Wondering about what might be an abscess

[Spillmare2]

Hey my 3-4 year old guinea pig had a baseball sized lump in her back/side and it burst the other day with what I'm assuming to be pus, I called the vet and they said it's probably an abscess but they cant know for sure without looking at it, I cant afford to bring her up at the moment as just getting it looked at is $91, they just told me to keep the area clean until then but I'm still worried about her ofc

 

[Piggies&buns]

Welcome to the forum

I’m afraid we can only advise that she sees a vet - she could need antibiotics and burst abscesses can refill so the fact it burst may not mean the issue is over.
Any pus left inside the capsule will restart the infection: this is why abscesses are often surgically dealt with by being stitched open so you can flush the abscess from inside a few times a day, alongside a course of antibiotics or surgical removal or the entire capsule. Abscesses have to heal from the inside out.
Potentially all you can do at home is keep that outside clean if you aren’t able to get inside it if there isn’t an accessible hole (they can scab over quite quickly and need to be reopened frequently to allow the pus out) nor if you have been shown how to properly keep it open and flushed.
Our advice doeent replace a vet check though as we aren’t able to know exactly what you are dealing with and aren’t qualified to diagnose.
Are you able to borrow some money so she can see a vet?

Otherwise switch from the routine weekly weight checks and instead weigh her daily so you can more closely monitor her hay intake. Any pain and discomfort can stop from them eating enough hay.

I hope she is ok

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[Wheekallweek]

Sorry but she does need to see a vet for some antibiotics and pain relief.

Could you perhaps borrow the money? Or discuss a payment plan with your vet?

 

[Merab]

I agree that a vet trip is needed.
We all understand about the costs though.
@Wheekallweek has made a couple of good suggestions for you.

 

[Freela]

Does the area smell infected? If so, it's more likely to be an abscess, if not it may be a sebaceous cyst. If it's a large abscess or cyst that has ruptured, you are best to do your utmost to get a vet assessment. Some cysts/abscesses need antibiotics/pain meds, or are too large to close on their own and need some sort of aftercare. A baseball-sized lump is a HUGE lump on a small animal and it may not be able to close up on its own. In the meantime, you can irrigate it with sterile saline to keep the area clean and monitor weight while you try to get the means to have your pig assessed.