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Flora's Abscess Doesn't Seem To Be Healing

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Zofia

Zofia

Junior Guinea Pig
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I took Flora to the vet on Tuesday with an abscess on her jaw. The vet drained the abscess and sent her home with baytril and metacam. Flora is eating well and seems well in herself but the abscess is still very swollen and keeps filling up with pus. I've been squeezing it and cleaning it with salt water but I don't know what else to do. I don't want the wound to heal before the pus has stopped because we'll be back at square one. I'm going to keep her on the antibiotics until a few days after it's healed, but how do I stop the pus forming?
 
Unfortunately, there doesn't seem to be a quick fix for abscesses other than complete removal of the entire capsule. Lancing and draining is a slow process. My pig, Sundae, had a jawline abscess lanced and drained last October. She was put on chloramphenicol and was sent home for me to express any extra pus and irrigate the wound. And that's what I did for months! At first I got a lot of pus out, and the amount gradually lessened over time. I used various things to irrigate... saline, peroxide, a mix of the two, and then my vet gave me a big bottle of skin antiseptic that he uses in his practice, and that worked the best. I had a syringe that I would fill so I could irrigate inside the wound. It's a long process because it really has to heal from the inside out. Sundae is now 7 months postop and still has a 'hole' in her face, although it is now a dead end with no pus and no sinus down into the deeper tissue and no longer needs special care. But it took a lot of care over several months to get it to clear, so hang in there and keep expressing.

Two things come to my mind from reading your post. Is you pig eating okay? If so, great! If not, syringe to keep her weight and strength up. Weigh her often to make sure she is maintaining. I would also ask your vet about a different antibiotic. Baytril is good for some things, but is not the best for abscesses. My vet uses chloramphenicol, and I hear good things about Zithromax, though it isn't in common use in guinea pigs where I live. There are some other members here with a lot of abscess experience... I know I got great advice going through Sundae's abscess ordeal. Lots of luck- definitely ask me anything that might help!
 
Thanks. She's eating really well. I noticed there was something wrong because she had lost about 100g. I couldn't see anything wrong with her but by the time the vet appointment came around the next day I could see it was an abscess.

It looks much better today. In my desperation last night I got a bit aggressive with the antiseptics and cleaned it with TCP before putting germolene on later. I know I probably shouldn't have but the abscess isn't in a place she can lick. Anyway it looks smaller today and is dry with no pus as far as I can tell. I'll keep monitoring it and cleaning with saline and if it's not improving then it will be back to the vet.
 
I just had another look and it's not as dry as I thought. The pus was easier to get out though and was runnier. I think this will be a long process.
 
Are you also flushing it with salt water rather than just cleaning it with it? Our pig had a huge abscess (really huge), when we were given the saline, we were instructed to flush the hole rather than squeeze it. I'm not sure if what I'm saying is helpful, it did seem to work very well in our case, and the wound was left to close after 6 days.

Hope your pig gets better soon.
 
I will try flushing it with saline. Would Hibiscrub be any good for cleaning the wound?
 
I used Hibiscrub diluted with cooled boiled water and it worked a treat, after the vet initially lancing the abscess it never game me anymore trouble, possibly because of the Hibiscrub. I soaked the abscess to soften scabs and flushed with the hibiscrub and it cleared very quickly.
 
I've been flushing with saline and there is a big plug of solid pus that I can only get half out. I've left it for now. I'll have another go later. She was getting very upset with me!
 
The Hibiscrub is the winner so far - not only does it clean it well but it also takes away the horrid abscess smell.
 
I deal with a lot of abscesses here at the Sanctuary, and without any doubt, the best antibiotic to use is Zithromax. The key to success is an appropriate antibiotic and to keep the abscess open for regular flushing. I had a guinea pig arrive here with a dreadful tooth root abscess just a couple of weeks ago, and the abscess has almost completely healed now.
 
Can i ask, how do you know it is an abscess? the reason i ask is my Stan has lumps all over his belly then two weeks ago i found one under his jaw by accident. it is about the size of a pea and moves about like a jelly lump. the vet gave me septrin for two weeks but nothing has happened. He is eating fine etc. I dont know what to do now. Do abscesses feel hard, do they move? sorry to hijack your thread
 
I knew it was an abscess because of where it was and also she had uneven tooth wear on her incisors so it seemed the most likely explanation.

She went back to the vet yesterday and the vet (a better and more experienced vet at the practice) completely debrided the abscess and removed all the damaged tissue. He's closed it up and he thinks that should sort it. It's probably a tooth root abscess so it might come back at some point. She sailed through the anaesthetic though and was up and about in 10 mins apparently. She's at home now and seems absolutely fine. So pleased! He's also sent some tissue off to the lab to check it was just inflammatory.
 
Oh no! It's filled up again! I thought I could smell pus and when I looked it was swollen and weeping so I pressed it and loads of pus came out. I've got as much out as I can and put antiseptic on. Back to the vet I guess.
 
Flora passed away yesterday morning at the vets. The abscess was much better but she was just too weak poor love. Pluto is coping well though and seems happy so I'll be looking for a new girlfriend (or two) for him in a couple of weeks.
 
I'm so sorry for your loss. I lost one pig from an abscess on the jaw as well. As far as we could tell, the infection was into her jawbone and she fought hard but just ended up with septicemia and massive infection. It always makes me feel awful to read a similar case. ((HUGS)) to you.
 
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