Anyone familiar with abscess flushing - want to make sure I’m doing it correctly

[lauryn1289]

Hi all, I made a post a couple days ago and updated it today but didn’t wanna keep clogging up that post especially now that the issue has been diagnosed if that makes sense. Also, a WARNING for a bloody/gory photo.

I just had a quick question for anyone experienced with abscesses, Eggs’ abscess was drained by the vet and flushed at around 10am. This is how it looks immediately after we got home and looks pretty much identical still, the actual hole is quite small. I just sprayed a couple millimetres to the hole with salt water and 2 10ml syringes and then dabbed dry. I think I’ve got the overall picture of abscess care down thanks to posts and people here, except the flushing

Just wondering, should I actually be prying the hole open and then spraying with a syringe? Or even a needle? As disgusting as that sounds. Or am I doing it correctly by spraying with a large syringe just in front of the wound? The messaging I got and even some of the sources I’m looking at weren’t fully clear, my vet didn’t give specifics apart from to flush it a few times a day with salt water and pull off any scabbing when it starts to form.

 

[Pound Shilling & Pig]

You will need to try and keep the wound open, they can heal up very quickly. So you will need to push the syringe onto the opening. As it doesn't look like the wound has been stitched open this might become difficult, if so I would speak to your vet again. Is Eggs on antibiotics?

 

[lauryn1289]

You will need to try and keep the wound open, they can heal up very quickly. So you will need to push the syringe onto the opening. As it doesn't look like the wound has been stitched open this might become difficult, if so I would speak to your vet again. Is Eggs on antibiotics?

Yes, he’s on Baytril twice a day. There was definitely no stitching open because it was drained and flushed with a few syringes while I was there with him, I was thinking the syringe possibly had to be pushed into the opening but didn’t wanna do it without confirmation Thank you

 

[lauryn1289]

I have no actual needles on me but I just flushed it again, started with a 0.5ml syringe and then onto a 10ml syringe and a little bit of blood came out into the syringe along with a squeal so hopefully that means I got some of the salt water directly into the hole

 

[lauryn1289]

Hi, me again Just a different question about metacam in particular. Eggs is 900-943g on average, could I give him 2 doses of metacam a day? I feel like one isn’t enough because I’m aware they metabolise it so fast. I’ve been giving him around 0.25mls of the cat loxicom once a day, and his Baytril dosage is 0.185mls 2x a day, 2.5%/100ml

When one of my rainbow bridge boys had a bladder stone surgery, his (exotics) surgeon cleared him to be taking 2 doses of .6mls of metacam a day but I’m not sure if that was extenuating circumstances and different weights so didn’t wanna just jump to doing the same

 

[Piggies&buns]

You can’t give anything other than the dose prescribed the vet, nor can we tell you to do so.
Piggies do need pain meds twice a day though. Best to speak to your vet about his dosage

 

[weepweeps]

Hi all, I made a post a couple days ago and updated it today but didn’t wanna keep clogging up that post especially now that the issue has been diagnosed if that makes sense. Also, a WARNING for a bloody/gory photo.

I just had a quick question for anyone experienced with abscesses, Eggs’ abscess was drained by the vet and flushed at around 10am. This is how it looks immediately after we got home and looks pretty much identical still, the actual hole is quite small. I just sprayed a couple millimetres to the hole with salt water and 2 10ml syringes and then dabbed dry. I think I’ve got the overall picture of abscess care down thanks to posts and people here, except the flushing

Just wondering, should I actually be prying the hole open and then spraying with a syringe? Or even a needle? As disgusting as that sounds. Or am I doing it correctly by spraying with a large syringe just in front of the wound? The messaging I got and even some of the sources I’m looking at weren’t fully clear, my vet didn’t give specifics apart from to flush it a few times a day with salt water and pull off any scabbing when it starts to form.

Yes put the plastic end of a large syringe into the hole and squirt. Keep the wound open by wiping, gently picking any scabs off. I did this 2/3 times a day for about 10 days I think.

 

[weepweeps]

Also I used to wrap a cotton bud in a clean hanky and put that into the wound and wipe inside. I think Pepper actually liked it. Did you read Peppers thread I posted on your other thread? I know it’s quite long but I’m sure there’s lots of info about cleaning it and possibly dosage of dog metacam.

 

[lauryn1289]

Yes put the plastic end of a large syringe into the hole and squirt. Keep the wound open by wiping, gently picking any scabs off. I did this 2/3 times a day for about 10 days I think.

That’s honestly what I’m having the most difficulty with due to the size of the actual hole, it’s very small and fitting the nib of the syringe into it seems almost impossible unless I really force it in there and stretch the wound so I emailed my vet to ask if maybe even a needle would be better I did get some irrigation syringes with the very skinny tips but won’t be here until Thursday. I’m hoping at least some of the salt water is getting in because at certain points he jumps, squeals and gets very uncomfortable.

I did also have a read through nearly the whole thread about Pepper thanks so much, lots of useful tips and things to ask my vet and it also made me realise he’s definitely not getting enough pain relief with just .2mls of metacam a day

 

[weepweeps]

I tried with a needle at first but Pepper was so wriggly I was worried I’d stab him. Even if you can’t get the syringe end in there get it as close as you can. The wound is looking good.

 

[lauryn1289]

I tried with a needle at first but Pepper was so wriggly I was worried I’d stab him. Even if you can’t get the syringe end in there get it as close as you can. The wound is looking good.

I wouldn’t be totally confident with a needle myself honestly! Eggs is a wriggly boy too. After a lot of wiggling and discomfort for him I just managed to manoeuvre the syringe inside the hole, wish I could let him know I’m not trying to torture him He’s back in bed now angrily eating some hay and stomping around his blankets

Thanks everyone for all the help and advice, I’m such a worrier and always panic about if I’m doing things properly especially with my cat and my pigs

 

[lauryn1289]

This is how we’re looking today! Not a whole pile of stuff is coming out of it apart from a little blood and occasional pus which I can’t really tell is a good thing or a bad thing, but either way around 4-5 times a day I’m getting the a few syringes inside the hole so it’s still very much open. The water doesn’t seem to always drain back out either but it’s also just a few 1mls syringes so perhaps just low water volume. Poor Eggs is a trooper, he’s putting up with so much!

 

[weepweeps]

You’re doing great. Well done Eggs too.

Make sure you can’t feel another lump forming. Can you give it a squeeze to see if any gunk comes out? I had to take Pepper back for a check up after 5 days (I think) and the vet squeezed out quite a bit. When is Eggs going back for a check up?

 

[lauryn1289]

You’re doing great. Well done Eggs too.

Make sure you can’t feel another lump forming. Can you give it a squeeze to see if any gunk comes out? I had to take Pepper back for a check up after 5 days (I think) and the vet squeezed out quite a bit. When is Eggs going back for a check up?

The area feels very flat apart from a very slight bit of bulk at the side and the hole itself looks a little inflamed and swollen, I’d actually been checking for bumpiness but a bit cautious about putting too much pressure on it to squeeze because it really hurts him but I’ll give it a squeeze and a few more minutes of a warm compress at his next flush in a few hours

I’m hoping to get him in on Monday or Tuesday for a check up since he’s finished his antibiotics then! Really hoping it heals up nicely

 

[weepweeps]

Sounds like it’s going very well.

 

[lauryn1289]

Another update (if anyone’s interested), got a sizeable plug of cells/pus out just there! The most that seems to have come out yet. He was really in pain with that one but I’m glad I got so much out

Warning for a gross pic! But thought I’d add it incase anyone uses/sees this post for their own abscess stuff

 

[weepweeps]

Great. “Better out than in”.

Keep flushing it. You’re doing really well. Also the consistency of it is good. The vet told me the thick cheesy stuff is dead cells so the AB are doing their job. Don’t squeeze it too often though.

 

[lauryn1289]

Another addition! Today is day 5 (6 if you include monday) Eggs neck feels very flat, I can’t feel any “bulk” at all around the wound and nothing seems to be coming out of it anymore apart from little bits of blood. Vet nurse said it looks great. I’m really hoping to get him actually seen on Tuesday but my car is being fixed and tied up in insurance because someone crashed into it But I’m gonna try my best to get him seen as early as I can next week.

No scabbing altho I am a little alarmed that the wound seems a bit tighter today. I got an irrigation syringe to use along with the 1ml syringe for flushing, the irrigation syringe has a very skinny little nib that goes in easily but I’ve noticed the 1ml syringe struggles now or stops halfway. Not sure if that’s a good thing or not but that’s all the updates I really have. Just really wanted to update this thread incase it might be of any use to anyone else

He’s also in great form and his weight is stable, he’s gotten a bit cocky now and is more confident swinging to pretend nip to warn me because he’s fed up of the wound flushing but I can’t blame him lol

 

[weepweeps]

All sounds amazing. Well done.

 

[Posyrose]

You're doing an amazing job

 

[Merab]

Sounds as if all is going well

 

[lauryn1289]

Thanks everyone for all the assurance, I appreciate it so much Does anyone know if a little bit of wound shrinkage is okay? Normal of course but just curious if maybe the wound is closing up a little premature if a 1ml syringe nib won’t get into it anymore

 

[weepweeps]

Wound shrinkage is going to happen as it heals from the inside out. At some point it will close up completely. As long as nothing is coming out of it, it’s not filling up again and it’s not red and inflamed just carry on until it closes. I think I flushed Peppers for 10 days.

 

[lauryn1289]

Wound shrinkage is going to happen as it heals from the inside out. At some point it will close up completely. As long as nothing is coming out of it, it’s not filling up again and it’s not red and inflamed just carry on until it closes. I think I flushed Peppers for 10 days.

Amazing, thank you! It looks really good, nothing coming out of it anymore except a tiny bit of blood and it feels completely flat so I’ll trust I’ve done everything right and it’s doing what it’s supposed to do

 

[Merab]

Glad it’s healing well.
You’re doing a great job there.
Be aware that abscesses can recur, Jemimah had a persistent one and I soon learned to keep an eye on the site, just in case.

 

[lauryn1289]

Glad it’s healing well.
You’re doing a great job there.
Be aware that abscesses can recur, Jemimah had a persistent one and I soon learned to keep an eye on the site, just in case.

My vet did warn of this so hoping it’s not gonna be the case but I’ll keep a really close eye on him!

 

[lauryn1289]

Another update: the wound is tightening fairly rapidly, but there’s absolutely no swelling or lumpiness or more stuff coming out from what I can tell. Skin looks great too considering it looked black/necrotic when it was punctured at the vet and drained!

He has a vet appointment tomorrow at 12, I wish it was a little more open for the appointment so the vet could take a good look at it but it is what it is, I have a feeling by tomorrow it’ll be almost fully closed. Tomorrow’s day 7 so seems to be on the right timeline. He’s in fantastic form too, fingers crossed the abscess has been fulled drained and flushed and there’ll be no recurrence or need for any more intervention. Now to figure out how he managed to get it in the first place!

 

[weepweeps]

Good luck at the vets.

 

[lauryn1289]

Thanks for all the help everyone, this is how we’re looking now so a syringe officially won’t go into it anymore. He’s understandably fed up with me annoying him so fine by him I figure lol

 

[lauryn1289]

Sorry this is the final update about this abscess But the vet said it looks and feels fantastic and is healed great, all clear to stop flushing and he can relax now. She just said to keep an eye on it every day for the next while to make sure nothing else pops up but for now, healed! Thanks so much again everyone for all the advice and support