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Abscesses -- What am I doing wrong?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Raebi
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Raebi

Six out of eight of my guinea pigs have now had one abscess under the chin. They're all around the same age when they get them, too.

It started with my original two, Landon and Whiskey. We had them treated, and thought it was from them chewing on the cedar chips (that I no longer use). Whiskey had babies, and all three got abscesses after I had to use cedar bedding in emergency.

But now, one of the babies out of Whiskey's second litter has a giant abscess under his chin, again in the same place as the other five. Except he hasn't been anywhere near any sort of bedding chips. I must be doing something wrong, because as far as I know the other two of Whiskey's second litter are fine. (They don't stay with me.)


I'm going to take the baby with the abscess to the vet after school and have the abscess drained. Every time before I've asked my vet why this is happening, and he said "It just happens sometimes." Fair enough, but this isn't just sometimes. This is every time.
 
I feel so sorry for you - you must be so gutted!

No explanation here...
 
I am sorry this keeps happening, it must be very frustrating! What's the actual timeframe and housing situation with these pigs?

It is somewhat possible that there is some kind of infection transferring between them, thinking along the lines of Cervical Lymphadenitis (info here: http://www.guinealynx.info/forums/viewtopic.php?p=160439) as a possibility - but that would depend entirely on timeframes and who has been in contact with who.
 
They usually get them around their two month mark. I use CareFresh bedding in a C&C cage, keeping three boys together and two girls together. It's very odd, because none of the pigs have had more than one abscess in their lifetime. My vet said something about it maybe being hereditary?

They're never in the bone, he said, so that's very good. The abscesses are just there.
 
May be worth checking if they are somehow not getting enough vit C? Eg, if the dried food is old or something. Although if they are getting fresh veg it should not be a problem.
 
ajb said:
May be worth checking if they are somehow not getting enough vit C? Eg, if the dried food is old or something. Although if they are getting fresh veg it should not be a problem.
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No, they're getting plenty of vitamin C. I'm sure of it. (: Lots of veggies, the little fatties.


Ahh, I don't know. We had the baby's abscess drained yesterday and I'm giving him his antibiotics every twelve hours. I'm becoming a pro. ;) He'll be okay, it's just sad (and strange) that this has happened to every single one of my guinea pigs.
 
Sounds like a kind of thing transferring, like Laura said.

Have you considered pasteurella? as it can cause absecesses as well as eye infections and respitory problems, and if one pig in a colony carries it, chances are the others are also carrying it. Just carrying it doesn't mean they will display any problems or symptoms, but of course some will.
 
starla said:
Sounds like a kind of thing transferring, like Laura said.

Have you considered pasteurella? as it can cause absecesses as well as eye infections and respitory problems, and if one pig in a colony carries it, chances are the others are also carrying it. Just carrying it doesn't mean they will display any problems or symptoms, but of course some will.
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I've never even heard of pasteurella, let alone considered it. xD If that is the case, what do I do? And how do I tell if that's what it is?
 
I've nothing to add on the pasteurella lines, not something I've come across much before but I'll find out more for you.

One thing that has come to mind, I wonder if there is something genetic there. I don't know if you intentionally bred Whiskey and Landon, but I would be inclined not to until you know what is causing these abscesses.

Maybe worth sending the pus from one of the abscesses to be cultured, may tell you a bit about what bacteria are involved and thus give some clues about causes?
 
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