Swollen abdomen

[Chickiewickiewickies]

Hi, my australorp has always been a little spacey or slow compared to the others. She’s a year and a half old. About 8 months ago she laid a lash egg. We had treated her with antibiotics at that time for swelling and sluggish behavior. Seems like she got better and even began laying again, but about two months ago or so she started acting the same-sitting a lot and not keeping up with the others. No more lash egg since that first time. Took her to the vet yesterday and an x-ray showed that she is just swollen with fluid in her belly. So she gave us antibiotics again. I’m just curious if anyone’s had experience with this?
thanks.

 

[Eggcessive]

Ascites or water belly is very common in hens who have been suffering from reproductive infections or salpingitis. The vet or you could drain some fluid from her belly with a sterile18 gauge needle after clenaing her skin with a disinfectant. Ascites is eventually fatal. I have done necropsies on several hens who have had this. Draining is not something that many do, and your vet would be the best one to do it. It may give some temporary relief, but eventually she may die. Has your vet given any antibiotics? Those may or may not be helpful. Here are some videos of the same person draining her hens:

 

[Chickiewickiewickies]

OK. Thank you so much. I am going to call the vet tomorrow and ask if that something she can do. I’m not sure why She did not recommend it already. We do have her on a pill and an syringe Antibiotic. Twice a day on the pill and once a day on the syringe. Meloxicam is the Liquid medication for inflammation.The antibiotic says TMS. I don’t know what that is. Anyway I will give a call tomorrow and hope that might give her some relief. It seems like the medication helped her get back to normal in the past.

 

[Eggcessive]

Let us know how she gets along, but ascites is not something that she can recover from. Draining may help her, but the vet may have prescribed a diuretic to remove fluid. It is hard to know.

 

[Chickiewickiewickies]

Ok I spoke to the vet. Thanks for your thoughts on this. Our chicken has swelling but no fluid. I didn’t realize the difference was apparent in the X-ray.

 

[Eggcessive]

Thanks for letting us know.

 

[aart]

Our chicken has swelling but no fluid.

What's the swelling then....tumor, mass of infection??