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Contact Lense Saline Solution For Wound Flushing?

Dilly's Piggies

Dilly's Piggies

Teenage Guinea Pig
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As you know Theodore had a dental abscess that was lanced and drained, we are flushing it 1-2 times a day and were told to use salt and water or saline solution, but I'm finding it almost impossible to find saline solution, it's only available for contact lenses. I just wanted to make sure this is OK to use and it's the same stuff?

Also, can someone please recap the salt to water ratio, and is table salt or rock salt preferred for abscess flushing?
 
Tim said:
I put half a teaspoon of normal salt into boiled water and leave to cool, job done ;)
Click to expand...
At the moment we're using table salt (the salt you eat), 1 level teaspoon in 1 pint of boiled water, I just wanted to make sure this was correct lol!
 
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CavyConnoisseur said:
At the moment we're using table salt (the salt you eat), 1 level teaspoon in 1 pint of boiled water, I just wanted to make sure this was correct lol!
Click to expand...
I meant to put a cup of boiling water in my post :doh: I'm half asleep... :zzz::))
2 cups = 1 pint
 
you can prepare by yourself the saline solution; anyway, as I have bought a bottle of contact lenses solution which does not work with me, I am using it for cleaning Calipso's eye which produces a lot of that milky liquid they use for washing themselves, but (don't know why) it often comes out from the eye and makes a crust in the fur. There are no wounds, but is was approved by the vet, too.
Anyway, I am doing that only for using that bottle...
 
The contant lens stuff is fine. I remember having a conversation with a pharmacist about it a few years ago when the vet told me to use saline solution. I was very confused and the pharmacist said the contact lens stuff is the same thing.

The salt to water ratio isn't an exact science so it doesn't matter if you use a bit, or less salt, but 1 teaspoon to 1 pint will work brilliantly.
 
Saline solution is fine...it goes in our eyes! I had the same discussion with my daughter when she wondered if she could use it on her piercings.
 
Well- I'm intrigued... I was expecting to use salt water/saline solution, hibiscrub or something for Graces abscess draining yesterday.
Zithromax had dried up the pus really well, just needed removing as big.

The vet told me to flush the wound with 1ml baytril 1x-2x daily, to get the antibiotic right into the hole.

Seems like a good idea, to be thorough, just I've never heard of this before anywhere.

Anybody else experienced this?
Maybe discuss with your vet if would work for Theodore?

Speedy recovery little man :wub:
 
I have used contact lens solution to flush wounds before (just make sure it's saline and not a cleanser or all-in-one formula!) But it's sterile saline and should be fine. My vet suggested it when dealing with Sundae's abscess.
 
Thank you everyone, I also had the issue where I had to ask the pharmacist if it was the same thing and they said yes, so I've bought some anyway, even though it's good to hear the ratios we did were correct! :)

I heard it's also recommended to warm the saline up before using it, can I just put it in the microwave or does it need to sit in boiling water?

Theo is still well, his abscess is closing and scabbing up now making it difficult to flush out, I was thinking about soaking it with some of the solution to soften it up and remove some of the scabs/gunk that has hardened, is this a good idea?
 
You could pour some saline into a pan and warm it up a little, which will make it easier to remove the scab and squeeze out the puss.
 
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