• Discussions taking place within this forum are intended for the purpose of assisting you in discussing options with your vet. Any other use of advice given here is done so at your risk, is solely your responsibility and not that of this forum or its owner. Before posting it is your responsibility you abide by this Statement

Likely abscess - off to the vets

Lady Kelly

Lady Kelly

Senior Guinea Pig
Joined
Jan 11, 2011
Messages
18,588
Reaction score
36,903
Points
2,115
Location
Leicester
Got up this morning to find Daisy has a small hard lump on her cheek. Did a weight check and she's lost weight too šŸ˜£ her weight yo-yo's between 980g and 725g. It's not unusual for her to lose 20g a week for a few weeks and then gain it all back. She's always done this in the over 5 years I've had her but today she weighs under 700g and feels skinny. When I got Daisy she was fully grown which makes her at least 6.5 years old. Although I tell my husband we aren't allowed a favourite she has always been his favourite (and if I'm being really honest she's mine too). She's just such a delightful, inquisitive piggy. She won over the nurses at Chine House when Donald was in there for his operation for a few nights. Unfortunately I had to wait until this afternoon for an appointment as Jessica was asleep and I need my mum to come up to look after her as I will need to wait in the car while Daisy is being seen. That just gives me plenty of time to worry doesn't it?! I don't believe she has dental problems from watching her eat so hopefully it's just a rough puncture that turned into an abscess (I can't think of the lump being anything else where it is). I don't think the vet is likely to consider zithromax as an antibiotic but I will ask when they collect her from me that if it is an abscess they consider it to give her the best chance
 
Well spotted Kelly. Hope you can go in with her at the vets (ours allow it for first appointments) and explain whatā€™s been going on with her. Good luck Daisy x
 
Hope Daisy is ok and the vet can sort it out, sounds like you spotted it very early anyway! If it is an abscess I think trying to remove it intact is the best option rather than slow draining and risk it growing or spreading or recurring... but @furryfriends (TEAS) is the abscess expert of course, we've only had 1 here! Best of luck and healing wheeks x
 
Hope Daisy is ok, sending healing wheeks. ā¤
 
VickiA said:
Well spotted Kelly. Hope you can go in with her at the vets (ours allow it for first appointments) and explain whatā€™s been going on with her. Good luck Daisy x
Click to expand...

Nope not allowed in at our vets. Have a note for the vet as I'm sure she's had ovarian cysts for a couple of years but not causing problems. But now with weight loss they could perhaps be contributing and I wouldn't be surprised if she had the start of cataracts as her eyes seem to be getting gradually lighter. Might as well get everything check while she's there.

PigglePuggle said:
Hope Daisy is ok and the vet can sort it out, sounds like you spotted it very early anyway! If it is an abscess I think trying to remove it intact is the best option rather than slow draining and risk it growing or spreading or recurring... but @furryfriends (TEAS) is the abscess expert of course, we've only had 1 here! Best of luck and healing wheeks x
Click to expand...

Yes I appreciate that, it really depends on what they are willing to do today. Given her low weight as well it's a difficult one and her older age. Obviously the general anaesthetic will be more risky. Obviously if she's otherwise in good health it's better to do it sooner rather than later but might need a referral as my vets are general vets who just happen to be quite good.

Here early so just waiting on her to be collected.
 
Hmm so the vet tried a needle it in which was very difficult given its so small and very close to her eye. Vet warned that it could be dental related but too much food in her mouth that she couldn't clear. Felt her abdomen too and believes she can feel cysts. So she's ordering zithromax in for me and will prescribe metacam too. We will monitor for a week or so and see what happens. Based on what happens with the pain relief as well dictates the next move as, if it doesn't appear to be dental related, it might be that we need to look at treating the cysts as they could be causing pain.

Got home and Daisy ate 10 pellets out my hand and also a green bean. Captured a video and there is no sign of difficulty that you normally see with eating if there is a dental problem

 
Glad to see she still appears to have her munching abilities. Hopefully it wonā€™t grow any more in the next week.
 
Lady Kelly said:
Hmm so the vet tried a needle it in which was very difficult given its so small and very close to her eye. Vet warned that it could be dental related but too much food in her mouth that she couldn't clear. Felt her abdomen too and believes she can feel cysts. So she's ordering zithromax in for me and will prescribe metacam too. We will monitor for a week or so and see what happens. Based on what happens with the pain relief as well dictates the next move as, if it doesn't appear to be dental related, it might be that we need to look at treating the cysts as they could be causing pain.

Got home and Daisy ate 10 pellets out my hand and also a green bean. Captured a video and there is no sign of difficulty that you normally see with eating if there is a dental problem

Click to expand...

No, she's definitely tucking at full speed! Fingers firmly crossed.
 
So I went back to the vets today as they had to order the zithromax. So Daisy has had antibiotics and pain relief today. I gave her some veg while she was out and there is definitely nothing wrong with her appetite. She devoured a green bean, half a slice of cucumber, a thin slice of apple, a piece of sweet potato skin and a slice of red pepper! (Sounds a bit like the hungry caterpillar book :))) She had gained a little weight but weighed at a different time of day so tomorrow will be a better marker of that.
 
Lady Kelly said:
So I went back to the vets today as they had to order the zithromax. So Daisy has had antibiotics and pain relief today. I gave her some veg while she was out and there is definitely nothing wrong with her appetite. She devoured a green bean, half a slice of cucumber, a thin slice of apple, a piece of sweet potato skin and a slice of red pepper! (Sounds a bit like the hungry caterpillar book :))) She had gained a little weight but weighed at a different time of day so tomorrow will be a better marker of that.
Click to expand...

My Dylan did get on top of his brewing dental abscess just before we were off to a family Christmas visit abroad in 2019 with two lots of zithromax and high metacam if that does help you. Kim and I were both rather pleasantly surprised - and it was well worth the week syringe feeding when he lost his appetite for a week just at the very end after we'd come back home again.

All the best!
 
Well Daisy is over 700g again on weighing today. I can't decide if the lump has grown a tiny bit or not. Will continue to monitor but hopefully the weight gain continues so if she needs an operation to remove the abscess she's in the best possible position to come through it
 
Lady Kelly said:
Well Daisy is over 700g again on weighing today. I can't decide if the lump has grown a tiny bit or not. Will continue to monitor but hopefully the weight gain continues so if she needs an operation to remove the abscess she's in the best possible position to come through it
Click to expand...

I necessary, take pictures for comparison but good that the lump seems to have settled down somewhat.
 
Lady Kelly said:
It's hard because it's such a small lump. I'm not sure I could capture changes on a photo. I might try though, better than just guessing
Click to expand...

Or use a millimetre ruler for a size guesstimate. That usually works for me with small areas and lumps.
 
Well Daisy's weight is slowly on the up. Still absolutely no problem with eating/appetite. The suspected abscess looks different in that the hair is not sticking up all around it but doesn't feel like it's changed in size at all. Attempts to measure have failed on account of the bossy little madam constantly headbutting the ruler :))

I'm not too sure what the next step would be. Don't really want to consider operating without confirmation that we are dealing with an abscess. Can't rule out that the weight gain is due to the pain relief and it could have been the ovarian cysts causing weight loss.
 
I hope Daisy makes a good recovery and does not require too many interventions.i like a piggy with sass,Daisy rules!
 
The pain meds ran out last night. Weight gain is happening slowly which is a good sign. Think the lump is shrinking or maybe I'm imagining it. Going to see what happens to her weight without pain relief while still on zithromax for a clue as to what's going on
 
So Daisy has maintained the weight she has gained without the pain relief which makes me think that the weight loss was not a pain response. The lump looks smaller I think (hard to tell when it was so small and you are looking everyday, I will try photographing it later for a comparison) but it still feels similar in size to what it was. I'm going to continue with Zithromax until Friday when she will have been on it for 3 weeks. If there is no obvious change I will call the vets again and see what the next steps are.

Although she's gained weight she only weighs around 715g at the moment. She is still too skinny and I know at her age we won't gain quickly and she may never regain it all.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top