As the the title says my piggie that's a little bit more than a year old has gotten a abscess under his chin area but it doesnt seem like a normal abscess as its deep under the skin.He's gone to vet twice and both times they drained it and put him on antibiotics but it just keeps filling back up. Has anyone else had this type of problem and what helped to get rid of it
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Abscess under my piggies neck
- Thread starter foodnamez
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hi there, I’ve had a 1.8 year old sow who had something like this. vet couldn’t fully diagnose as sadly she passed before we could xray etc. he says it could have been wound infection, tooth problems but mostly likely cancer in her lymph nodes. her abscess was on her jaw but down very slightly, how about yours piggies’? all I could do with my girl was drain it, keep the wound clean using a damp towel with warm water on it and give her a bath of only warm water every few days to insure it was fully cleaned. have you or your vet had a look at his teeth, not just the front ones? does he fight his cage mate/s is he has any, could be a wound infection like I said before. just make sure he is still eating and drinking, as if the abscess is near her mouth/jaw it may cause him pain to move his head or consume things. If he’s a younger pig and the abscess is a good size you may be able to consider removing it in surgery. sadly I'm unable to say what could fully get rid of it but all I’ll say is keep him as comfortable, stress free and healthy as you can 
. If there’s anything else I can do to help, just let me know!
Good luck with everything and may he have a smooth recovery!
. If there’s anything else I can do to help, just let me know!Good luck with everything and may he have a smooth recovery!
Yes the vet looked at all his teeth didn't see anything wrong with them. He still eats and drinks just fine but the abscess itself doesn't have a head it's litteraly behind his skin and it looks like a lump the vet also mentioned it's not anything cancerous here's also two pictures of the neck areahi there, I’ve had a 1.8 year old sow who had something like this. vet couldn’t fully diagnose as sadly she passed before we could xray etc. he says it could have been wound infection, tooth problems but mostly likely cancer in her lymph nodes. her abscess was on her jaw but down very slightly, how about yours piggies’? all I could do with my girl was drain it, keep the wound clean using a damp towel with warm water on it and give her a bath of only warm water every few days to insure it was fully cleaned. have you or your vet had a look at his teeth, not just the front ones? does he fight his cage mate/s is he has any, could be a wound infection like I said before. just make sure he is still eating and drinking, as if the abscess is near her mouth/jaw it may cause him pain to move his head or consume things. If he’s a younger pig and the abscess is a good size you may be able to consider removing it in surgery. sadly I'm unable to say what could fully get rid of it but all I’ll say is keep him as comfortable, stress free and healthy as you can
Good luck with everything and may he have a smooth recovery!
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hmmm.. it seems quite large but its good that it’s not cancer. if i find any more info about this then ill definitely let you know. but sadly for now there’s nothing else i can think of :/ ,sorry. does he struggle to eat out a bowl by the way? or do you scatter feed? if he does struggle, I recommend using cat bowls or saucers as they have lower sides
Gem789
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I'm going to tag our abscess queen @furryfriends (TEAS) .I had a piggy in the past with an abscess on his face that had to be flushed daily,he was also put on zithromax.
That was the first antibiotics he was put on but we only did it for 10 days because he started to not eat or drink correctly so vet suggested we take him off of it and we've been on a new antibiotics for almost 2 weeks and feels like it's just still coming back
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Oh bless,I did have another piggy on zithromax and it caused her to stop eating.It is a very strong antibiotic but affective for abscess's.Hopefully furry friends will see this post and be able to give advice x
What antibiotic is he on now?
Zithromax is definitely the best antibiotic for an abscess.
They usually need to be kept open and flushed out a few times a day to stop them from refilling and to allow it to heal from the inside out.
Did you step in with syringe feeding when she stopped eating?
Zithromax is definitely the best antibiotic for an abscess.
They usually need to be kept open and flushed out a few times a day to stop them from refilling and to allow it to heal from the inside out.
Did you step in with syringe feeding when she stopped eating?
Hello I’m sorry your piggy has an abscess. I’ve had a piggy with a tooth root abscess. I’ve attached his thread for you to have a read of there’s lots of helpful information from people on the forum. (Page 5 onwards).
He had it lanced and stitched open. Then I had to clean it three times a day and keep the wound open as long as I could so it could drain. He was on a 6 week course of Zithromax and he stopped eating completely for the whole 6 weeks he was on it. But he started eating once he finished the course. I hope that helps? Good luck I hope your piggy is soon on the road to recovery.
He had it lanced and stitched open. Then I had to clean it three times a day and keep the wound open as long as I could so it could drain. He was on a 6 week course of Zithromax and he stopped eating completely for the whole 6 weeks he was on it. But he started eating once he finished the course. I hope that helps? Good luck I hope your piggy is soon on the road to recovery.
I’ve been away this week and came back early so I could get Pepper checked out at the vets. He’s not eating very well. I couldn’t get him in at the vets before
I went away as it was the long 4 day bank holiday and our vets were not making any appointments. Anyway I’ve got back early and looked at his teeth. They look wonky so hopefully they will just need a little straightening up tomorrow.
I went away as it was the long 4 day bank holiday and our vets were not making any appointments. Anyway I’ve got back early and looked at his teeth. They look wonky so hopefully they will just need a little straightening up tomorrow.
When they first looked at your piggies teeth did they see anything wrong with them. Because when I brought meatloaf in they drained his abscess with a needle and the vet said they checked all his teeth out and they looked fine and healthyHello I’m sorry your piggy has an abscess. I’ve had a piggy with a tooth root abscess. I’ve attached his thread for you to have a read of there’s lots of helpful information from people on the forum. (Page 5 onwards).
He had it lanced and stitched open. Then I had to clean it three times a day and keep the wound open as long as I could so it could drain. He was on a 6 week course of Zithromax and he stopped eating completely for the whole 6 weeks he was on it. But he started eating once he finished the course. I hope that helps? Good luck I hope your piggy is soon on the road to recovery.
I’ve been away this week and came back early so I could get Pepper checked out at the vets. He’s not eating very well. I couldn’t get him in at the vets before
I went away as it was the long 4 day bank holiday and our vets were not making any appointments. Anyway I’ve got back early and looked at his teeth. They look wonky so hopefully they will just need a little straightening up tomorrow.
Hi. His front teeth were slanted. That is what alerted me to the fact that something was wrong. The back ones looked fine. The front ones were slanted because he was eating on one side as the abscess was brewing and it was painful to eat on the other side but there were no symptoms yet.
Yeah his front teeth are completely fine and so are his back. I personally thought it was a infected lymphnode but the vet said that abscess is too far down to be his lymphnode. Another thing I mentioned that meatloaf was a horrible bar chewer and maybe he poked himself and it caused a infection.
Wheekallweek
Adult Guinea Pig
Aw, poor Meatloaf 
My bunny had a jaw abscess which was successfully treated temporarily a few times, but it did keep coming back so she had a tooth removed so it could drain. I don't think your piggy's abscess is linked to a tooth though!
I think it would be worth chatting with the vet about either leaving the abscess open and flushing it daily, or perhaps surgery to have it completely marsupialised.
My bunny had a jaw abscess which was successfully treated temporarily a few times, but it did keep coming back so she had a tooth removed so it could drain. I don't think your piggy's abscess is linked to a tooth though!
I think it would be worth chatting with the vet about either leaving the abscess open and flushing it daily, or perhaps surgery to have it completely marsupialised.
Sorry for the late reply. He's currently on Enrofloxacin
Yeah we were trying to avoid surgery but at this point it may be the only option we have leftAw, poor Meatloaf
My bunny had a jaw abscess which was successfully treated temporarily a few times, but it did keep coming back so she had a tooth removed so it could drain. I don't think your piggy's abscess is linked to a tooth though!
I think it would be worth chatting with the vet about either leaving the abscess open and flushing it daily, or perhaps surgery to have it completely marsupialised.
If it keeps coming back them marsupialisation will be the best thing to do.
I think Pepper got his by running into the side of his cage when I was trying to pick him up. I think his tooth was loose and bacteria got in. But that’s just me second guessing.
I've had it drained twice already. I made another vet visit for this Tuesday so hopefully we can get this thing gone for good
Enrofloxacin (baytril) generally isn’t strong enough to deal wish an abscess.
I agree that marsupialisation (removal of the whole capsule) may end up being needed.
Draining, if the wound isn’t left open and flushed out a few times day, often just means it does just seal and refill.
I agree that marsupialisation (removal of the whole capsule) may end up being needed.
Draining, if the wound isn’t left open and flushed out a few times day, often just means it does just seal and refill.
I was thinking of asking the vet if we should do another round of zithromax and just stick to it longer than the 10 days I did last time and just syringe feed him critical care if he slows down on eating and drinking
Wheekallweek
Adult Guinea Pig
Fingers crossed!
That sounds like a good idea. Good luck at the vets. Painkillers are needed too.
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I deal with a lot of abscesses, as I run a sanctuary for guinea pigs with ongoing health issues. Draining an abscess by inserting a needle is incredibly risky. A few years ago, a guinea pig came into our care, where the previous vet had used this method. This had caused the abscess to leak under the skin and form lots more pockets of pus, that had spread throughout the whole of the guinea pigs body. Abscesses must be dealt with properly. Ideally, the whole abscess capsule should be removed. However, this is often not possible, so marsupialisation of the abscess must be carried out. This involves opening the abscess capsule, draining it and then stitching the capsule to the skin, leaving a hole open, to enable flushing of the abscess a number of times a day. The abscess will continue to form pus, as it heals from the inside, outwards. A strong antibiotic will be needed, ideally azithromycin. If this affects appetite, then it is important to step in with syringe feeding. We have also had very good results using a combination of the antibiotics Metronidazole and Marbocyl. It is important to keep the abscess open, and this will involve pulling off any scab that forms, as it must not heal with infection still inside it. It can take 4 to 6 weeks to get a resolution, and it will need constant dedication to flushing and ensuring the hole does not close.
Omg this honestly the best explanation I've gotten tysm. So the vet draining it with a needle and syringe is a bad thing to do?
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Yes, it’s not to be recommended. Also, the abscess will continue to produce pus, until all the infection has gone and it’s healed. You need an opening, so you can keep flushing the pus out!
Obviously prices very depending where you live but how much does the surgery typically cost.
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It’s hard to say. We are a charity, so get discounted rates. I’m also in the UK.
Little bit of a update on meatloaf. Took him to the vet Tuesday vet basically said he doesn't feel comfortable doing surgery because he's not sure we're the abcess is coming from. I've made another appointment with a different vet for tomorrow but I came home from work last night went to feed him he has no interest in his food and last night his poop was very soft and sometimes long and smelt very bad. He would also make a noise everytime he pooped.
Please contact your vet.
The antibiotics may be upsetting his digestion. Antibiotics kill the good gut bacteria as well as the bad abscess bacteria.
Please make sure you have urgently stepped in syringe feeding either mushed pellets or a proper recovery feed. It’s essential you replace any loss if hay intake to keep his gut functioning properly.
Make sure you have also switched from weekly weight checks to daily weight checks. He needs to be weighed each morning so you know he is getting enough fibre (syringe feeding and any independent hay intake) in the previous to keep his weight stable each day. You are aiming for at least 60ml of syringe feed per day but the amount you feed depends on what the weight checks tell you - any loss of weight on a morning means he didn’t eat enough the day before so you increase it for the current day.
I would also recommend a probiotic is given to help settle his gut.
The antibiotics may be upsetting his digestion. Antibiotics kill the good gut bacteria as well as the bad abscess bacteria.
Please make sure you have urgently stepped in syringe feeding either mushed pellets or a proper recovery feed. It’s essential you replace any loss if hay intake to keep his gut functioning properly.
Make sure you have also switched from weekly weight checks to daily weight checks. He needs to be weighed each morning so you know he is getting enough fibre (syringe feeding and any independent hay intake) in the previous to keep his weight stable each day. You are aiming for at least 60ml of syringe feed per day but the amount you feed depends on what the weight checks tell you - any loss of weight on a morning means he didn’t eat enough the day before so you increase it for the current day.
I would also recommend a probiotic is given to help settle his gut.
My vet wouldn’t operate on Pepper either and recommended I take him to an exotic vet. I managed to find a very good vet 2 hours away who did the op. Good luck with the syringe feeding. I hope you can find someone to help Meatloaf
