Abscess?

[alypaly]

Hi, last week my younger sister noticed her guinea pig had a small lump on her back with a scab on it. I don't drive and my partner was away, so I took her to the nearest vet although I'm not convinced they're too experienced with guinea pigs.

Anyway, they told me she had an abscess and they I would need to give her baytril and flush it out, but that they couldn't get all the pus out. It's been nearly a week and I've been looking into abscess's a bit more seeing as they didn't give too much detail on how to handle flushing it and stuff, and now I'm not entirely convinced that's what the problem is. In particular it doesn't seem.to be hugely pussy or smelly when I've been flushing it out, and it's stayed a hard lump the entire time.

Could it possibly be something else? Would it be worth getting a second option on it? I've attached a photo in case that helps.

 

[Siikibam]

I would try and get piggy seen by an experienced vet. I don’t know whether abscesses always smell. Hopefully someone with more experience will see your thread soon. Meanwhile have a read of the link below.
Guinea Lynx :: Lumps

 

[Wiebke]

Hi, last week my younger sister noticed her guinea pig had a small lump on her back with a scab on it. I don't drive and my partner was away, so I took her to the nearest vet although I'm not convinced they're too experienced with guinea pigs.

Anyway, they told me she had an abscess and they I would need to give her baytril and flush it out, but that they couldn't get all the pus out. It's been nearly a week and I've been looking into abscess's a bit more seeing as they didn't give too much detail on how to handle flushing it and stuff, and now I'm not entirely convinced that's what the problem is. In particular it doesn't seem.to be hugely pussy or smelly when I've been flushing it out, and it's stayed a hard lump the entire time.

Could it possibly be something else? Would it be worth getting a second option on it? I've attached a photo in case that helps.

Hi!

Please see another vet for a second opinion. This doesn't look good.

All the best!

 

[alypaly]

Hi!

Please see another vet for a second opinion. This doesn't look good.

All the best!

Thanks for the advice. I've managed to make another appointment but unfortunately it's not until Monday. A combination of me starting a new job, having wisdom teeth problems of my own, bank holidays limiting appointments and covid limiting my transport options made it tricky to get one sooner...

 

[GPTV]

Oh gosh, it doesn't look very nice, I would definitely take her to another vet for a second opinion.

Has she had the area of hair surrounding the hole trimmed, has it just thinned like it or has she been barbering (chewing) it?

It could be an infected or blocked sebaceous cyst, often the 'cottage cheesy' like substance with little aroma is more inclined to be a cyst rather than an abscess-although it's still a possibility.
Generally (although not always) a light coloured guinea has light gunk & a dark coloured guinea has dark gunk in a sebaceous cyst.
An abscess is runnier & more creamy yellow in appearance I think?
@furryfriends (TEAS) is the forum abscess Queen & has vast experience of them.

If it is infected it will need antibiotics, hopefully it's just a very compacted sebaceous cyst & the vet can clear it out, a warm compress & soak of warm water might be needed to soften the gunk first, or if its larger under the surface the vet might go for surgical removal.

Let us know how you get on

Ps if you're not happy with your current vet you can ask for another vets opinion at the same practice or maybe try the recommended vet locator on the toolbar here?xx
Recommended Guinea Pig Vets

Edit... Posted at the same time, glad you've managed to get an appointment
Good luck with the new job & hope your teeth soon settle down x

 

[alypaly]

The fur had thinned a little bit right around the hole, but most of it was shaved off by the first vet. I actually managed to get Squeak an appointment tomorrow rather than next week- my partner will have to take her rather than myself but I feel like it's a better option than waiting and worrying about it

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

That doesn’t look typically like an abscess. Glad you’ve been able to get an appointment sooner x

 

[Wiebke]

Thanks for the advice. I've managed to make another appointment but unfortunately it's not until Monday. A combination of me starting a new job, having wisdom teeth problems of my own, bank holidays limiting appointments and covid limiting my transport options made it tricky to get one sooner...

All the best.

To be honest, it doesn't look and sound like an abscess to me; but whatever it turns out to be, it looks very infected and swollen; that is why I have recommeded to see another vet.

 

[alypaly]

My partner took Squeak to another vet who said it was definitely an abscess, she managed to get a lot more puss out that apparently did stink, and has given us something to flush the area with. Hopefully it will help, if nothing else they were a lot more thorough, the first guy had us in and out in like 10 minutes whereas she spent closer to 40 minutes treating it

 

[Wiebke]

My partner took Squeak to another vet who said it was definitely an abscess, she managed to get a lot more puss out that apparently did stink, and has given us something to flush the area with. Hopefully it will help, if nothing else they were a lot more thorough, the first guy had us in and out in like 10 minutes whereas she spent closer to 40 minutes treating it

All the best!

Please try to keep the hole open for as long as possible (ideally as close to 10 days or longer as you can get) and and flush twice daily in order to allow the abscess to heal from the inside out and prevent any infection from being trapped inside because that can cause it to flare up again at some point, worse than ever.


If you run out of the flushing fluid, you can always make your own saline solution at home if necessary. Make sure that you push the syringe plunger quite strongly to really get the infection out and work off the scab that forms on the opening (not a pleasant but very necessary task) for as long as possible.
First Aid Kit: Easily available non-medication support products for an emergency (contains the recipe for making saline at home if needed)

Please contact your new vet again if necessary in case you are running into problems.