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Opening Up Wound

Lady Kelly

Lady Kelly

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So checking Donald today and he has scratched the healing wound on his chin where he has his abscesses removed. Two small parts opened up, both scabby and dried but the bottom one is clearly more open than the other. There is also what I assume an internal stitch which is now looped out and visible which I am worried he will catch. Obviously I'm going to call my vets first thing in the morning for advice but I know from my work calendar that if I need to take him in it will be Tuesday morning at the earliest (unless I'm really nice to the OH and he picks me up from work tomorrow with Donald ready (assuming I can go late afternoon). Feeling a bit sick as I don't have the strongest stomach for this kind of thing! Any advice?
 
eileen said:
maybe just clean the wound with boiled salt water.now this is the sick part,i love abscesses !:hug:
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What time shall I bring him round :lol!:

I have cleaned it a bit and he's still eating fine. He's still over a kilo in weight but unsurprisingly has lost a little, glad I have some leftover metacam that I can start giving again. I noticed the other day he had scratched it but it was just the surface and a tiny scab so was hoping it would be ok but he's obviously had a good scratch at it now
 
Could you phone the vet today for advice? It may have been long enough for you to be able to snip the stitch (I wouldn’t suggest you do this apart from on vets advice) sobhe cant catch it an rip it. I know I’ve had internal stitches snipped in me - as I don’t absorb them very well - they cause havoc.
 
Katiedid said:
Could you phone the vet today for advice? It may have been long enough for you to be able to snip the stitch (I wouldn’t suggest you do this apart from on vets advice) sobhe cant catch it an rip it. I know I’ve had internal stitches snipped in me - as I don’t absorb them very well - they cause havoc.
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My vets isn't open today unfortunately. He seems fine in himself and I will call them first thing tomorrow and try and get to chat to one of the vets. Luckily I have a meeting at another office tomorrow which my colleague is picking me up at 9.15am for so I will have longer in the morning to speak with them and to get him out to snip it if thats what they recommend
 
Ok well the only time they could see me today was before 5pm and seeing as my appointments at work continue til pm there is no way I could collect Donald and take him over there. I have an appointment at 9.20am tomorrow and luckily had booked out the morning to complete my monthly reports, kind of figure if I email the spreadsheets to myself I can start working really early tomorrow or maybe do some tonight and then I won't have so much time to make up. Checked the wound this morning and its no worse that it was, gave it another clean with saline solution, gave his nails another tiny clip to make them less likely to catch and gave him more metacam to make sure its not uncomfortable
 
Just a quick update on Donald. I got him out today for his metacam and the wound was already healing over. We went to the vets anyway but (after some snuggles and winning over another ladies heart) it was agreed he just needed metacam for a few more days and it should heal fine with maybe a bit more scar tissue than he would have otherwise had. The OH reckons he just wanted to look like a tough man by having an impressive scar but if he thinks that's going to keep the ladies in check he's got another think coming!
 
Eddi thinks Donal sounds like a really cool piggy, and if we lived closer he thinks they could be 'blueberry buddies' (in a very manly sort of way).
I hope Donald continues to improve.
 
Ok so I'm at a loss. He's scratched a second scab off now and it's partially open a bit higher up. I've cleaned it with saline to make sure no infection gets in but how will this ever heal if he keeps scratching it open? I'll monitor for the next couple of days but if it continues I'll have to go back to the specialist on my day off
 
The only time I have experienced a wound that hasn't healed quickly, was many years ago when I had an guinea pig operated on by the vet that the CCT used. I then had to take him to the local vet that I was using at that time, who said it wasn't healing due to infection. A course of antibiotics sorted it. I would be surprised if this was the reason that your piggy is experiencing problems though.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
The only time I have experienced a wound that hasn't healed quickly, was many years ago when I had an guinea pig operated on by the vet that the CCT used. I then had to take him to the local vet that I was using at that time, who said it wasn't healing due to infection. A course of antibiotics sorted it. I would be surprised if this was the reason that your piggy is experiencing problems though.
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I was at my vets yesterday and although it was scabbed over she had a good examination and was happy that it was doing fine and there was no infection. She said it's likely just to be in the itchy stage and he's being awkward (he also hates taking any meds including metacam which I've never experienced with a piggy). My OH has suggested we separate him so there's less chance of damaging it but I'm not sure that's a good idea as surely he's just doing it to himself
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
I wouldn't separate as he's more likely to scratch at himself, through boredom and stress at being taken away from his mate. Is he on metacam at the moment? The anti-inflammatory aspect will help with the itchiness.
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Yes as soon as he opened it up I put him back on. I still have baytril as well but the vet said to just stick with the metacam for now. It's only once a day though so might call about splitting the dose
 
If it is healing nicely and he keeps scratching it open because it is going through that itchy phase, would it be possible to tape his back feet for a couple of days just to let it heal over fully?
I am thinking of Elastoplast type tape.
 
Guinea pigs have such a fast metabolism, so metacam will be out of their system after 12 hours, so ideally you want to give it twice a day. I'd be looking at giving 0.25 - 0.3 ml twice a day. Your vet may be happy for you to give the 0.35 ml twice a day.
 
furryfriends (TEAS) said:
Guinea pigs have such a fast metabolism, so metacam will be out of their system after 12 hours, so ideally you want to give it twice a day. I'd be looking at giving 0.25 - 0.3 ml twice a day. Your vet may be happy for you to give the 0.35 ml twice a day.
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Thanks Debbie I will give them a call on my lunch break to ask them to give me a dosage for twice a day and try that
 
Swissgreys said:
If it is healing nicely and he keeps scratching it open because it is going through that itchy phase, would it be possible to tape his back feet for a couple of days just to let it heal over fully?
I am thinking of Elastoplast type tape.
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I thought that but I also thought that might be too stressful for him. Eileen mentioned a tubigrip to me but I think where it is would probably stop him from being able to open his mouth and eat properly so that's not an option either
 
Been waiting on a call back this afternoon but it's now 6.30 and they've closed. I may give a smidge tonight and then start from 0.25 tomorrow until they call me back with the right dosage for his weight
 
Ok so they called back around 7.30pm that night and it was a newer vet who only qualified last year and she told me that guinea pigs cannot have metacam twice a day. Now I have been prescribed it by other vets twice a day and knew she was wrong. I decided not to argue it and go on a lower safe twice daily dose of 0.25ml to be sure. Donald's doing well on it and so far hasn't scratched it again. I will carry on for now though likely to miss a dose Saturday as I'm away overnight and my OH isn't confident in medicating so I'll see on Sunday whether he has scratched again or if I can now stop the meds
 
Lady Kelly said:
Ok so they called back around 7.30pm that night and it was a newer vet who only qualified last year and she told me that guinea pigs cannot have metacam twice a day. Now I have been prescribed it by other vets twice a day and knew she was wrong. I decided not to argue it and go on a lower safe twice daily dose of 0.25ml to be sure. Donald's doing well on it and so far hasn't scratched it again. I will carry on for now though likely to miss a dose Saturday as I'm away overnight and my OH isn't confident in medicating so I'll see on Sunday whether he has scratched again or if I can now stop the meds
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Well done for holding your toungue - I would find it difficult to be polite when you are told something you know is clearly not true!
And I am glad to hear Donald is doing better.
 
What a brave boy Donald has been & also very naughty. Lol
It's lucky we are in this forum so we roughly know how much meds we can give our piggies, & if not we can ask. I know newbie vets are around (like newbie drivers) but you think I have been mum to guinea pigs for the last 10 or so years & go away.
 
Tiamolly123 said:
What a brave boy Donald has been & also very naughty. Lol
It's lucky we are in this forum so we roughly know how much meds we can give our piggies, & if not we can ask. I know newbie vets are around (like newbie drivers) but you think I have been mum to guinea pigs for the last 10 or so years & go away.
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Yea she was just saying what she believed to be the right thing and I didn't want to argue with her. Hopefully she will learn in time. Still it worked and I went with the bottom end of what Debbie said and it's now all healed nicely and he's started to gain some of the small weight loss he had had
 
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