ANOTHER ABSCESS

[Emily<3]

Some of you may remember my poor piggie Midas with his abscess on his neck who died shortly after his surgery. The vet told me it’s not a common place for an abscess, which made the surgery difficult. Well one of my girls, Azalea, has one in the EXACT SAME SPOT. Could this really just be a coincidence?

This is an awful thing to say, I feel awful for saying it, I love my piggies to the moon and back but I can’t afford another $700 vet visit if the survival rate it so low because of where it is. Are there ANY at home remedies at all? She’s on a healthy diet, plenty of room, lots of toys to feel comfortable. I just feel awful. Please no negative comments, I’m doing my best

 

[HeatherRose]

Where are you located? Was the $700 just for the surgery or several vet visits? That seems like a lot. Unfortunately I think vet care is a must for an abscess. Surgery is not always needed though, sometimes they can just lance it open and then you flush and clean it at home twice a day and give antibiotics until it is cleared up. It also seems like the neck is a common spot for abscesses in guinea pigs. My Anna had one on her neck right behind her jaw and ear and I know I have seen other piggies with them on their necks. Is there a different vet you can go to? One that is knowledgeable about guinea pigs of course.

 

[Lady Kelly]

We do not promote home remedies on the forum. At the moment you do not have a diagnosis for the lump which may or may not be an abscess. Diagnosis can only be made by a vet.

I'm not sure where on the neck these lumps are coming up but if they are under the chin or around the jaw line then this is common for a piggy to get which would then indicate that your vet is not particularly experienced with piggies. If this is the case I would be looking for a more cavy savvy vet who should have a much better survival rate.

I appreciate it is a lot of money, and the timing really sucks, but if it is an abscess then it is a trapped pocket of infection that isn't going to be touched by anything you could buy over the counter as it will need a strong antibiotic at the very least

 

[Freela]

Unfortunately, far from being uncommon, the neck is a fairly common place for pigs to get abscesses. Is it under her chin or up along the side of her jawline? There really aren't going to be any home remedies for abscesses (it's a deep infection that over-the-counter remedies and home remedies aren't going to be able to touch), but I definitely would contact a few different vets, as you may well find one with more knowledge about guinea pig ailments who has more reasonable prices. All the best to you!