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Newbie w/ Young Guinea - Open Sore Near Ear

  • Thread starter Thread starter paze00
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paze00

We got Brownie just over 2 weeks ago. She is a rough coat w/ very dark skin. This afternoon I noticed her coat was matted from her ear to her chin. After inspection I noticed that she appears to have a sore right in the grove of her outer ear that has opened up. The sore is oozing not bloody and painful if touched. I tried to clean it up initially until I realized there was a sore. I am going to call our vet first thing in the morning to seek care. I am wondering if there is anything I can do in the time being to ease her discomfort. Any guesses on what could be wrong? Thanks in advance for any advise. She is so young. She is eating and drinking well. Poops and pees.
 
HI there and welcome from us in OZ :)
Oh your poor little piggies :'( firstly does Brownie live with any other piggies if so she may have got in a bit of a fight :( if not and it's an open wound it sounds like it might be an abscess that's popped, is there like a fluid and puss in there?
SOrry for all the questions but i'm trying to get an idea what it looks like....
I'd firstly bathe in preboiled and cooled water with a little salt added not too much, so this will steralise the area and keep it clean. Have you any painkillers that you could give her? if not just keep her comfortable and fed and she should be ok till you see the vets O0
 
As Glynis says I'd bathe it, it could be a Sebaceous cyst thats popped in her ear or an abscess. I'd pop along to the vet tomorrow for peace of mind, she may need a course of antibiotics.
 
No she is on her own. I would say there was a lot of fluid, her coat is very matted and dried now. Looks very clean no puss that I can see. Its hard because her skin is so dark. When I first noticed it I thought my son has gotten something on her because there was nothing wrong this morning. When I started to clean her up is when I noticed the sore. That is when she started crying when I touched it. I thing you may be right about the abscess. What is a Sebaceous Cyst is it serious?
 
Don't worry yourself, just try to keep it clean and see the vets tomorrow O0
Karen will give you the best description, she's the expert O0 :smitten:
 
No, not serious. It has a toothpastey stuff in it :)

What bedding is she on/was she on previously?
 
Her bedding is called Kaytee Soft-Sorbent. Her coat is still the same color but yes like dried toothpaste.
 
OK def sounds like the abscess has popped that's a good sign, she's clever :smitten:
I'd still gently clean as this will help O0
 
:smitten:

Thanks so much I have been worried half to death. I will clean her up again before bed, and call the vet first thing.
 
Kaytee Soft-Sorbent

Kayteee Soft-Sorbent is made from wood fibers that are not suitable for paper production. Rather than be discarded, the fiber is converted into a soft, highly absorbent form that provides a great cage environment for small animals and birds.


Just found this on the internet
 
Ok now I am really worried.. I just took her into clean the area again and I feel this quarter sized lump in her lower cheek area. There is no more fluid but the lump is hard. It is on the same side as the sore. I swear it wasn't there a few hours ago. Any ideas?
 
It sounds like the abscess is still there and has gunk in it... it may be that it was just leaking, so still a good sign it's partially burst O0
The vet might well lance it and then drain it, a bit messy but it's the best thing for Brownie :smitten:
Keep it as clean as possible and keep her warm and comfortable and lots of food and water and she should be fine until you see your vet :)
Let us know how you go at the vets O0
 
hoping brownie gets better, you have had excellent advice, so easier said than done but try not to worry. please keep us updated on brownie. love and hugs to you from aussie land. from me and the girls. :) :smitten:
 
We have an appointment with the vet in a few hours. They think it is an abscess too. I will post back when we get home. Thanks again for the advise. I've been going nuts... She's being a trooper.
 
hello, hope all goes well at the vet, my piggy survived surgery having her reproductive organs and a mass removed, and she is 3.5 years old. so from me and zoe sending love and hugs to you and brownie. listen to the people on here as they are amazing and helped me and zoe. you are in safe hands. good luck from aussie land. :) :smitten: :smitten:
 
Best of luck for Brownie and I hope she feels better very soon :)
 
We are on the road to recovery. The Vet lanced the abscess and I will need to give her antibotics for 10 days. They think that she was probably bitten by a litter mate and it just took awhile to fester. They checked for mites under the microscope, it was negative. We will go back in a week for a follow up unless things go down hill. Thanks everyone for your advice you guys are good. O0
 
Oh love that's great, i mean that she'll be recovering now :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:
awww poor little girlie :'(
You'll be surprised how quickly they can heal up with antibiotics etc....
Do you have to drain or squeeze the area at all ? ? ?
 
I wasn't instructed to drain or squeeze the area. The Doc told me to wash the area with warm compacks twice a day and use a antiseptic. She doesn't want a scap to form. I just gave her her dose of meds and cleaned the area off and it is filled up again and very hard. I tried to apply a little pressure to see if I could get it to drain .. no luck. Not sure what I am doing. Guess I am going to call the vet again tomorrow. Any suggestions on how to drain it or properly squeeze it?
 
If they said don't squeeze i wouldn't for now, but i'd still tell them that it's filling up so quickly :P
Yep that's the usual to not let it scab up therefore it will still drain and you'll be cleaning out some muck each time O0
I was also told, but i check first, that i could actually put the cleaning cloth (i used makeup remover pads as they're soft and don't leave behind any fibers) into the wound slightly to get more gunk out, not pleasant but it helped.
Must apologise in my tardiness in replying i've been full out at work and filing etc... my daughter has been slave driving me today ;D ;D
 
I am getting ready to sit with her awhile with a hot compress to see if that helps. I used those makeup remover pads earlier to clean her up.. they are great. The sore is pretty yuckie, they removed the scap today. Poor thing. She doesn't even weigh a pound. 15 oz. Shouldn't have to go through all this... she is just a little baby. :'(

PS I know all about the "slave driving" LOL :police:
 
I know it's yukky and you feel awful for her, but you're doing the right thing love O0 O0
The hot compress does help and i reckon it relieves the pressure from the abscess for them too :)
Gentle kisses on her nose and ears from us and some more healing wheeks :smitten: :smitten: :smitten:


LOL Dee is 17 and she wanted some money so i said she could file, but not be so pushy ;D ;D ;D she's done a fab job tho :smitten:
 
hello,
still hoping ownie gets better, it should be around 8.00am in england so more people will be on soon and they are fantastic, they will be able to help you. though glynis has been doing a good job! it is hard i know but try not to worry, just do everything the vet said to do and if concerned seek after hours vet advice. sending hugs and cuddles to you and brownie. :) :smitten:
 
I would not use a hot compress.Abcesses need to be backflushed to remove all the pus,otherwise they will reform. You need a 1ml syringe for this.I use either warm salt water ot diluted Hibiscrub.Fill then syringe and place the the nozzzle gently into the hole and flush the liquid in.You need to do the 2 - 3 times a day until there is no more pus and the area does not smell. After you have backflushed you can pack some high potency manuka honey into the opening.When you are backflushing you need to squeeze round the area.
 
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