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Specialist Recurring Abcesses

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Hcp

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My guinea Squeak has had two operations in 10 days to try and clear out recurring abscesses on his jaw. Each time the incision was left open so I could flush it twice a day with saline. He was also prescribed Baytril and Loxicom. Unfortunately the lump has come back and the vet has told me that she could try and operate again and try and cut more away than before, but that she cannot guarantee success. There is also a risk because he would need to be anaesthetised for much longer than before and it would leave a big wound. She feels overall the prognosis isn't good, and that euthanasia may be the kindest option. I am devastated and am desperate to know if anyone has been through something similar who may have other options for me to consider. Are there any other treatments which have helped? I really don't want to lose my boy :-(
 
Hi and welcome!

Could you please add your location to your details, so we can help you better. We have got members from all over the world. Please add your country, state or (for the UK) your county to your details by clicking on your username on the top bar, then going to personal details and location.

Would your vet consider zithromax as an antibiotic? It is the one that works best with stubborn abscesses.

I am tagging our abscess expert for you: @furryfriends Excellent Adventure Sanctuary
 
Thanks for your reply :-) I am based in Wiltshire.
I will definitely mention zithromax to my vet. It is widely available in the UK?
 
I deal with a lot of abscesses in guinea pigs at my sanctuary. Zithromax is generally the very best antibiotic to use, and although it isn't licenced for use in guinea pigs, the results are amazing. Please ask your vet to consider it. Your vet is very welcome to contact mine regarding its use and dosages. My vet is Simon Maddock at The Cat and Rabbit Care Clinic in Northampton. Phone no is 01604 478888. I can give you lots of info regarding the post op care of abscesses and how to flush them and keep them open so they can heal from the inside outwards.
 
Thank you so much :-) I am speaking to my vet later today so will let you know the outcome. Thanks again! :-)
 
You could not get much bigger than the abscess we have been dealing with on our poor little brave girl, Dwynwen and it is amazing how the wound has reduced (with lots of care) over the last 7 weeks. She is till not out of the tunnel yet as there may be adhesions internally but her wound is incredible! We used Zithromax and now she is on 2 different antibiotics to try to get her well (including one which has to be injected).

Good luck but there are definitely avenues you can try x
 
It can take a really long time for abscesses to totally clear and it's normal during that time for them to keep refilling. When your are irrigating the wound after it is opened and drained, are you making sure to keep it open? It sounds counterproductive, but you really don't want that hole to close up prematurely. You want to keep it open so that you can irrigate it, express any additional pus, and let it heal from the inside out. My pig, Sundae, had a huge abscess very deep into the jaw muscle... it took several months of me irrigating/squeezing/cleaning for it to heal, but it did heal, and it was a pretty horrible deep hole in her face at the time. As others have said, zithromax is supposed to be the best antibiotic for abscesses. It's not in common use everywhere, so other antibiotics can be used too (my vet primarily uses chloramphenicol.) With aftercare pigs can make full recoveries from even deep abscesses, but it can take time and lots of aftercare.
 
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