Massive abscess surgery and tooth removal

[Frankie&Pinkie]

Hello

My lovely boy Frankie has just had a huge jaw abscess removed, as well as a middle back molar removed which was infecting the jaw. No issue with other teeth and everything aligned.

It’s day 3 post surgery and he’s still not eating anything other than oats and fresh stinky herbs. Plus around 50ml of critical care. He hides under his fleece all day until I take him out for cuddles, which he loves.

He’s on antibiotics (zittythroughmax) and painkillers (metacam). I’m flushing the wound out twice a day and putting on antiseptic cream. The wound is sewn open and very sore.

No puss is coming out at all.

I travelled 12 hours (currently living in France) to an exotic vet who specializes in piggies and abscesses. Can’t get back there until the weekend and so worried he’s not eating hay oof grass and there’s no puss draining out, no smell.

This is his wound (very graphic, sorry if you’re squeamish! ) plus a few so you can see he’s still happy, just in pain.

Any advice would be really appreciated, I have spent all my time (hardly any sleep for two weeks as I get up in the night) and all my savings on this little boy and he’s worth it, but I don’t want to let him down and do something wrong during his recovery.

Thanks so much!

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

Does the wound look okay, is that yellow stuff puss or just tissue? I can’t tell and it’s worrying.

He’s a skinny pig rescue, 3 years old. Great health up until now.

 

[weepweeps]

Hello. I’m so sorry your piggy has been unwell. I have recently had a piggy with a tooth root abscess. It was his incisor.

I personally found that Zithromax completely wiped out his appetite. He seemed to get a bit worse before he got better. I would say if you are at all worried call the vets back for advice and reassurance. I hope he is on a high dose of painkillers because I’m sure a tooth removal is very painful.

Good luck I hope he starts to improve soon.

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

Thanks so much for your reply.

Yes he’s on a good dose of metacam, and happier for about an hour or two afterwards but I think the meds wear off for him quickly, as around midday he is really fed up again. He does have an appetite and tries to eat but can’t chew rough things like grass or hay, he’ll eat soft herbs like basil and celery leaves, oats if I wet them and screw them up into tiny balls!

 

[weepweeps]

If you’d like to read Peppers thread here’s the link

Dental? Pepper is off to the vets tomorrow

There’s loads of advice from everyone on the forum. Some of it might help you too.

Frankie is gorgeous by the way

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

Thanks for that I'll read it through.

 

[weepweeps]

Is he on dog metacam twice a day?

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

Is he on dog metacam twice a day?

Yes, but it seems to wear off fast.

 

[Piggies&buns]

What dose is he being given?

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

What dose is he being given?

0.25 ml

 

[weepweeps]

How much does he weigh?

 

[weepweeps]

Also as I don’t have any experience of tooth removals will Frankie have to have the top molar shortened as it grows as it wont have a tooth to rub against ?

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

How much does he weigh?

He weighs just under 1kg. They said as it's in the middle it hopefully shouldn't cause any future problems, but will need checking every 4 weeks for the first few months just to be sure.

 

[weepweeps]

Only your vet can tell you how much medication to give but when Pepper was on Zithromax and dog metacam he was prescribed them both twice a day. He weighed 1.2kg and was on 0.4mls of metacam and 0.6mls of Zithromax. Maybe you could ask your vet to re-evaluate his dosage.

 

[weepweeps]

He won’t want to eat if he’s in pain.

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

He won’t want to eat if he’s in pain.

As he’s already been on it 2 weeks prior to op they said to keep the dose on the lower end to save his kidneys. But on the other-hand I hate to see him in pain so thinking of raising the dose back up.

 

[Merab]

Zithromax had a bad effect on my Phoebe.
I added Fibreplex to her syringe feed and that helped a bit.
Hope your Frankie heals soon.
Look after yourself too.
It’s exhausting caring for a sick piggy

 

[weepweeps]

As he’s already been on it 2 weeks prior to op they said to keep the dose on the lower end to save his kidneys. But on the other-hand I hate to see him in pain so thinking of raising the dose back up.

There are piggies on the forum on long term pain killers for arthritis. I’m sure upping it won’t hurt for a few weeks.

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

Zithromax had a bad effect on my Phoebe.
I added Fibreplex to her syringe feed and that helped a bit.
Hope your Frankie heals soon.
Look after yourself too.
It’s exhausting caring for a sick piggy

I'm giving him fibreplex an hour after the antibiotics morning and evening, and also adding some fresh poos from my healthy piggie into the crtical care, and giving him anti-ulcer medicine just in case. I think it's the pain, that's bothering him the most, but it's so hard to tell.

Yes, you're right, it's exhausting and tough mentally wondering if you're helping them or just prolonging their pain. Thank you. x

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

There are piggies on the forum on long term pain killers for arthritis. I’m sure upping it won’t hurt for a few weeks.

I've upped his dose, now I'll just wait and see if it helps.

Worried mostly about his absess draining and not filling up again, not sure what the puss is meant to look like or what's puss and what's tissue, it's hard to tell in a dark cavity!

 

[weepweeps]

I never actually got any puss out of Pepper at all. He went back after 5 days and the vet squeezed out some more and opened up the hole a bit bigger. But no puss came out when I cleaned it. Just keep the hole open as long as you can. I used a cotton bud with a cotton hanky over the end of it to put into the hole and cleaned it that way. Pepper seemed to like that.

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

I never actually got any puss out of Pepper at all. He went back after 5 days and the vet squeezed out some more and opened up the hole a bit bigger. But no puss came out when I cleaned it. Just keep the hole open as long as you can. I used a cotton bud with a cotton hanky over the end of it to put into the hole and cleaned it that way. Pepper seemed to like that.

Okay well that’s reassuring that I’m not doing anything wrong. I was expecting to be covered in abscess funk on a daily basis, had psyched myself up for the exorcist pea soup scene, so was a bit worried seeing nothing come out at all.

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

Is there anyone here whose piggy had an abscess this big with a tooth removal and they fully recovered?

I have been feeding for over 3 weeks every 3 hours through the night and I’m exhausted (I also have a young child and a job!).

Really I just need to know is there some light at the end of this tunnel and if so when can I expect it?

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

Anyone?

 

[weepweeps]

I don’t think I’ve heard of a piggy having a molar removed before.

You just have to keep on flushing it, feeding him until he starts to eat again and giving the meds. I know it’s really hard. I was thinking my Pepper would never eat again. I’m sending you a big hug because I now how desperate you feel. I’m sorry I haven’t got more help for you. Carry on and hopefully you will see improvements.

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

Thanks for replying, no sleep and no real improvement is getting to me today. It's been 4 days and still he can't eat hay or lettuce or anything that isn't wet or mushy and just hides all day apart from cuddles/feeds and coming out to kiss me every now and then. Hopefully he'll pick up soon. Back to the vet on Friday and hopefully they can give me some good news.

Thanks again, it's lonely doing this as my family think I'm nuts to spend all my time and money on Frankie.

 

[weepweeps]

I do understand. My dad told me to put Pepper to sleep and “just buy another one”

I’ve spent over £1,000 so far and he now has a wobbly tooth so will probably need another procedure next week.

Pepper didn’t eat much for himself until he had finished the Zithromax. Good luck. Is Frankie still losing weight? Maybe you could drop the night feeds? You have to look after yourself too.

 

[Frankie&Pinkie]

That's awful, you can't put a price on a pet you love, they can't be replaced.

I've spent a little over that, with more to come but it is what it is, no choice!

That's encouraging that your Pepper started eating after the anitbiotics course. Frankie's weight is stable, but he's very skinny, worried if I drop the night feeds he'll start dropping in weight.

 

[weepweeps]

They are such a worry aren’t they. To be honest if I had had a tooth out I wouldn’t be eating properly yet either. Good luck.

 

[Bill & Ted]

Just wanted to say hang in there, I’m so sorry you are going through this. Have you considered syringe feeding last thing at night 11.00 pm then first thing in a morning 6 am as having to wake up every three hours you are nit getting any sleep and you need to stay well to care for Frankie. having had a dental piggie myself I know how exhausting it can be. Take no notice of your family, people just don’t understand, you are doing your very best for Frankie and that’s what counts x