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Guinea Pig With Abcess - Please help I'm so upset

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Claire K

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Please help me - I picked one of my piggies up last night for a cuddle and noticed a small lump under her chin (moves around with the skin) and it had a scab on it.

She is a wriggly little monkey so trying to hold onto her to inspect it proved very difficult. I could not work out what it was so bathed it in cooled boiled, salt water to clean up whatever it was. I looked again this morning and although it had not got any bigger, the scabby bit was a little worse. I again cleaned it in cooled boiled water and on inspecting again a little while ago, it is now leaking creamy stuff.

I knew now that this was an abcess so rang the emergency vet for advice - they have said that if she is fine in herself (which she is...she is eating, drinking, playing and running around) then she can wait until tomorrow to be seen. I have therefore made an appointment to take her in the morning.

I really would like to know what to expect tomorrow when taking her to the vet - what should i be allowing them to do thats safe for piggies and what after care should i be looking at ? They did mention that she would probably be given antibiotics to help clear it up and wondered what everyone thought of this and is this advised for this condition.

Please help me, she is only 4 months old and I'm really worried and upset.
 
They will probably just flush it to get as much pus and gunk out as they can. Baytril is the standard antibiotic given, but in my experience, Zithromax works much better and more quickly. Not sure about age limits though.

Once you are home, if you can bathe it to keep it clean and try to sqeeze from underneath the abscess. Also try to keep it open for as long as possible so that it looks clean before it starts to heal up.:)
 
The vet will probably flush out the abcess and leave it open. If you feel comfortable ask the vet to show you how to flush it, as it may fill up with puss again. I have had great success with abcesses in the most awkward of place too. Antibiotics will be given to
 
Hi
I recently had a piggie with a very nasty abscess, the vet booked her in and lanced it and flushed it under a general anesthetic, she was fine with the anesthetic, i did ask about doing it without as * always take the risk, my vet told me they cant possibly lance and drain an abscess properly without anesthetic, so i let them do iy and she came round quickly. They will probably give her a pain killer and antibiotics until they can lance it.
good luck, let us know how it goes.
xx
 
If it's under her chin, is it near her throat? My little Liquorice had one, and its apparently common in little piglets (Juvenile abscess).... Try not to worry, the vet will sort her our ;) It more than likely is situated in her lymph node..
 
Have been to the vet and the abcess is outside and not inside and not attached to anything. The vet checked her teeth and they are all fine too.

The vet was reluctant to put her on antibiotics as they said the side effects can not be very nice. She also said that at the moment, she can not feel anymore pus in there and thinks i have got it all out for the time being. I have to keep bathing it in salt water to keep it clean and hope it does not fill up again and that it heals nicely.

If it gets any bigger then i have to take her back and they will drain it and give her antibiotics - keep your fingers crossed for poor little Eliza

Thanks so much for your helpful replies.

Claire. xx
 
When Liquorice had the abscess, the vet said that had it been left any longer, it would have poisoned her blood, had it burst.. at least there is only one way for your piggie's abscess to go, and that's out ;)
 
Its been over 24 hours since my visit to the vet with Eliza and her abcess - I have done as the vet has asked and washed it twice daily in cooled boiled salt water, massaged it from behind the abcess and although it still feels a little hard behind the scab, it has not got any bigger and i have not managed to squeeze anymore pus out of it.

The vet wanted to see her again if it got bigger at which point she would put her onto antibiotics but it hasnt got any bigger at present.

Can abcesses just clear up without antibiotics ?

The scab on the outside is clearing up too but I'm unsure if this is a good sign or not.

I will keep washing it with cooled boiled salt water but am a bit miffed if this is going to help clear it up or not.

Any help would be appreciated.

Claire x
 
Yes abscesses can clear with out ABs - I would soften the scab (baby oil/olive oil) so it comes off and that way you can clear any remaining gunk out and flush with the salt water. It's best to keep it open like this until it's pink and healthy looking underneath, once it's clear of infection then let it scab over to finish healing.

Suzy x
 
Please keep a close eye on Eliza's wound area...the moment you get any more pus, or a temperature/behaviour change/spikey fur/she stops eating/drinking (suggest you weigh her daily to monitor weight) - please take her back to the vet for antibioitics....preferably septrin (or zithromax - but most vets will not prescirbe this) If the vet won;t prescribe any abiotic - then please find another (cavy savvy) vet.....let us know your location and we will point in your the right direction

HTH

xx
 
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