratory distress

[dana0710]

Thanks guys. She's doing ok right now, but if we see her take a turn we will end her suffering.

 

[speckledhen]

Thanks guys. She's doing ok right now, but if we see her take a turn we will end her suffering.

 

[TwoCrows]

Thanks guys. She's doing ok right now, but if we see her take a turn we will end her suffering.

I am so sorry. I had a hen recently put down too because of this. I know how difficult it is.

 

[Fiona Dickson]

thank you

 

[casportpony]

thank you

Welcome to BYC!

 

[casportpony]

Thanks guys. She's doing ok right now, but if we see her take a turn we will end her suffering.

How's your hen?

 

[desslil]

I might also suggest using some aspirin on her to prevent a stroke. If the left heart valve is effected, the heart leaks fluid into the body cavities, heart cavity and abdomen. In this condition many times the heart is fibrillating and this sends out blood clots that will cause stroke. Stokes can be minor like a droopy wing or a lost voice, or they can be very damaging with losing the use of legs or even organs. You might offer up a 1/2 a baby aspirin every other day to help keep the blood thin. I have also had great luck with the herb Hawthorn. It helps to lower blood pressure in hens, helps to tone the heart valves and will help dry up the belly fluid over time.

As SpeckledHen has mentioned, birds with heart conditions, especially those with belly fluid, can't be helped and will pass on eventually. But you can help them along the way with draining, aspirin and even Hawthorn. If only the right heart valve is effected, generally there is no leakage, but you can still hear the flapping heart valves. I have had great success with using Hawthorn in these types and even have an old hen right now that after 4 months treatment on Hawthorn she is actually back to laying and her heart valves are completely quiet. She did have a tiny bit of fluid in her belly this past winter and I never did a draining on her. She is back to great health, as healthy as she can be at her age with her heart condition. She still breathes a bit fast, but nothing life threatening and her valves are again quiet.

I came across this searching for help with what I think is waterbelly. How much Hawthorn and how often did you give it?

 

[TwoCrows]

I came across this searching for help with what I think is waterbelly. How much Hawthorn and how often did you give it?

Usually water belly is caused by internal laying. In my case it was heart disease which Hawthorn will help treat. Has your bird been laying and laying well? Or do you suspect heart disease?

 

[desslil]

I checked to see if she was egg bound. I didn’t find anything. So I’m assuming it’s her heart. She’s eating fine. But acting sick. Her belly is swollen and hard.

 

[TwoCrows]

I checked to see if she was egg bound. I didn’t find anything. So I’m assuming it’s her heart. She’s eating fine. But acting sick. Her belly is swollen and hard.

With heart disease they don't really act sick, even with a water belly, until they are close to death. A bird that is suffering from heart disease will have combs with a maroon hue, they will be out of breath with rapid breathing. If the right valve of the heart (I believe it the right) is bad, it leaks fluids in the heart cavity and other body cavities including the belly, becoming ascites. Thus suffering from heart failure. If the left valve is bad, there is no ascites, or water belly. Either of these does not cause them to be sick, at least not with appetite or attitude. The sickness a bird has with heart disease is breathing trouble, gasping and circulation trouble, cold feet, sometimes a blue comb, high blood pressure, etc...

Internal laying, which means when they deposit yolks into the body cavity instead of staying in the oviduct, will make them sick with E.coli infections. Yolks grow bacteria inside the body cavities turning deadly. They will not feel good, they will go off their feed and the bird just doesn't look good.

So all this being said, I am guessing your girl is internally laying. Has she had issues with laying like laying yolks off the roost bar, no shells, 2 eggs in one day? In and out of nest boxes laying no eggs? Is she swollen red just below her vent?

There is no cure for internal laying. You can treat them with antibiotics and drain their fluid, but rarely do they survive.