£185 for abscess treatment - gulp - might as well just hand my paypacket to the vets!

[Teejay]

I got her spayed. They found a lump whilst doing the op, so that was removed and sent off for analysis. Removing the lump meant that she had a prolonged anaesthetic, which she didn't come round well from. She was at the vets for 3 days/2 nights recovering. When she came home, she wasn't eating but I was syringe feeding her. She then started passing bloody urine, so back to the vets. She was put on antibiotics which wreaked havoc with her GI tract, she didn't eat on her own for 3 weeks and was backwards and forwards to the vets for treatment, urine samples, xrays to rule out bladder stones, having her teeth filed (spikes growing where she wasn't eating), hospitalisation a few days/nights a week so that I could go to uni, sleep(!) etc. After the UTI/cystitis cleared up, she then got an abscess under her spay wound - more antibiotics, more problems eating, more time hospitalised etc.

The good news is that she's absolutely fine now!

Blimey......:{.....poor girl!.......but fab news that she's fine now! x

 

[Teejay]

I think it is also worth mentioning that your current vet features in my Top 10 UK cavy savvy vets and she is the one I recommend to anyone in the West Midlands

Yes, Marie is a great vet and I take all of my small furries to her, whether they be my own or boarders who are taken ill whilst in my care.

An abcess near the throat area is high risk compared to on the back/flank and also could be indicative of cervical lymphadenitis and therefore removal might be a better option than trying to treat with antibiotics. (I have had an outbreak in my pigs of cervical lymphadenitis and there is only one sure fire way to stop it spreading/cure the guinea pig and that is to surgically remove the infected area and treat with antibiotics)

There was initial talk about the lump possibly having lymph node involvement, but Marie managed to aspirate some pus from the lump, so she decided that it was most definitely an abscess. There was also some talk about the abscess possibly being related to a dental problem (although examination of Popsy's mouth was entirely normal), so a dental x-ray has been included in the quote for the op to completely rule that out.

I can completely understand why you would want a second opinion - I often seek a second opinion regarding my pigs. However if you want a second opinion (and price) on the relevance of the surgical option - I think you would be better going to see Simon Maddock at Cat and Rabbit in Dunston Northampton who is very reasonably priced and also very happy to prescribe zithromax.

I may have considered that if I had the luxury of more time, but I really feel like I need to get this sorted ASAP for Popsy's sake.

Thanks for your comments, very informative! x

 

[Teejay]

Please get a second vets opinion if your uncomfortable with her advice.

I do trust Marie's knowledge 100%, but I'm definitely a bit uncomfortable with jumping straight to surgery when there are possibly other less invasive and dangerous treatments that could be tried first.

I also felt very pressured into agreeing to the op there and then with very little time to think about it, I felt that any discussion of other treatment options was a 'no go' and I was made to feel quite guilty for suggesting we try antibiotics as a first course of treatment, the inference was that I was being cruel for even thinking about lancing the abscess (which I found especially hurtful as I care about my piggies more than anything).

Tracey x

 

[Jessie]

I read in the book about those, apparently they'll burst in there own time and to treat them warm salt water saves so much money. on vet bills.

 

[Amanda1801]

I read in the book about those, apparently they'll burst in there own time and to treat them warm salt water saves so much money. on vet bills.

Unfortunately they can spread and worsen very quickly, resulting in a dead guinea pig. Abscesses require at least a vets appointment and antibiotics, if not surgery to remove it. I'm sorry to be harsh, but if you'd rather risk your pets life in order to "save money", maybe you should think about whether or not you should have the animals in the first place?

See the quote below, from a hugely experienced GP keeper...

I don't want to panic you, but I lost one of my first piggies after an operation to remove a suddenly blown abscess on her neck - despite the operating vet (not a specialist, I hasten to add) being very confident that she'd got it all at the time, the infection went further into the body.

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I read in the book about those, apparently they'll burst in there own time and to treat them warm salt water saves so much money. on vet bills.

Never, ever leave an abscess and just wait for it to burst in its own time. This is very dangerous and likely to lead to the death of your guinea pig.