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Benjamin has an abscess...and I'm about to cry...

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MintyAndGarry (TEAS)

MintyAndGarry (TEAS)

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Apologies for the long post. I'm feeling really guilty. Normally, I take the boys out every day and check them over. However, since Friday, I've just been seeing them when I've been taking them food. Big mistake.

Went in to clean the boys out today and my dad picked up Benjamin and he squealed. Turns out he has a nasty infected bite wound on his left hip. I tried to bath it with water, but he wouldn't let me near it (it smelt sooo bad). So, what with it being bank holiday and all, I rang the emergency vet people and they told me to come in. He had a nasty wound which had been an abcess which had in turn burst. I suppose in all of this, that is a good thing. The vet trimmed his fur and then opened the wound. She flushed it out with saline to clean it and then put a gel on it. She then gave him an injection of 0.30 x Baytril 2.5%. She advised salt water bathing and has given me enough antibiotics until Wednesday when hopefully I should have been able to see my own vet to get him checked again and also to get some probiotics.

So, Benjamin currently has an open wound about 2.5cm long on his hind quarters. He seems OK in himself - maybe a little more sluggish, but he's eating and pooing as normal. I've cleaned him out and put him back in his cage to rest. I just hope he'll get better. Dave is currently in the run on my bedroom floor. They haven't fought I don't think (Dave is clear of any wounds) but Ben does antagonise Dave at times and I think he's snapped back. I am hoping that they may still get along, but I have a feeling I might be looking for another housing solution!

In the meantime, despite being a fully grown human being, I feel the need to cry...:0
 
cry.

it makes you feel better will let you release.

I remember 3 year ago when i got my kittens. After 2 days i took them to the vet as they were wheezing to be told they both had cat flu. One had pnuemonia and was at deaths door. I cried i cuddled i bathed matted eyes and happy to say there fine now.

So cry and cuddle him like a crazy woman and they know they are loved.

soppy i know but i was a wreck and i know how it feels.
 
So sorry Emma, sounds like you are doing all the right things. Fingers crossed the boys get along again! x
 
you are doing everything you can and could of done.

Unfortunately you cannot be with your pets 24/7. So these things happen. As you say he is a big fella so hopefully will be fine :)

Keep us informed.

xx
 
I'm sorry to hear about Benjamin Emma but he is a big and strong pig so my guessing is that he'll be ok. Please do not feel guilty as none of this is your fault. Sendings (((hugs))) to you and healing vibes to little Benjamin x
 
Awww poor Benjamin, hope it clears up really soon. Don't feel bad, I don't give mine a health check every day-once a week normally but I do observe them and if I notice anything different, I check them over.

Vibes for Benjamin xx
 
Thanks for your kind words! He's upstairs, laying down in his pigloo at the moment looking very sorry for himself. Seems to be eating OK though - has been up and about to the food bowl so things seem hopeful. Will phone our own vet in the morning and take him in to see them to see what they say.
 
So sorry to hear this.

If Baytril does not seem to be working, please try to get Zithromax. As some of you know, Rocky has had an abscess (amongst other problems) for weeks. I am confident that Rocky's incredible recovery is due to the Zithromax.
 
You have done the all right things - but it is such a shock when you discover something serious that you really feel like crying! These things happen...

However, Benjamin still has his appetite. Make sure you give him a probiotic for his guts to counter the effects of the baytril, which in this case is the right antibiotic, I think. As long as he's eating you can be assured he's going to be OK...

That he is a bit subdued is normal, also that he won't like being touched where he's hurting. You might consider sitting him in front of a plate of grass or some such when you treat him, as most guinea pigs forget about their body when they are absorbed with stuffing themselves. It has always worked for me when I had to get eye gel in touchy piggies' eyes... Just wait until he's well underway, and you can get away with murder!

All the best to both of you!

Big hug
Vicky
 
Thanks Lucinda...I'll bear that in mind.

Thanks for the advice Vicky! The vet today said that he will be OK until tomorrow with the antibiotics that she gave him today. She gave me a small amount that should see me through to Wednesday if I need it. I'm hoping I might be able to get him in early to the vets tomorrow and see what they say/do before I have to try and get any more antib's into him! That's where I'll be getting the probiotics from too as they didn't have any today...rolleyes

He still seems fine (he's at the food bowl every other time I check on him!) so hopefully tomorrow will be a brighter day...:)
 
2.5cm is not that big for an open wound, it will heal quicker than you think possible.
 
If you do decide to give the zithromax a go, and your vet won't give it to you, then go to Simon Maddock at the Cat and Rabbit Clinic at Duston. I notice you live in Northampton so you are fairly near. Unfortunately he's on holiday this week, but will be back on 1st June.
 
That's so lucky you're near Northampton! Simon has been brilliant with so many of Debbie's pigs.
 
Silly Benjamin, maybe he'll learn to stop bugging poor old Dave! Boys!

*Hugs* to you, Emma. We've all been there, noticed something wrong, signs we missed, a particularly busy few days where we've not had the time to spend checking the pigs over properly. It happens, but you did find the problem and yu got it sorted right away. In my books, that makes you a perfectly good piggie mum!
 
Thanks! I'm almost feeling better! Somewhat more positive than yesterday anyway. I'm going to the vets at 4.40 today so will see what they say then.

The wound seems to be drying out. And Ben seems much more his normal self. I was hoping that I could get to see the vet this morning so that I wouldn't have to give Ben any antibiotics, but as it happens, he took them quite well...most of it went in anyway as far as I could tell!

I've added some pics to the gallery...I think just to prove to myself that he still looks OK...layered scabby bum and all!rolleyes
 
All the best for your trip to the vets - Ben looks pretty well in himself in those sweet pics of yours. Keep us posted!
 
Good luck at the vets, only just seen this thread but I do hope Benjamin is feeling more like his usual self soon. And don't worry - I think we've all been there... guilt is part of the 'pleasures' of pet ownership, I reckon!

Sophie
x
 
Thinking of you right now and keeping my fingers crossed for Benjamin!
 
Well, the vet looked at him and said that he needs antibiotics (which I guessed anyway). 0.2 twice daily of a 2.5% solution. Have just tried to bathe his wound with salt water and he's having none of it...I just hope that drizzling it on will work the same...

We're back at the vets on Friday morning to see how he's doing...the vet did say that because the wound is so deep and widespread, there is a possibility of having to put him under to cut the infection away but only if the worst comes to the worst. I have everything crossed that it doesn't come to this...I lost a piggy years ago to an abscess op...

Never one to see the dark side, Benjamin made light of the situation...by peeing all over me in the car on the way home...he is a delight!rolleyesx)
 
If the antibiotic is 2.5% Oral Baytril the recommended dose is 0.4ml twice daily.
I still remain doubtful about the need for a GA to explore even a "deep and widespread" abscess.
 
I think they're talking about an operation to surgically remove the abscess and surrounding area, not just exploring it. It does sound a bit extreme, in this case, at this time.
 
Don't forget Zithromax. It's an excellent anti bio and I have Debbie to thank for it!
 
I am just wondering if the abscess is an infected sebaceous cyst?
I would not submit the pig to a GA without another opinion.
I do know extensive cysts can be removed without using GA.
 
Will see what is said on Friday and go from there I think. If I can get him over the weekend then I will ring the cat and rabbit centre on Monday.

I don't really know about the recommended dose as I've never had to do this sort of thing before. However, the vet did weigh him so I'll just follow instructions for now...

Have just given Ben his second lot of antib's for today. I think I'm getting most of it in, although he was really wriggling tonight.:...
 
Good luck hopefully it will clear up in no time. Tiger had an absess on him mouth from his fight with george and it too stunk. It was by is mouth and about 1cm long. He was on baytrill and it cleared up in about 7 days. I bathed it once a day by wrapping him in a towel and ignoring his squirming til it was done! I just used salted water which I boiled first in kettle then added some salt. He was acting normal again within a day or two once the puss was removed.

Don't feel bad I didn't notice tiger's problem for a few days either!
 
Oh them i'm so sorry love i just saw Benjamin's thread 8...:(
MEGA healing wheeeeeeeeeeks and loves from us all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Sweetie those rotten abscesses can come up in hours, i'm sure as they seem to start from the inside and then 'burst' there way to the outside, i'm not good with how to describe this, but this is what we had first time with Dukey........no lump in morning by afternoon there was one! mallethead
Don't blame yourself, you've now got him on meds and bathing it too, of course he's not going to enjoy that one bit, so have a little treat ready for him even whilst you do the bathing i found that helped to keep there minds off what i was doing.
I too used to do twice daily for the baytril as per what Alcester said ....perhaps you could ask them again? I got told piggies over 800g could safely have 0.4ml of baytril twice daily.
Velvet, Onyx and i send him all these xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
 
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