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Specialist Absess that led to oesteomylitus

A

Amy2805

Junior Guinea Pig
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Hi everyone, so me and my husband have just rescued a guinea pig. He is amazing! We noticed a large lump on the side of his face when we got him so took him to the vets and they said it was a large absess. He has had it lanced and flushed last Thursday, Saturday and yesterday. The vet told me when I collected him yesterday that is has infected some of his bone. So he needs to go back tomorrow to have all the infected tissue and bone removed. He is now on baytril 0.5mg once a day, loxicom 0.17ml once a day and supfatrim 0.27ml twice a day. He has been so strong so far but I’m so worried about him. Has anyone had any experience and can give me some advice please?
 
Amy2805 said:
Hi everyone, so me and my husband have just rescued a guinea pig. He is amazing! We noticed a large lump on the side of his face when we got him so took him to the vets and they said it was a large absess. He has had it lanced and flushed last Thursday, Saturday and yesterday. The vet told me when I collected him yesterday that is has infected some of his bone. So he needs to go back tomorrow to have all the infected tissue and bone removed. He is now on baytril 0.5mg once a day, loxicom 0.17ml once a day and supfatrim 0.27ml twice a day. He has been so strong so far but I’m so worried about him. Has anyone had any experience and can give me some advice please?
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Hi and welcome

I am very sorry - poor boy! Once an abscess gets into the bone, it is very difficult to get it out again. I guess that it depends on which bone is affected and what it does to the eating/chewing in the longer term as rodent teeth need to be ground down constantly. Guinea pigs have evolved on the highly abrasive silica in grass and hay and have some of the fastest growing teeth of all rodents as a result. Removing bones will mean that your piggy may need life-long frequent dental treatment and syringe feeding support if it is no longer able to chew normally. Is your vet experienced enough to provide that?

Below are our post-op care tips. You will have to brace for having to syringe feed. Please monitor the weight daily.
Discuss with your vet that you can significantly up the loxicom/metacam dosage in guinea pigs to up to 0.4 ml (dog)/1.2 ml (cat) metacam twice daily for major pain as guinea pigs don't have the same problem with it affecting the kidneys but a much faster metabolic rate. Have you been prescribed cat or dog strength? It is a comparatively low dose for a large and very painful abscess. How piggy savvy is your vet?
Also discuss the use of zithromax/azithromycin as the most effective antibiotic against any abscesses if the infection cannot be got out completely. Unlike baytril and sulfatrim is not licensed but safe to use as the strongest possible antibiotic.
Tips For Post-operative Care
Complete Syringe Feeding Guide
Weight - Monitoring and Management

Since we have members from all over the world, we find it helpful if you please added your country and UK county to location in account details by clicking on your username on the top bar. This allows us to tailor any advice to what is available and relevant where you are straight away instead of keeping any recommendations as general as possible. Since sulfatrim is a UK brand name for bactrim/septrin, I assume that you are located in this country.
The most experienced dental vet in the UK is located in Northampton; he treats about 15 piggies with dental problems from all over the UK (as far as Edinburgh and Devon) in a week; that is more than most exotic vets see in their whole career.
The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic

Our member with the most experience in dental/facial abscess care is unfortunately offline for the week.
@Abi_nurse
 
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Here is a photo of our little guinea pig after 2 lances of his absess. The vet seems to know exactly what’s wrong and what plans best for him. You can see on the picture where the lump is located. So it’s the removal of infected bone around his nose / eye. He is on 0.17ml of loxicom so I will ask that question. He has had some pain relief injections as he has been at the vets every other day. He has recovered well after all three procedures eating and drinking great. However this morning he came out and ate and drank normally, but after I gave him his loxicom and sulfatrim he has been asleep in his house and not been out for any food or drink since 7:30am.
My apologies I am located in England.
I’m just concerned that I’m putting him through all this and he isn’t going to get better. I really want to cure him and give him the best life.
The vet said after the procedure tomorrow his face will be left open so I have to take him daily for them to cleanse it and carry on with antibiotics and pain relief.
Thanks
 
Forgot to say his teeth have been checked and the vet said they are all in great condition and up until the last few hours he has been eating and drinking great.
 
Amy2805 said:
View attachment 121643
Here is a photo of our little guinea pig after 2 lances of his absess. The vet seems to know exactly what’s wrong and what plans best for him. You can see on the picture where the lump is located. So it’s the removal of infected bone around his nose / eye. He is on 0.17ml of loxicom so I will ask that question. He has had some pain relief injections as he has been at the vets every other day. He has recovered well after all three procedures eating and drinking great. However this morning he came out and ate and drank normally, but after I gave him his loxicom and sulfatrim he has been asleep in his house and not been out for any food or drink since 7:30am.
My apologies I am located in England.
I’m just concerned that I’m putting him through all this and he isn’t going to get better. I really want to cure him and give him the best life.
The vet said after the procedure tomorrow his face will be left open so I have to take him daily for them to cleanse it and carry on with antibiotics and pain relief.
Thanks
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All the best! It all depends very much where the abscess is located and which areas the operation is affecting.
 
Thankyou for all your information. I really appreciate it.
My fingers are crossed that he can get through it.

Thankyou
 
Amy2805 said:
Thankyou for all your information. I really appreciate it.
My fingers are crossed that he can get through it.

Thankyou
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Please take the time to read the very useful links, so you know how you can support your poorly little boy as best as possible when he comes home from his op. ;)
 
Update for you. I had to rush him to the vets a few hours ago as he was struggling to breath and didn’t look right. They have given him fluids and some oxygen have to phone to check on him soon 😢
 
Fingers very firmly crossed! Poor boy!
 
Thinking of your poor little guy. Abscesses can be terrible things. I've had two pigs that developed bad jaw abscesses... one had some pretty extensive lancing/draining surgery and aftercare with heavy antibiotics and came through okay, but unfortunately we lost of one of them to septicemia from a severe infection that got into the bloodstream. Fingers crossed that all goes well.
 
Aw, fingers crossed he is alright, hugs to you, what a worrying time for you. Hoping he recovers well x
 
Thanks for all your messages everyone. Unfortunately we had to let him go tonight. He was really poorly and there wasn’t a chance of him pulling through. We are devastated but had to do what was right for him 😢
 
Amy2805 said:
Thanks for all your messages everyone. Unfortunately we had to let him go tonight. He was really poorly and there wasn’t a chance of him pulling through. We are devastated but had to do what was right for him 😢
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((HUGS)), I'm so sorry for your loss. It sounds like you did everything you possibly could for him. I lost a piggie under similar circumstances, I know it's not easy.
 
I’m so very sorry you lost him, you did everything you could have done for him
Sleep tight little man x
 
Amy2805 said:
Thanks for all your messages everyone. Unfortunately we had to let him go tonight. He was really poorly and there wasn’t a chance of him pulling through. We are devastated but had to do what was right for him 😢
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So sorry for your loss. Xx
 
Thankyou so much everyone. At least I managed to give him the best possible care and we showed him so much love why we had him. We are having him cremated and his ashes back home with us ❤️ He deserves the best 💖
 
So very sorry to hear this news after all you did for him.
They do have a way of wriggling into your heart very quickly.
Be gentle with yourselves as you grieve
 
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