Post-castration abscess

[moonbear]

I had a piggy with a tooth root abscess. Obviously it’s in a different location but the principles are the same. He had an operation at the cat and rabbit clinic and was put on a 6 week course of antibiotics (Zithromax). This stopped his appetite completely for the duration of the antibiotics. So be aware this could happen. His appetite came back soon after stopping them. I cleaned it out three times a day with saline solution. It was a massive 4cm wide under his chin. So very large. Good luck. I’m sure you will be fine as you are doing all the right things. Good luck.

did pepper fully recover? i read your thread all about his experience because my guinea pig has been struggling with a tooth root abscess on his left jaw, we just had the surgery to drain it and pepper's situation sounded incredibly similar

 

[weepweeps]

did pepper fully recover? i read your thread all about his experience because my guinea pig has been struggling with a tooth root abscess on his left jaw, we just had the surgery to drain it and pepper's situation sounded incredibly similar

Hello. I’m sorry your piggy is unwell. Pepper is absolutely fine now. Back up to his original weight. He only has three front teeth but that doesn’t cause him any problems.

The best thing would be to start a thread of your own and then everyone can give you tons of advice and information specifically about your situation. Good luck. It was a struggle but we got there.

 

[ORS]

Hi again, so Benjis poos are still very abnormal - I have attached a photo. I have just run out of fibreplex but have another tube ordered so I gave some poop soup instead this morning. His appetite is still suppressed but he is eating a bit and he’s maintaining his weight. I’m still syringe feeding him and giving water after every 5ml.
I have read that some people remove their veg when they have gut issues on antibiotics - just wondering whether this is a good idea? Also is it worth getting some pro-c probiotic to give him too?

 

[furryfriends (TEAS)]

I never stop veg when they’re on antibiotics! You want to keep them eating and the poos will sort out, once the antibiotics stop! I feed whatever they want, and lots of fresh grass!

It sounds like he’s doing well!

I always have a tub of Pro C to hand!

 

[Wiebke]

Hi again, so Benjis poos are still very abnormal - I have attached a photo. I have just run out of fibreplex but have another tube ordered so I gave some poop soup instead this morning. His appetite is still suppressed but he is eating a bit and he’s maintaining his weight. I’m still syringe feeding him and giving water after every 5ml.
I have read that some people remove their veg when they have gut issues on antibiotics - just wondering whether this is a good idea? Also is it worth getting some pro-c probiotic to give him too?

Hi

Please do not remove any little food Benji is eating on his own; rather try to up his formula feeding amount - you have coming out at the other end what has gone in at the front - and that looks like upping the hay replacement feed is the way forward for you re. poo appearance and firming up.
The impact on the gut from antibiotics is a different problem to dysbiosis (the gut microbiome going wrong through overgrowth of the wrong kind of bacteria) in the disburbance is artificial and will sort itself out on its own eventually after the zithromax has finished. Antibiotic impact on the gut is rather indiscriminate reduction of the biome but it is not an imbalance like in a natural event if that makes sense to you?

Have you enquired at the clinic whether it is advisable to put him on half the dose twice daily instead of once the full dose of zithromax? If not, please do so tomorrow. That has helped with a piggy of mine and made the difference between eating a little on her own/accepting syringe feed and total loss of appetite/fighting the syringe all the time. However, the divided dose will mean that the zithromax is not quite as effective so it needs your treating vet to weigh up the conflicting pros and cons.

You can give poo soup twice daily alongside any fibreplex if that helps.

All the best.

 

[ORS]

I never stop veg when they’re on antibiotics! You want to keep them eating and the poos will sort out, once the antibiotics stop! I feed whatever they want, and lots of fresh grass!

It sounds like he’s doing well!

I always have a tub of Pro C to hand!

Great! Thank you so much. I will keep doing what I’m doing and give lots of what he likes

 

[ORS]

Hi

Please do not remove any little food Benji is eating on his own; rather try to up his formula feeding amount - you have coming out at the other end what has gone in at the front - and that looks like upping the hay replacement feed is the way forward for you re. poo appearance and firming up.
The impact on the gut from antibiotics is a different problem to dysbiosis (the gut microbiome going wrong through overgrowth of the wrong kind of bacteria) in the disburbance is artificial and will sort itself out on its own eventually after the zithromax has finished. Antibiotic impact on the gut is rather indiscriminate reduction of the biome but it is not an imbalance like in a natural event if that makes sense to you?

Have you enquired at the clinic whether it is advisable to put him on half the dose twice daily instead of once the full dose of zithromax? If not, please do so tomorrow. That has helped with a piggy of mine and made the difference between eating a little on her own/accepting syringe feed and total loss of appetite/fighting the syringe all the time. However, the divided dose will mean that the zithromax is not quite as effective so it needs your treating vet to weigh up the conflicting pros and cons.

You can give poo soup twice daily alongside any fibreplex if that helps.

All the best.

Ahh yes that makes sense. He doesn’t like the critical care but I’m able to give it no problem and I will up it even more. Only reason I wasn’t increasing it was because he’s maintaining weight but I will increase it and see if it makes a difference in the next couple of days.

He is already on half the dose twice a day (0.5ml x2) but I’ll call up tomorrow anyway. Thank you so much!

 

[Wiebke]

Ahh yes that makes sense. He doesn’t like the critical care but I’m able to give it no problem and I will up it even more. Only reason I wasn’t increasing it was because he’s maintaining weight but I will increase it and see if it makes a difference in the next couple of days.

He is already on half the dose twice a day (0.5ml x2) but I’ll call up tomorrow anyway. Thank you so much!

In this case, that is as much as you can do re. zithromax; you cannot split it any further.

If Benji is still eating, if only a little, then you have a much easier job of getting food into him and it is much less of a battle. Please hang on in there and feed more formula.

 

[ORS]

In this case, that is as much as you can do re. zithromax; you cannot split it any further.

If Benji is still eating, if only a little, then you have a much easier job of getting food into him and it is much less of a battle. Please hang on in there and feed more formula.

Okay great. He still loves his grass and it seems like it stimulates him to eat more of his veg and a bit of hay too so I’m very happy about that. He’s definitely a fighter bless him. I’m feeling a lot more hopeful

 

[ORS]

Update on Benji - he had his check-up today and his abscess has reduced massively in size. The vet is more concerned with his gut right now so when his azithromycin runs out tomorrow I won’t start him on another course of antibiotics. I’m going to continue flushing his abscess 2-3x daily but there is the worry that it might come back. At least I know what I’m doing now if it does come back and thank you all so so much for your help.

Not sure if I mentioned but when he was castrated, the vet could only remove one of his testicles as the other popped into his abdomen and despite trying to push it back out, it wouldn’t move. This is apparently very unusual, especially as there is nothing wrong with his other testicle. I have been advised to wait until Christmas time before he has the other removed which is a bit annoying as I wanted to get him a female asap. Ideally it would be great to get a spayed female for him so he doesn’t have to go through surgery again and can be with another pig sooner but I know they’re very hard to find. Just hoping that next time everything goes to plan

 

[ORS]

Hiya! I am a little concerned about Benji again. I’m still flushing his abscess 2x a day (hardly any pus anymore) but he has been completely off the antibiotics for 3 weeks and metacam and syringe feeding for about 2 weeks now. He is eating really well but I have noticed he’s been feeling quite bloated for the past couple of days and he squeals when I press on his abdomen. I am giving him fibreplex 3x a day and have been for weeks and he’s only getting a handful of veggies. Does anyone have any advice? He’s still pooing, although they haven’t been the right shape since the antibiotics and the vet said it could take weeks-months for them to return to normal. Just wondering if there’s anything else I can do to reduce the bloat?

 

[Piggies&buns]

Hiya! I am a little concerned about Benji again. I’m still flushing his abscess 2x a day (hardly any pus anymore) but he has been completely off the antibiotics for 3 weeks and metacam and syringe feeding for about 2 weeks now. He is eating really well but I have noticed he’s been feeling quite bloated for the past couple of days and he squeals when I press on his abdomen. I am giving him fibreplex 3x a day and have been for weeks and he’s only getting a handful of veggies. Does anyone have any advice? He’s still pooing, although they haven’t been the right shape since the antibiotics and the vet said it could take weeks-months for them to return to normal. Just wondering if there’s anything else I can do to reduce the bloat?

I’m sorry to hear this.
If he is bloated then he needs to return to the vet for gut medication and painkillers. You should also stop giving veg to a piggy with bloat.

I hope he is ok

Digestive Disorders: Not Eating - Diarrhea - Bloat - GI Stasis (No Gut Movement)

 

[weepweeps]

Poor Benji. I hope he is ok

 

[ORS]

I took him to the vet yesterday and turns out he has a mass in his bladder no idea what it is yet but just going to take it day by day and get his abscess fully resolved first