do abcesses = pasturella

[starla]

right, well as some of you know I found Summer had an abcess last week, so went to the vet who lanced and drained it, and told me to flush it twice a day (along with taking anti biotics) I did this, but the abcess is extremely deep, making it hard to flush.

Off she went back to the vet again, who said it had closed up a lot, and that I was right, it was very deep. She said surgery would be tricky because of where abcess is positioned (right by throat).

She said it would probably fill again, even if I thought I had flushed it and got rid of it, it would come up again in another place, because Summer has pasturella virus in her body?
She has never lived with a rabbit, so am unsure how she is carrying this, but apparently Summer is not going to have a good quality of life, even if we rid her of this abcess.

So that has left me very sad. As she is happy and active, I am going to make sure she stays that way as long as possible. However, if the abcess grows to a very large size, or more pop up, the vet has suggested pts

 

[Juniper]

She said surgery would be tricky because of where abcess is positioned (right by throat)

Surely that is where about 90% of abscesses are?
When you say 'throat' I am assuming that you mean in the loose skin under the chin (and not at the side of her neck - those are more serious)

This sounds rather a hotch-potch of information and I am really surprised that a vet would write off a pig and say it won't have a good quality of life because of one throat abscess.

Has she actually been tested to see if she has pasturella ?
Throat abscesses are usually caused by wounds inside the mouth or throat from thistles/splinters in hay. I thought that they usually get infected with Staph. aureus not pasturella?

 

[frank]

Perhaps a second opinion
with a different vet would be of need

 

[cuddles]

sounds like rubbish to me!!
little ruby had a abcess there very deep from a bite when she was little and she did not have pasturella.i would get a second opinion for sure!

 

[MemberY]

Have a fecal anayisis done, that way you will know for sure. A decision cant be made without knowing the facts and this vet is guessing if he hasn't tested her!

Anyone could guess...vets are supposed to work on fact based on knowledge and tests.

 

[rw3399]

I'm sorry to hear about Summer. I think I would probably get a second opinion.

 

[starla]

thanks all. They quoted me about 150 for surgery, and said it would probably end up as more because of the skill needed for it! Yes it hangs down below her neck.
It is definately not as big as usual but there is still a hard core to it. I think this is the very hard pus inside, when woodstock had an abcess it burst, so got rid of all the watery pus, then i just cleaned all the hard pus out myself without too much trouble but this is deep.
So I don't know whether to have a vet open it up again?

 

[louisegrace86]

hi what is pasturella? i'm sure you will make the right decision...does she seem to be hurting or normal?

 

[MemberY]

http://www.geocities.com/dream-horse/pasturella.html (for Louisegrace86)



What is the surgery for? Can the vet not place an antibiotic bead in the abcess if its very deep and you can give a course by syringe also? Summer may need a strong dose, 0.4ml x 2 times daily for a longer time. I think if it were me, I would want to know what I was dealing with and the options available first :{

 

[starla]

Well summer is on one lot of 0.8% baytril a day, so guess that
equals two lots of 0.4%!

antibiotic beads were never mentioned, neither were 'shunts' which would keep the wound open so it wouldn't heal up so quickly, which I have just read about on guinea lynx.
It was basically surgery, lancing and draining, or pts

 

[rw3399]

I'm so sorry that I can't offer you any help. I know nothing about pasturella or treating abscesses. I hope you find out what the best course of treatment is and that Summer is soon feeling well again xx