[pikilily]

Hi, can anyone advise, has anyone had experience with this problem

for some reason, and I have no explaination, one of the chicks (about 1.5 weeks old) has developed a large subcutanious emphysema. It started under the left wing apparently as a soft swelling and is now a rather large bubble running from under the wing round the chest and down to the abdomen.

the bubble is really very apparent, you can actually see light through it, and large... about 25% of the chicks size.

i would assume that it has developed due to some sort of trauma....i dont know what!!!  maybe involving a small puncture to the chicks air bladder.

the question is do i try to aspirate the air out (i have sterile needles etc - i am a nurse so could do the job), leave it to see if it sorts itself out, or put the chick down straight away - it does seem to be uncomfortable if i handle it at all...although the chick is otherwise eating drinking and behaving normally.

it goes without saying that if i thought there was any real suffering or deterioration i would put the chick out of its misery straight away   but this seems marginal at the moment. All the other chicks are seemingly perfectly healthy, btw
hope you can help
Emma T

[shetlandpaul]

give it a go as the other alternative is to kill it.

[daddymatty82]

hot needle and some purple spray or like said if it dont pan out is to kill it or it dies. is it  eating drinking pooping  normally?

[pikilily]

Thanks for the replies

DaddyM- yes it is doing all things normally, along with the other chicks. the air bubble doesnt seem to be affecting it at all.. Have you seen this b4?
My concern is that by aspirating i open a site for infection...if i leave it will it resolve itself?

Emma T

[BlueDaisy]

Never seen or heard of this before HAs it come on suddenly? Is it still getting bigger?
I think I would try to aspirate, you could always give a wee course of tylan if you felt the need to give antibiotics. Use the finest needle possible and sterilise the area before and afterwards. Good luck, to you and little chicky.

[daddymatty82]

that's why i would use hot needle and purple spray as the spray will sort out the infection side of things as that's what its for  i use it on myself sometimes when i cut myself or iodine  is good. being hot the needle would cauterise it so would heal quicker  but when you do do it act fast and squeeze as much air in one go in as little time as poss to cause minimal stress. its going to be a kill or cure situation i think. good luck

[shetlandpaul]

a quick squirt of idoine before hand should be fine. just give it ago. you have nothing to lose.

[BlueDaisy]

how did you get on? is little chicky ok?

[pikilily]

today has been 'ONE OF THOSE DAYS' - trying to deal with a banks as an executor of my grandmothers will.....argh, dealing with work stuff.....urgh, then suddenly remembered that today was last day for getting Hetty-horse vaxinated.....eeeek.

Vet has now been and gone...and had a look at the wee chick!  She then went back to base to do some research...

The advice i have now been given is to leave it be, unless the bubble gets significantly bigger or seems to be affecting the chick s behaviour. the problems is, that if it gets aspirated then in all lieklyhood it will re-bubble, and would have to be done repeatedly, because, probably, i would be reopening the  rupture in the airsack due to constant handling, there is also a risk that it could get infected.

so its wait and see!
Cheers Emma T

[pikilily]

hi all, i decided to let nature take its course. The chick was happy, the bubble didnt affect its eating etc.
so, two weeks on and the bubble has now dissappeared !! no aspiration, no infection - no problem.
I am quite chuffed that i had the patience to let it do its own thing..not my strong point
Emma T

[doganjo]

Well done, Emma!  That is one good result!

[little blue]

had missed this thread (as my computer has its own ideas about which are "unread topics" and often lies to me!!)
  lucky little chick, happy ending for both of you