I have spent so much time reading so many posts, and I have become so confused. In the meantime, my dear Lily is sitting in my bathtub suffering, waiting for me to do SOMETHING!!
Lily has something that is causing her belly to become extremely swollen. Her breathing has become very labored, and her abdomen is getting firmer and firmer. I have no idea if it is fluid or solid mass building up inside of her. Yesterday, I did the bath and vent probing thing, to no avail. She is still eating, but not as willing to drink.
Last night I went and picked up a needle and syringe from the pharmacy. I had been told in my other post that I should use a 18 gauge with a 6 mil syringe, but all the pharmacist had was a 22 gauge needle with a 3 mil syringe. Will this be large enough?
I am hoping for some type of laymens tutorial on attempting to drain Lily's abdomen.
The only place I have to do this is in our bathroom. I have not given Lily any antibiotics, nor do I have access to any. I am reaaly worried that what might be inside of her is infected, and I'm not sure what the consequences might be if i poke into an infected abdomen. If she is infected, would she be running a fever? Is there any way I can check for that?
Is there anything I can do in the preperation to eliminate the chance of introducing infection into her body, which is already so stressed?
How do I insert the needle, and where?
How deep, just under the skin?
Will any fluid just flow out of the hole by itself once I poke in the needle? I'm not sure how to 'draw' the fluid out without having to keep reinserting the needle. Can I just poke her while she's in the tub, pull out the needle, and massage/push the fluid out of her belly? It is huge!
If I DO get fluid out, how will I know if it is septic or not?
When it's all said and done, what do I need to do to the area where I inserted the needle? Will it continue to bleed? Should I put some neosporin over the area?
Please, please, please - help me figure this out. I'm not even sure if I can do it, but if so I want to know exactly what I'm doing!!!
Lily has something that is causing her belly to become extremely swollen. Her breathing has become very labored, and her abdomen is getting firmer and firmer. I have no idea if it is fluid or solid mass building up inside of her. Yesterday, I did the bath and vent probing thing, to no avail. She is still eating, but not as willing to drink.
Last night I went and picked up a needle and syringe from the pharmacy. I had been told in my other post that I should use a 18 gauge with a 6 mil syringe, but all the pharmacist had was a 22 gauge needle with a 3 mil syringe. Will this be large enough?
I am hoping for some type of laymens tutorial on attempting to drain Lily's abdomen.
The only place I have to do this is in our bathroom. I have not given Lily any antibiotics, nor do I have access to any. I am reaaly worried that what might be inside of her is infected, and I'm not sure what the consequences might be if i poke into an infected abdomen. If she is infected, would she be running a fever? Is there any way I can check for that?
Is there anything I can do in the preperation to eliminate the chance of introducing infection into her body, which is already so stressed?
How do I insert the needle, and where?
How deep, just under the skin?
Will any fluid just flow out of the hole by itself once I poke in the needle? I'm not sure how to 'draw' the fluid out without having to keep reinserting the needle. Can I just poke her while she's in the tub, pull out the needle, and massage/push the fluid out of her belly? It is huge!
If I DO get fluid out, how will I know if it is septic or not?
When it's all said and done, what do I need to do to the area where I inserted the needle? Will it continue to bleed? Should I put some neosporin over the area?
Please, please, please - help me figure this out. I'm not even sure if I can do it, but if so I want to know exactly what I'm doing!!!