Dental Dental disease: tooth removal, now an abscess. Is there anything we could have/ can do better?

[yadies]

Hi everyone. This site has helped my partner and I navigate health issues for two different pigs over the last two years with dental disease. I just wanted to express my sincere and profound gratitude for everyone here, because you all have helped us so much.

Today, I took Chia in for a re-check after her extraction six weeks ago. We had noticed a large mass on her surgery site last night and hoped it was just a swollen lymph node. Unfortunately it is an abscess. She is getting a CT and they will be cleaning out the abscess while she is sedated for the CT.

She has been taking gabapentin, chlroamphenicol, amikasen, bennebac, and three oral rinses. The rinses are clenz-a-dent (Chlorhexidine), a blue one of which I cannot recall the name, and TDC. She gets fluid with her twice daily amikasen to reduce her risk of any damage to her kidneys. They cultured the removed teeth and discovered amikasen to be the best option for the antibiotic resistant bacteria causing her dental disease. She had two teeth on the left side removed.

There are a few things I have been replaying in my mind and worrying if somehow I caused the abscess. If anyone could let me know if any of these things could have (even in part) caused the abscess, I'd really appreciate it.

1. I dropped tweezers into her clenz-a-dent trying to get a synringe back out. I worry this introduced new bacteria but am unsure if they could've even survived in the bottle of solution. (removed tweezers promptly after dropping them in)
2. Once while holding her while my partner administered the injection, I felt a crack on the side of her face where her incision is. I have very poor body awareness and later realized I think I was actually touching her shoulder and not her jaw. she showed no reaction and no change in habits after this.

Thank you all again so much. This site has helped my partner and I so much. We lost Chia's sister early this year to extremely advanced dental disease that ended in bloat and euthanasia. Her sister's case was due to my partner's mother giving the pigs seed treats. It may have caused Chia's as well. We have tried to do everything we can to give her the best care possible. We lost Chia's sister due to abscesses that also took her eye. If anyone has any wisdom on if we could do anything better in the future for Chia/ if any of the above items contributed, I would really appreciate it. This ordeal has been so deeply painful and feels like when we lost her sister all over again.

 

[yadies]

Just wanted to add, I just spoke to the vet. She said that she removed a piece of bone, cleaned out the abscess, and packed it with beads. She said I could not possibly have caused the bone fragment because it was so small. She is hoping the work today will tip things in our favor and otherwise is happy with how Chia is doing. She said Chia has improved in all other areas including gaining weight, which is great. We will have another re-check 2 and 4 weeks from now.

 

[VickiA]

Oh gosh what a time you’re having. I’ll tag @furryfriends (TEAS) who has loads of experience with dental issues and abscesses.

 

[weepweeps]

Hello. I’m sorry you lost Chia’s sister and Chia is poorly with dental disease and an abscess.

I have experience of a piggy with a tooth root abscess. But not dental disease and tooth removal. Sorry.

Good luck. It’s exhausting caring for a sick piggy. It’s great she’s eating well and gaining weight though.

Keep doing what the vet is recommending and get her seen quickly if she starts to lose weight. Sending healing vibes.

 

[Merab]

Just want to offer support.
It sounds as if Chia is very lucky to have such a caring owner.
Hope everything works out well.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Sending healing vibes Looking after piggies with any type of dental problem is so emotionally draining and exhausting. I hope Chia makes a full recovery