Abscess

[Nikki26]

Hi everyone, I am looking for a little support for my piggy called ‘Ugo (4 years). I found him yesterday with a golf sized lump under his chin so guessed it was an abscess. Unfortunately my normal vet wasn’t available but there was a locus covering today. Took him to the vet this morning and he is booked in on Monday for an X-ray first. She is worried that it may be a tooth root abscess as they do not do extractions at my vet. I was given a few options:

1) if it is a root abscess to stop treatment then and refer a specialist (Trinity Vets in Maidstone)
2) go ahead with my vets removing the abscess while knowing that it will come back.
3) refer straight to the specialist

I want to do the best for ‘Ugo and it is so hard to know what to do. At the moment, I think I am going to go with option 1 although it’s going to be a struggle financially and with getting time off work.

I am also a little worried as I have been given baytril for him for now and from what I have read, that isn’t the best antibiotic for him. I will ask for other antibiotics when I am there on Monday.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

The abscess needs marsupialising and left open for flushing. With the use of a good antibiotic too, you should sort this, without needing teeth removing! I've dealt with many of these type of abscesses with good results. It can take a while, but you really don't want teeth removing, unless absolutely necessary, as you will then be left with a guinea pig needing life long dental treatment, as the opposing tooth will have nothing to wear against and will need regular burring.

 

[Nikki26]

So you wouldn’t go for the op to remove the abscess capsule? Cut a slit down it, drain it and then leave it open to flush it?

Would it make any difference to you if it was connected to the tooth roots? Part of me is now thinking of asking to be referred to the specialist straight away but my own vet may think differently to the vet today.

 

[Lady Kelly]

Personally I have always gone with my vets recommendation. If they are saying that dealing with this is likely to fall outside of their skillset I would take the referral and start all treatment with the specialist. I once paid double because my vets did all the tests and then referred me when they couldn't find what was wrong. Not their fault but in hindsight I could have gone to the specialist sooner

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

So you wouldn’t go for the op to remove the abscess capsule? Cut a slit down it, drain it and then leave it open to flush it?

Would it make any difference to you if it was connected to the tooth roots? Part of me is now thinking of asking to be referred to the specialist straight away but my own vet may think differently to the vet today.

Often in that area the abscess capsule can't be removed in its entirety. If it can be, then that would be the best way to go, but doubt that will be possible. It isn't a case of cutting a slit in an abscess. It needs to be marsupialised, where the abscess capsule is stitched to the skin and then opened up. I think going to the specialist may be the better way to go.

 

[GPTV]

Furryfriends is the dental/abscess Queen,

Grace my old lady had an abscess in her cheek, she was on Zithromax antibiotics for a while & then had the abscess marsupialised, I was flushing it with standard Baytril for over a week maybe 2 weeks I think? But she was on Zithromax orally too (approx month in total)

The whole capsule couldn't be removed as it had muscles/tendons/veins intertwined in it, so hence the flushing of the dried/drying up pus.

Hopefully it's not affecting the teeth, but Zithromax is definitely the drug to ask for as it's the big guns for abscesses. This should give your Guinea the best possible chance of recovery, even if surgery is needed to drain/remove the majority of infection.

Good luck with what you decide, check your vet is experienced & competent working on your Guinea. Fingers crossed for a full & speedy recovery x

 

[Freela]

In a lot of cases, you can manage the abscess through lancing/draining and keeping the area open to flush daily, as well as a heavy-duty course of antibiotics. I had a guinea pig with a severe facial abscess who recovered this way (although it was a LONG process) without actually needing to remove teeth, which is a very complicated course for guinea pigs and other animals with both delicate jaws and bone structures and who need the teeth to wear against each other to prevent future problems. No x-ray to confirm tooth root involvement, but it seemed likely, as it was along her jawline and actually affected her chewing for months prior to puffing up and becoming noticeable (she had two or three dental adjustments over six or so months prior to the swelling starting.) Removing the abscess capsule completely is the most complete excision and has a far easier and less messy recovery, but a lot of times in the head and neck it's just not possible, either because it is too close to major nerves and vessels or because there isn't enough slack in the skin to allow for closure after removal. I think a consult with the specialist is a good idea, but I also think there's merit to trying to manage the abscess just by keeping it open and flushing it and administering antibiotics... you could always do standard treatment now and consult the vet if there's no improvement. Is you pig still able to eat normally? If so, you have some time to play with here. If he's not able to eat, there's more of a crisis to resolve the problem quickly.

 

[Nikki26]

Hi all, thank you all so much for your advice. I took ‘Ugo to the vets this morning, made sure my trusted vet was in and asked him to call me before he started to discuss options. We agreed that as he had been eating normally, xrays weren’t necessary, and we went straight for the op. The abscess was marsupialised and has been stitched open. I picked him up tonight and he looks great and started eating straight away. A long slog ahead of cleaning his wound but it’s all worth it. x