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Gregory - tooth abcess op happening today

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lauraboara

lauraboara

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Hi. Gregory would welcome any good thoughts today as he goes into a abscess op about now. He is at least 4 1/2 yrs old, probably more and had rough first 2 years before being rescued by Milhaven. Middle age and retirement with me.

He started looking ill about 2 weeks ago, was eating less, especially less hay and seemed fluffed up which is never good. So off to vet. No conclusion but he had lost weight and sensitive when right kidney pressed (but so am I!) but started on metacam. I was thinking please not bladder/kidney stones. Improved over next week and put on 50g but I could see a lump forming in his muzzle area - where whiskers start.
Back to vet. Agreed looks like tooth abcess so op today - Vet is saying all the right things eg lots of pain relief, gut stimulant etc. Their surgery set up is v good.
But he is not convinced about zithromax - he will culture to see what AB to suggest which sounds logical but Debbie advised that the abscess gunk often does not culture well. So we will see.

Thank you to my piggie support - Salt N Peppers Mum and Debbie/Furry Friends - your texts are so good for helping me plan the next steps - thank you:)p

There seem to be a few abcess issues in piggies at the mo so I may be popping back for any post op / flushing experiences!
 
Fingers firmly crossed! You have the best support that you can get. Gregory will hopefully make a good recovery!
 
When my vet cultured the abscess, it came back with nothing. My vet was also not convinced on Zithromax, he found a study (sensitivity paper based on antibiotic's success rate against Abscesses in Rabbit's)

Zithromax has a 94% success rate, after fred had a flush and. 3 different Ab's we went down the route of Zithromax Fred also lost his bottom incisor it was surgically removed. Fred healed well and has been abscess free for a good few month's now.
 
Healing vibes to Gregory ,

I think you're vet is wise to get a cultured done , especially since so much time is gone by since you first noticed him feeling out of sorts ,

as I understand it the problem with tooth, abscesses, they can quickly migrate to the surrounding bone, and as abscesses can be due to mix bacterial flora, And Extra care is always a bonus

So while Zithromax is properly the best port of call, it's just possible it may not be suited , If mix bacteria are present

Personally I Trust Zithromax, as it is very effective, but it never does any harm to hedge your bet's

So identifying the bacteria responsible now , could save time and heartache in the future if the bacteria has infected the bone.

I've always found that regular (3-4 times a day) flushing is probably the most efficient way of fighting an abscess once it has burst/been lanced ,

The wound will seem to close very quickly but this does not necessarily mean that it is healed, and scraping off the scab is often required,

Also of might be worth asking your vet for a small boar flexible Cannula (he will know what you mean) to aid with the flushing

Very best wishes with Gregory, he will probably be OK though
 
funnehmare said:
Any news on how your little man is doing? x
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Well he got through the GA and the op which is good. He looks pretty ropey just now but he had had vetergesic which I know lays them flat.
The abscess was opened and gunk drained and then as there was no link directly to the mouth, the vet decided to use gentimycin beads which were sealed into the empty capsule. The xrays showed potential other problems with teeth but I am going to think about that another day....They did not show up any bladder or kidney stones - phew.
He has had some soft grass picked from the garden and I am now trying some pellets mushed with warm water on a baby spoon and he is trying that but is quite out of it.
Thanks for thoughts and info - all good stuff. Will let you know if he picks up tomorrow.
 
Pleased that he got through the g.a, fingers and paws crossed for a quick recovery. I can remember using vetergesic for on of my older girls.... completely spaced her out. x
 
Lots of love and healing vibes to him x x

Let us know how he is in the morning, hope he has a good night.
 
gplearner said:
there was no link directly to the mouth, the vet decided to use gentimycin beads which were sealed into the empty capsule. The xrays showed potential other problems with teeth but I am going to think about that another day.....
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So glad that Gregory is well I'm back home, your vet sounds quite impressive ,

Over the years I have had my fair share of tooth/bone disease in piggies, and
I have been badgering to my vet about antibiotic beads for a long time, regarding tooth and bone infection in my pigs , but all he says is that he will look into it, and it never comes to anything!

Finely I've come across somebody who's vet is using these! I would imagine it's because of the potential problems the X ray showed .

Could you possibly post your vet's contact details, or PM me, so that if need be my vet could contact him regarding this medication.

apparently there success rate used on human beings is very good, Fingers crossed that does the trick for Gregory
 
So glad he came through the op and g/a ok, it's such a relief when they get through the first few hurdles. I'm keeping my fingers firmly crossed that Gregory continues to recovery quickly. Keep us updated on his progress xx
 
Thank you for thoughts everyone.
Gregory not v lively at the moment but is nibbling on bits of veg and lettuce - as long as I bring them to him! He is divided off from his cagemate so that he can eat slowly in peace and he is eating on the 'good' side only at the mo but he is trying. I am going to try more pellet mush shortly and some grass from the garden. i have not made it out of pjs yet so wild haired woman will be seen gathering grass in pjs once more!
No poohs yet that i can find so will ring vet for more gut stimulant if nothing appears. Come on lad. Pooh and eat more please.
 
gizzy said:
So glad that Gregory is well I'm back home, your vet sounds quite impressive ,

Over the years I have had my fair share of tooth/bone disease in piggies, and
I have been badgering to my vet about antibiotic beads for a long time, regarding tooth and bone infection in my pigs , but all he says is that he will look into it, and it never comes to anything!

Finely I've come across somebody who's vet is using these! I would imagine it's because of the potential problems the X ray showed .

Could you possibly post your vet's contact details, or PM me, so that if need be my vet could contact him regarding this medication.

apparently there success rate used on human beings is very good, Fingers crossed that does the trick for Gregory
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Good to know about the success rates in humans. Yes I will PM you about the vet's details - he is an exotics vet and seems as though he will tackle all sorts of challenges which is good.
 
Keep on getting better Gregory :)
 


Hopefully there is a pic of Gregory here.
He is doing bit better today. Got off his bed for breakfast and has been talking to his cagemate, Barney through the divider. Poohs are happening - weird shaped as to be expected but at least they are happening. Eating slowly - grass, a few porridge oats and cucumber seems to be the most successful. Talking meds well. So a few more positive signs.
 
Thanks for asking about him.

Honest answer is I am not sure! His weight has stabilised but he is not gaining any yet. Eating OK but just not sitting and munching hay for ages as healthy ones do. But at least he is eating and poohing and interacting etc.

The more worrying thing is the site of the abscess in his muzzle - the swelling seems bigger if anything rather than reducing. I would have thought it would be going down 9 days post surgery? He is booked in for a vet review and stitches out on Tuesday but I am not convinced all is resolved.

Even if we solve the abscess, the side on xrays showed 'apical extensions' - long tooth roots to me, in both top and bottom jaws so not looking good longer term.
But just trying to keep him interested in diff foods for now.
 
Poor little guy! Did they leave the site of the incision open so the abscess could continue to drain? A lot of the time if the abscess is lanced, it will continue to refill. Some vets will actually put in a drain to keep it open, but others will just leave an opening so that the pus can continue to drain as it forms. If he has stitches to seal the opening, it's likely that it will gradually fill back up because abscesses are hard to clear in guinea pigs.
I hope he continues to eat and do well and gains some weight back for you. What antibiotic is he on? I hate dental issues/abscesses with pigs. :(
 
Things have moved on overnight. Beige gunk started emerging from the top part of the muzzle lump - not good.
Thankfully managed to get to see my exotics vet this morning already - Gregory is staying at vet for second procedure :(
Possibly second abscess slightly higher up or first one that is just not responding to the AB in the bead left in the capsule.
Everything crossed for him as he looked small and frail as I left him today.
 
Thanks for Antibiotic suggestions Debbie - i may be texting you later!

Gregory had his second op and it was a second abscess in its own separate capsule. Unfortunately, it was bigger and much deeper than the first one so he is much sorer after this procedure. Again the vet has gone for thorough cleaning out and then sealing in a gentimycin bead. I am not sure how I feel about that at the minute but focusing on keeping him eating. He has lost some weight but then he hardly ate yesterday. Syringe feeding to top him up but he is managing bits of veg and hay.
I am still getting over how quickly it developed - must have been some aggressive bacteria at work :(.
Any get well vibes for Gregory would be appreciated - he is being v brave and taking syringe food so well but need him to eat properly now and fight.
 
gplearner said:
Thanks for Antibiotic suggestions Debbie - i may be texting you later!

Gregory had his second op and it was a second abscess in its own separate capsule. Unfortunately, it was bigger and much deeper than the first one so he is much sorer after this procedure. Again the vet has gone for thorough cleaning out and then sealing in a gentimycin bead. I am not sure how I feel about that at the minute but focusing on keeping him eating. He has lost some weight but then he hardly ate yesterday. Syringe feeding to top him up but he is managing bits of veg and hay.
I am still getting over how quickly it developed - must have been some aggressive bacteria at work :(.
Any get well vibes for Gregory would be appreciated - he is being v brave and taking syringe food so well but need him to eat properly now and fight.
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If you want a chat later let me now. I have plenty of free mins so can always call you.
 
Update



Gregory went down hill on Wednesday and smelt horrid so whipped him back to vet. A load of bloody gunk came out of abscess number 2 - it had part refilled since monday's op. So now treating as an open abscess and he is on Marbocyl - one of the ABs that Debbie has used at the Sanctuary. The challenge is that I am having to inject the marbocyl but I am learning fast. I am struggling more with the flushing out of the abscess - I think I am not firm enough but again Debbie has been providing some great information on 'milking' abscesses - ummm. Good news is that Gregory is amazingly calm about everything so here is a little pic of him syringe feeding - he makes it very easy.
 
Sending good wishes to Gregory and to you. Hoping things will soon improve.
 
Poor little guy! At least he seems like he is enjoying his syringe feed and it isn't a fight to get it into him!
 
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