Robin had his cyst operated on, but it came back...

[retro]

It was a very contagious abscess! Not a cyst. I’m used to saying cyst.


So, my piggie Robin, turns out had an abscess. The vet did me a huge favor and it only cost me all the small amount of money that I had in my bank account, and he did a great job. He was experienced and knew what he was talking about. He owns guinea pigs himself and we both geeked out about some piggie knowledge!

The cyst was drained. They said it was a lot, and there were pockets across his neck or something?

He went home, I’ve been giving him his meds, but there’s a problem. When I woke up the next morning (today) his cyst was back completely. The would had healed and there’s a scab. (Guinea pigs heal FAST. TOOOOO fast sometimes.) So now it can’t drain. Has anyone else experienced this? Please let me know what you did. Is something seriously wrong, or is this a normal thing?

There is a very tiny hole and he bled a little but that’s about it. The original size of the gash was about an inch. Now it’s maybe 2cm at most.

If I have to see the vet, who isn’t in until later in the week, I won’t have the money. This is scary times. Scary.

I cried this morning holding him, just praying that he’ll make it and be ok. My emotions are nuts right now and I’m really shaken. I’m really worried.

If you guys have experienced this, please share how it went. Good or bad. Or if this is normal, like, it happens? I love Robin so much. He’s currently quarantined and in our emergency cage until he heals and can get back to Ziggy. Poor Ziggy is so lonely.

Just looking for any similar situations and advice.

 

[amber89]

I am so sorry that you are going through this.
Unfortunately I have no experience with such cases.
I wish your Robin that he recovers.
Fingers and paws are crossed

 

[retro]

I am so sorry that you are going through this.
Unfortunately I have no experience with such cases.
I wish your Robin that he recovers.
Fingers and paws are crossed

Thank you. I like your username!

 

[Freela]

So my understanding is that this was an abscess that was lanced and drained? They opened up the pocket of pus and left it open to heal? If so, it's going to be helpful for you to keep on cleaning out the abscess until it heals from the inside out. It will continue to fill with pus, as you have seen. You can soften/remove the scab using warm water mixed with peroxide to soften the scab (it will foam up and eat away at the scab, making it easier to remove.) Then you can gently express the pus and irrigate the wound with some sterile saline (I actually just buy saline for contact lenses for this purpose- not cleaning solution, just rinse labelled as sterile saline.) You can do this a couple of times a day while the wound is healing. Did your vet prescribe any antibiotics? A good antibiotic will also help this clear over time... my understand is that Zithromax is very good for abscesses, though my pig was on chloramphenicol when we were dealing with a nasty facial abscess. Unfortunately healing an abscess is a long process of aftercare. Hope this helps a bit and best of luck!

 

[Betsy]

@furryfriends (TEAS) is the abscess queen on the forum and I'm sure will be along soon with some advice.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

What medications are you giving? I am guessing you've been prescribed an antibiotic. I am currently dealing with a piggy, who has a very deep and challenging abscess and we are treating with the antibiotics Zithromax and Marbocyl. Usually using just Zithromax would be sufficient, but as this one is so nasty, we are needing to really hit it hard. I am also flushing twice daily. It is impotant to keep it open so you can keep removing the pus, that it will continue to produce.. It won't be a quick fix.

Why have you separated him from his cagemate?

 

[retro]

What medications are you giving? I am guessing you've been prescribed an antibiotic. I am currently dealing with a piggy, who has a very deep and challenging abscess and we are treating with the antibiotics Zithromax and Marbocyl. Usually using just Zithromax would be sufficient, but as this one is so nasty, we are needing to really hit it hard. I am also flushing twice daily. It is impotant to keep it open so you can keep removing the pus, that it will continue to produce.. It won't be a quick fix.

Why have you separated him from his cagemate?

I was told it was contagious.

I have something called Bactrim.
I am prepared to take this into my own hands at this point. I am getting some supplies today, for a new cyst emergency kit.

 

[retro]

So my understanding is that this was an abscess that was lanced and drained? They opened up the pocket of pus and left it open to heal? If so, it's going to be helpful for you to keep on cleaning out the abscess until it heals from the inside out. It will continue to fill with pus, as you have seen. You can soften/remove the scab using warm water mixed with peroxide to soften the scab (it will foam up and eat away at the scab, making it easier to remove.) Then you can gently express the pus and irrigate the wound with some sterile saline (I actually just buy saline for contact lenses for this purpose- not cleaning solution, just rinse labelled as sterile saline.) You can do this a couple of times a day while the wound is healing. Did your vet prescribe any antibiotics? A good antibiotic will also help this clear over time... my understand is that Zithromax is very good for abscesses, though my pig was on chloramphenicol when we were dealing with a nasty facial abscess. Unfortunately healing an abscess is a long process of aftercare. Hope this helps a bit and best of luck!

I love my guinea pig and will do everything in my power. I have Bactrim. I am getting supplies now. Thank you so much. I am going to get Saskia from LAGPR to help me.

 

[retro]

I love my guinea pig and will do everything in my power. I have Bactrim. I am getting supplies now. Thank you so much. I am going to get Saskia from LAGPR to help me.

Well, not necessarily saskia but someone to help.

 

[rhymer]

I agree with the advice given. The wound needs to be opened and flushed a couple of times a day. Abscesses are messy and horrible taking a long time to heal.
Fingers crossed and healing vibes for Robin.x

 

[retro]

I agree with the advice given. The wound needs to be opened and flushed a couple of times a day. Abscesses are messy and horrible taking a long time to heal.
Fingers crossed and healing vibes for Robin.x

Thank you Rhymer. I got the supplies and am going to keep cleaning it!

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Sorry to hear your troubles, we’ve had a similar thing recently. What dose of bactrim is it and what weight of piggy? We used that initially for Tonks but even on the max dose for her weight it wasn’t strong enough. We moved onto marbocyl and that worked wonders.

Has the abscess opened again? Once it has you’ll need a syringe and needle (not to inject but to concentrate the stream) and some saline solution to flush it out. We did it 3 times a day when it was bad.

Good luck, hope piggy heals up soon!

 

[retro]

Sorry to hear your troubles, we’ve had a similar thing recently. What dose of bactrim is it and what weight of piggy? We used that initially for Tonks but even on the max dose for her weight it wasn’t strong enough. We moved onto marbocyl and that worked wonders.

Has the abscess opened again? Once it has you’ll need a syringe and needle (not to inject but to concentrate the stream) and some saline solution to flush it out. We did it 3 times a day when it was bad.

Good luck, hope piggy heals up soon!

Hi!
I think it’s 0.6ml? syringe and I don’t have anything to reopen it. It’s already closed. I have all the supplies but here in America people don’t sell scalpels where I live. Or needles to withdraw.

 

[retro]

Hi!
I think it’s 0.6ml? syringe and I don’t have anything to reopen it. It’s already closed. I have all the supplies but here in America people don’t sell scalpels where I live. Or needles to withdraw.

I can get it on amazon but my funds are gone pretty much...

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Can you soften the scab to open it again? I definitely wouldn’t recommend cutting into your pig yourself, it could make matters way worse.

Is there a rescue locally that could help you?

 

[retro]

Sorry to hear your troubles, we’ve had a similar thing recently. What dose of bactrim is it and what weight of piggy? We used that initially for Tonks but even on the max dose for her weight it wasn’t strong enough. We moved onto marbocyl and that worked wonders.

Has the abscess opened again? Once it has you’ll need a syringe and needle (not to inject but to concentrate the stream) and some saline solution to flush it out. We did it 3 times a day when it was bad.

Good luck, hope piggy heals up soon!

I also have a question. Should I keep Robin with his cage mate? He’s not leaking or anything...They were getting so depressed. Robin is now with Ziggy again...

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

I also have a question. Should I keep Robin with his cage mate? He’s not leaking or anything...They were getting so depressed. Robin is now with Ziggy again...

I’m no expert but I don’t see why not. Tonks healed a LOT better when she was allowed in with her friends again

 

[retro]

Can you soften the scab to open it again? I definitely wouldn’t recommend cutting into your pig yourself, it could make matters way worse.

Is there a rescue locally that could help you?

No but the vet can help me with supplies.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

No but the vet can help me with supplies.

Can they help you with opening and flushing the wound?

 

[retro]

Can they help you with opening and flushing the wound?

I know! Ziggy is a baby and he missed his brother. I smiled so much when I saw them together again. They were rumble strutting and purring, but you know how boys are! They’re lovey dovey now.


yes, they will. The vet will show me how. He actually was going to send me home with the stuff. They’re really nice there and the vet is a softie for piggies. (He has his own.) so I think it’ll be okay. I just have to make sure he will get back to me ASAP. He’s not in till later this week but now I’m just cleaning the wound, keeping medicines going and making sure it doesn’t COMPLETELY close. Peroxide helps. I don’t want to have to cut into him or anything, so I’m just waiting it out, but monitoring very closely.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

I know! Ziggy is a baby and he missed his brother. I smiled so much when I saw them together again. They were rumble strutting and purring, but you know how boys are! They’re lovey dovey now.


yes, they will. The vet will show me how. He actually was going to send me home with the stuff. They’re really nice there and the vet is a softie for piggies. (He has his own.) so I think it’ll be okay. I just have to make sure he will get back to me ASAP. He’s not in till later this week but now I’m just cleaning the wound, keeping medicines going and making sure it doesn’t COMPLETELY close. Peroxide helps. I don’t want to have to cut into him or anything, so I’m just waiting it out, but monitoring very closely.

What dose per weight of the antibiotics are you doing? Have you got metacam (pain relief/anti inflammatory) too?

Personally I’d be reluctant to wait too long to get it sorted as cleaning the outside sadly won’t help much. I always worry as they can get pretty nasty quite quickly. Is there anyone he can recommend to help in the meantime?

 

[Seven7]

Sorry to hear about your situation with your boy.
I would call the doctor and ask first what to do. Just voice your concern about your boy and tell him you are worried about your boy. It shouldn't cost a penny to hear the doctor's opinion about what the next step should be. If you have to carry on the cleaning out the wound, the doctor should give you tips on how to do it.

I know how scary it could be when your beloved pet is sick like that. I have gone through it before and it isn't pretty.

 

[retro]

What dose per weight of the antibiotics are you doing? Have you got metacam (pain relief/anti inflammatory) too?

Personally I’d be reluctant to wait too long to get it sorted as cleaning the outside sadly won’t help much. I always worry as they can get pretty nasty quite quickly. Is there anyone he can recommend to help in the meantime?

No...and it’s 0.6ml twice a day. We don’t do it per weight here.

I have no choice. He’s the only doctor around....

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

No...and it’s 0.6ml twice a day. We don’t do it per weight here.

I have no choice. He’s the only doctor around....

Ah yea that’s topping the dosage, perhaps worth trying a new antibiotic if it doesn’t help. Generally it’s a measured dose per kilo but I was tired when I wrote that I would definitely recommend asking for some metacam, that will really help.

Even a general vet could probably deal with opening it and show how to flush, dogs and cats get them too.

 

[retro]

Ah yea that’s topping the dosage, perhaps worth trying a new antibiotic if it doesn’t help. Generally it’s a measured dose per kilo but I was tired when I wrote that I would definitely recommend asking for some metacam, that will really help.

Even a general vet could probably deal with opening it and show how to flush, dogs and cats get them too.

Yeah, right now the vet took all my money so I’m just hoping that...somehow I can get him better. I gave his dose of meds last night and it felt like the cyst was getting smaller. Maybe my imagination?

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Yeah, right now the vet took all my money so I’m just hoping that...somehow I can get him better. I gave his dose of meds last night and it felt like the cyst was getting smaller. Maybe my imagination?

Maybe, but in my experience without flushing it’s less likely to heal. We had to flush Tonks for a long time before it healed. 5-6 weeks maybe?

 

[retro]

Maybe, but in my experience without flushing it’s less likely to heal. We had to flush Tonks for a long time before it healed. 5-6 weeks maybe?

Yeah. I’m looking for blunt tip syringes right now to insert through the scab for a controlled draining with a syringe. We have a local farm animal store, surely they will have something.

 

[Cavy Kung-Fu]

Yeah. I’m looking for blunt tip syringes right now to insert through the scab for a controlled draining with a syringe. We have a local farm animal store, surely they will have something.

I really wouldn’t recommend trying that yourself in case he got hurt from moving. I certainly wouldn’t trust myself to do anything like that. Home treating can often do more harm than good

I’ll tag @furryfriends (TEAS) and @Wiebke as I really don’t know what to suggest other than seek vet treatment rather than home treatment.

 

[Wiebke]

If cysts keeps refilling very quickly, it needs operating out. Home DIY won't stop the cyst and can lead to it abscessing/infecting.

 

[retro]

I really wouldn’t recommend trying that yourself in case he got hurt from moving. I certainly wouldn’t trust myself to do anything like that. Home treating can often do more harm than good

I’ll tag @furryfriends (TEAS) and @Wiebke as I really don’t know what to suggest other than seek vet treatment rather than home treatment.

It’s more of a money problem. I don’t have a job, I’m disabled.... I can’t afford another vet visit. And if I can’t tend to it at home, I sure as heck can’t afford boarding him and getting him taken care of at the vet. Not a lot of people understand that. The vet shoulda told me this. He just told me to put this pink stuff on the wound and give him antibiotics. I’m new at owning guinea pigs. How the hell was I supposed to know? You know? (Yes I understand the medical costs. Please don’t judge me on ‘irresponsibility’ Or ‘non deserving of owning a piggie’ I know how people are. Not saying you are, of course! Some people don’t understand my situation though.) Hopefully the vet helps me. He helped me out financially but it took everything I had. I sold stuff to get that. I’m getting mad at this point because I just want him to get better and this is a situation that should’ve been avoided. And I’ll do anything to make sure that Robin gets well. I’m like furious rn tbh. Not at you. At this situation. A good fancy vet cost $1200-$1500. I can’t do that.