Please help

[Jennifer1981]

My Guinea pig Timmy is 5 years old and has had an abscess for the last three weeks.we have paid 500 Canadian to our vet to clear up his abscess it was drained twice and than they gave him surgery to remove the abscess. A week later it came back. He has been on the antibiotic Baytril for 12 days. Does anyone know if there is stronger antibiotic or what to do. I am so frustrated, he has three stitches that I clean with saline 3 times a day. We can't afford much more does anyone have any ideas on how to clear up this infection. I love him so much. I just want him better. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Livia Rabideau]

I hope someone will answer, but I believe I have read on here that zithromax is good for abscesses. I'm sorry it has come back!

 

[Piggies&buns]

I don’t have personal experience of abscesses but baytril isn’t strong enough. Zithromax is the best type.
@furryfriends (TEAS) may be able to advise further

 

[Guinea Slave]

Hiya, sorry to hear about this. When I had a Guinea with an abscess the vet left it open, in fact she stitched it open. It was not great to look at but the hole left has to heal from the inside out otherwise the skin or scab grows over and the abscess comes back. With her, I had to flush with saline fluid twice a day then stuff with medical grade manuka honey and it healed well and never came back. The antibiotics will help but the wound treatment is key.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

Abscesses either need the whole capsule removing, or when this isn't possible, they need to be marsupialised, which means stitching the abscess capsule open to the skin surface, so that it can be flushed a couple of times a day. Abscesses need to heal from the inside outwards and this takes time and the abscess will continue to fill with pus, that needs to be flushed out. Baytril isn't really strong enough and Zithromax (azithromycin) is very much better for dealing with stubborn abscesses. Zithromax isn't licensed for use in animals, as it is a human antibiotic, so your vet may require you to sign a disclaimer.

 

[GPTV]

Timmy is gorgeous
My Grace was about 5 & she had an abscess in her cheek.
As furryfriends said I had to sign a disclaimer for the Zithromax, but Grace had this for about a month in total. Her abscess was marsupialised (stitched open), I had to pick the scab, clean any visible pus away with a cotton bud & flush the hole with Baytril twice daily. (she didn't go a bundle on this & two hands made the job so much easier!)
The Zithromax dries up the pus, its quite readily taken too.. Unlike Baytril!
You'll probably find your Timmy smells of bananas with it tho

Grace healed really well & considering she was a golden oldie like your Timmy, you'd never know she'd had anything done once her hair grew back.

Fingers crossed for your Timmy, healing vibes for a full & speedy recovery xx

 

[Bill & Ted]

Sending Timmy healing vibes x