Puffy/Inflated chest/breast/belly

[DaviJones]

That''s great information! I just wondered because you didn't mention anything about repairing the air sac, does it repair itself, is the "injecting" a continuous thing? Is an air sac the same as a lung like a gizzard to stomach. Sorry this thread has my interest peaked

 

[Marsticket]

Ruptured air sacs is my game! Had one damaged after a hawk attack, poor guy started feeling real puffy. This is subcutaneous emphysema and you can find youtube videos on how to alleviate it.

You are going to need a short small bore needle, hold that little critter down to keep them safe, target the most inflated area or attempt to milk the air into one area, inject ONLY TO PIERCE THE SKIN (this is not an injection), then withdraw air into the syringe and repeat. If you have a large enough needle you may be able to squeeze the air out of your original hole.

Bear in mind you may have to do this repeatedly. I do not mean to alarm you, but subcutaneous emphysema can put excess pressure on organs and the windpipe so best resolve as soon as possible.

Thank you so much! Was about to have a crack and this is exactly what I needed to see. Will report back

 

[DaviJones]

Hope it goes well!

 

[XanderWiFi]

Every situation is different but air sacs are basically reserve balloons for the lungs to pull on. Someone posted an awesome video explaining avian gas delivery/exchange. It SHOULD heal on its own. I know mine made this kind of trilling snore noise for some time after the attack. Bear in mind, with this situation you are not injecting he air sac. Only trying to "deflate the balloon."

 

[DaviJones]

Cool man, thanks for the info! Chicken anatomy is incredibly intriguing

 

[Marsticket]

Every situation is different but air sacs are basically reserve balloons for the lungs to pull on. Someone posted an awesome video explaining avian gas delivery/exchange. It SHOULD heal on its own. I know mine made this kind of trilling snore noise for some time after the attack. Bear in mind, with this situation you are not injecting he air sac. Only trying to "deflate the balloon."

I am very nervous about piercing her as there are so many veins travelling through the area that is inflated. All of the videos I have just watched have me worried she will not be able to breathe and my making her situation worse.
It is crackling slightly and she has trouble breathing but only when I am pushing on the bubble.
What should I do, I am not sure whether an after hours vet trip would be on the cards or if she can wait until the morning. I would hate if I do the wrong thing is all

 

[XanderWiFi]

Ever lance a blister on your foot? Same thing. The skin is lifted as it is "ballooning." Unless you stab down like a murder-thriller it will be completely fine.

She sounds like she needs needle decompression now. I even used an 18g on my bird. I had the same anxiety when I did it but realized how easy it was after. It is literally just the tip, just enough to break the skin to pull out the air.

 

[XanderWiFi]

 

[Sunshine Flock]

Ruptured air sacs is my game! Had one damaged after a hawk attack, poor guy started feeling real puffy. This is subcutaneous emphysema and you can find youtube videos on how to alleviate it.

You are going to need a short small bore needle, hold that little critter down to keep them safe, target the most inflated area or attempt to milk the air into one area, inject ONLY TO PIERCE THE SKIN (this is not an injection), then withdraw air into the syringe and repeat. If you have a large enough needle you may be able to squeeze the air out of your original hole.

Bear in mind you may have to do this repeatedly. I do not mean to alarm you, but subcutaneous emphysema can put excess pressure on organs and the windpipe so best resolve as soon as possible.

Hi Xander!

You briefly mentioned this in my rooster discussion and I meant to ask if you could post more about it. This is very interesting. Henry had a body cavity puncture with a sucking wound. But in this case and yours, the air sac has ruptured internally and is leaking air between the skin and muscle?

Could you see a wound, or was this more like a needle-sized piercing caused by a talon?

I'm wondering how this happens in a chick. Would bullying cause this or a fall? Please keep us posted on your treatment process. I hope she gets de-squishy and recovers quickly!

 

[XanderWiFi]

Hey hey! Yes I believe it could happen to chicks but seems to typically result from blunt force trauma (falls for a chickadee) and piercing wounds.

In Henry's case, the crush bite could definitely cause sac rupture but if you say it was a sucking chest wound that is more collapsed lung area (Although, if I understand correctly chicken lungs do not work on negative pressure like ours do)-which is definitely plausible with a coyote bite. However, I know nothing of treating chicken lung trauma as I do not know the anatomy.

On Mohawk, she was a younger pullet and her air sac was ruptured by a penetrating claw, smash and drag or subsequent drop if too heavy for the hawk. I have a hard time remembering, but the lacerations I recall most were to the wing itself which leads me to believe blunt trauma.

With an air sac rupture, the air just goes wherever it can go. Usually up which is why subcutaneous emphysema is seen in the crop and neck areas first looking "puffed out." Subcutaneous means "situated or applied under the skin." Muscles, organs, vessels, etc. cannot move, stretch (without damage) or be compressed whereas the skin organ is much more pliable and can stretch to a certain point; when that point is reached, if the leak continues it creates airway and organ compression where it gets serious.

Hope this helps some!