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Boris has an abscess

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Little Piggles

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At least I think it's an abscess. It is in the area he was neutered (six weeks ago) right between his penis and his tummy. He'll be going to see the vet first thing in the morning to confirm, but I just wondered if there was anything in particular I should be asking? I know it may seem like a silly question, but you guys are in the know with all things piggie and Boris is the first poorly piggie we've had :(

I only noticed it this evening when I was dishing out veggies but it's quite a large lump and wasn't there yesterday. He's still eating, is still his happy self and was still doing his wiggle-dance for Pixel!

My poor little man :(
 
It's burst :o(

Just been to check on him and it has burst. Very gunky and smelly.

We're on our way to the emergency vet. Please send good thoughts our way :(
 
Thanks guys. Thankfully it wasn't too busy and we were only there about an hour or so.

The vet wasn't especially helpful but he did put my mind at rest. He's given us five days worth of baytril and advised to keep the area clean, gently squeezing to get out any pus.

Boris seems unaffected by all the comotion and took the baytril pretty well (although spat some out on my hand!) and has washed it down with a dishful of grass. He's currently snoozing next to me on the sofa :)

We'll be off to our own vet tomorrow to see what they say. Hopefully the baytril will do the trick and clear up the infection, although he said worse case scenario would be an op to completely clear the area.

On the upside, it only cost me £30 when I was quoted £56 over the phone!
 
chin up Boris ps/ if you get a sore tum from the Baytril tell your mummy to buy you some probiotic cos its Baytril can be harsh on the gut :(|)
 
chin up Boris ps/ if you get a sore tum from the Baytril tell your mummy to buy you some probiotic cos Baytril can be harsh on the gut :(|)
 
Thanks guys x>> He's asleep on my foot rolleyes

I did wonder about the pro-biotic and will ask our own vet about it. I think the emergency vet was more of a cat and dog kinda guy if I'm honest! He did give me the telephone number of an RSPCA lady who deals with rabbits and guinea pigs, so hopefully she may know a good vet if we don't get anywhere with our own.

Thanks again for all the good thoughts xx
 
Good boy Boris taking everything in your stride! Fingers crossed that is the worst of it over!
 
Yep, that's the one in Swinton. I work on the same estate so it was nice and easy for me :)

nice one. i dont live too far from that vets bowt 2 mile, i must admit its a god send really knowing its open 365 days a year 24/7. i took mine there a bit back, I'm just glad its always there to hand :)) xx
 
He was a bit quiet this morning but Pixel has paid him a visit and it's cheered him up no end. I think he was more fed up at being on his own, inside overnight, rather than his poorly tummy :( He's still eating okay, had eaten a little carrot during the nightand they're currently sharing a sweetcorn :)

The asbcess looks alot better. It's not weeping at all and the hole looks reasonably clean, although is still swollen. We're off to our own vet at 2pm to see what they have to say, but hopefully baytril and cleaning/flushing will do the trick :)
 
All the very best to the little man xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>xx>>>
And the girls send healing wheeeeeeeeeeeks and piggie nose rubs to help him thru it all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Yes please clean the area regularly at least twice daily :)
 
Now we have two poorly piggies

We're back from the vet and we saw a guy who we've not seen before. He was very good and really seemed to know what he was talking about, he filled me with much more confidence than the emergency guy last night :))

The good news is that he was pleased with how Boris looks and thinks it will heal up well. He weighed him and has confirmed that the Baytril dosage is correct. He shaved the area around the infection and has also given me hibiscrub to flush out the wound.

On the down side though, I took Pippa along too, partly for company and partly because she has had a lump on her side for a number of weeks. He had a good feel of it and said that it didn't feel like an abscess, but couldn't be sure. I could either keep my eye on it or he could put a needle in and see what came out. So off he went with her to see what he could see.

He came back and there was very thick (like cream cheese consistancy) 'stuff' coming out which was a grey colour. He said that as it didn't smell at all, it should clear up well and that it was very likely to be a sebaceous cyst, so has also prescribed Baytril and hibiscrub flushes for her too.

Both were very good during the trip (I was a little worried about bickering in te carrier, as it was these two who were causing me headaches last weekend!) although Pippa seems most annoyed at having to have some of her hair shaved off.

The one thing I did forget to ask about was pro-biotics though grrrr I'm going to see how they get on, as so far Boris is still still eating well and hopefully both will keep their appetites

Thankyou for all the good wishes x>> xx
 
Hi Michelle, sorry to hear Boris has an abscess, what a few days you've had with him! Glad all seems ok in that department now, do keep squeezing the abscess - all around, quite firmly - 2-3 times a day. I usually say once its been completely clear of pus for at least 2-3 days, then let it heal over. There is no won't guarantee it won't come back, but this method gives a more reasonable chance it's healed as it should and is less likely to recur.

Sorry to hear Pippa has a sebaceous cyst too, your description sounds spot on ('scuse the pun) for one. Peggy had one on her side, creamy coloured substance inside, but it never refilled, she needed no treatment other than the initial squeezing of it!
 
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I would use a probiotic for sure with Baytril, i used Avipro and my pigs loved it, couldnt get enough.

Glad your pigs are ok x:(|)
 
Thanks guys. Both seem in good spirits today and both wounds look pretty okay. They have spent most of the day out on the lawn scoffing as much grass as they can rolleyes

I had to laugh last night though as Simon was helping my to flush them both, he got a bit carried away with the plunger on the syringe and before I could say 'very slowly' he pushed it down too quickly and got a faceful of fluid and gunk :)>>> :(|)


I am going grab some probiotics though, I figure it's not going to do them any harm to have it, right?

Just a quickie on this though, from what I've read most suggest adding it to the water (although I auume it may also depend on the brand..), but will Willow and Pixel be okay to have it too, even though they're well? They are all still living together at the moment you see

Thanks again x
 
No problems at all. :)

If you add it to the water bottle, just make sure you scrub the water bottle and spout very well each day, and make sure the taste doesn't deter any of the pigs from drinking it. (The opposite happens in my experience, some prefer the water with probiotic in it!)

Had to laugh at poor Simon's experience with flushing it. I remember one of my past sows, Lottie, had a facial abscess, on her upper jaw (cheek). Vedra lanced the abscess, started squeezing it, the pus shot past her and went all up the windows. :))
 
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