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Tricky Abscess

S

SRJ

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Hello
Looking for some advice please.
I have a 14 month old boar who has a wound bite abscess on inner rear leg. Vet prescribed baytril and trimethoprim-sulphonamide.
Been giving this for 7 days, plus regular salt warm water baths, plus applying manuka honey daily. Also given painkiller/ anti-inflammatory medication Swelling has reduced but still present and not using his leg.
He continues to tolerate medication/ treatment and has a good appetite. Appears perky within himself however not as active due to reduced mobility.
Back at vets tomorrow and looking for advice please.
I have spoken to vet about possibly switching to zithromax after reading several threads on this forum. Vet advises it is a deep, difficult abscess as can not be lanced as abscess is around leg.
Just wanting the best for my piggie and do not want him to be in pain.
I have cared for many piggies over the years - always boars - and thankfully have had much joy and no major health problems so this is all new to me........
Thanking you in advance
Sheena
 
From my experience zithromax is the best antibiotic for treating stubborn abscesses that can't be surgically removed. It is not licenced for animals tho so vets often use it only after trying a licenced product such as baytril first. Ideally it would be best if the abscess can be lanced and flushed first if possible. Maybe your vet could do this under anaesthetic?

It is also important to add that zithromax is powerful and can cause some piggies to stop eating and get bloat, so it would be wise to have syringe food a gut motility drug such as metoclopromide on standby just in case.
 
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Thank you for reply - any advice is appreciated.
Vet spoke about possibly not being able to lance due to position on leg - at equivalent of our ankle area.
TBH am unclear what she meant by this and will ask for more details when I visit tomorrow.
Can this happen - an abscess that can not be lanced?
Vet did mention amputation as a last resort :(
Can a pig tolerate/manage this?
 
Good luck at the vet. Just as an aside, an unlanced abscess is extreeemely painful. A situation for twice daily, top dose, pain relief.
 
Sorry you have such a troublesome abscess to deal with.
Is surgery an option?
That was finally the solution to Jemimah’s persistent abscess but hers wasn’t is such an awkward place.
Hope the vet trip goes well.
 
Hope this treatment sorts out the abscess now.
Glad you find the forum supportive, I think it’s one of the strengths, the support we give each other
 
Wee update and further advice please.

Tornado has responded well to Zithromax. Thank you for previous responses - much appreciated.

Swelling on foot has reduced by two thirds. He is perky, enjoying his veggie, pellets, hay and running around/ exploring although not putting full weight on hind leg.
Back to vets tomorrow.
Cautiously optimistic that there will be good news however remains a swollen area on base of foot - possible pus not drained.
Hoping vet suggests surgery now abscess under control.

Previously she had discussed PTS or amputation!
Given the improvement I have observed in last 5 days I do not wish to consider PTS.

My questions are
- what is the usual length of course for Zithromax
- has anyone had experience of rear leg amputation - survival rate, after care, quality of life. Hoping it will not come to this but like to be prepared.

Thank you
 
SRJ said:
Wee update and further advice please.

Tornado has responded well to Zithromax. Thank you for previous responses - much appreciated.

Swelling on foot has reduced by two thirds. He is perky, enjoying his veggie, pellets, hay and running around/ exploring although not putting full weight on hind leg.
Back to vets tomorrow.
Cautiously optimistic that there will be good news however remains a swollen area on base of foot - possible pus not drained.
Hoping vet suggests surgery now abscess under control.

Previously she had discussed PTS or amputation!
Given the improvement I have observed in last 5 days I do not wish to consider PTS.

My questions are
- what is the usual length of course for Zithromax
- has anyone had experience of rear leg amputation - survival rate, after care, quality of life. Hoping it will not come to this but like to be prepared.

Thank you
Click to expand...
length of course for zithromax depends on what is being treated and how quickly it is resonding. From personal experience I would say week to ten days is normal. @furryfriends (TEAS) will have more experience tho.

Guinea pigs cope extremely well with three legs and I would never have one pts if amputation is an option. I once had a pig who had a rear leg amputated due to a break when he was 5 months old. He lived a long, normal life and died age six.

Most weight is at the front of the body in the skull and chest and carried through the front legs. The back legs are more to power the body forward and so the loss of one is relatively easy to adjust to.

Immediate after care is the same as any opp. Long term the main thing to be aware of is that he will not be able to scatch/groom himself on that side or clean his ear so will need brushing to remove lose hairs, etc and his ear checking for wax build up. Also he will cope best if not allowed to become over weight.

He should be able to live a normal life of excellent quality.

Hope all goes well at the vets x
 
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Thank you for everyone's replies. So helpful at this worrying time.

Good news - vet was very pleased with progress made with Zithromax - phew! We have to continue with it, which I am happy to do.
However she remained concerned and took an xray - no fracture but possible bone infection at ankle. She spoke of bone not being vibrant ( I think that is the word she used - so difficult when all over phone due to Covid).

She has sent a referral to specialist exotic vet at Royal (Dick) Vet School, Edinburgh - who I believe are specialists

Tornado remains relatively well within himself - eating, drinking, exploring, squeaking when fridge door opened! He is such a soldier.

Finding this forum very informative and a very helpful way to prepare myself and ensure Tornado receives best treatment.

Any advice/ information about bone infection would be welcomed.

One final worry - at what point do I find him a new pal during this journey. Just acutely aware he is on his own but also had a traumatic experience. His pal passed on 17.4.21, they were so close. Then introduced him to piggy who bit him - they spent one week together- before separating. This piggy returned to rescue center.

Thank you
 
Hope people do not mind - just bumping this up as had no reply as yet to above post re bone infection and companion query.
Have, what is now becoming regular Monday vet appointment, and feel much better if prepared, in order to obtain best treatment for my wee piggy.
Thanking you in advance x
 
Hi. I don't know much about bone infections but I expect the referral vet will know the best course of treatment and prognosis.

I wouldn't try bonding him with a new friend just yet but get the infection sorted first and know he is 100% himself and not going to need surgery. If he is bonded when under the weather the dynamic maybe affected once he is back to normal which could result in a fallout.

Good luck at the vets today
 
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Hi - just wanted to post a wee update and to say thank you.

Tornado has made great progress, abscess has healed and surgery not required :D
I honestly believe this result was due to advice about treatment from forum members -zithromax and manuka honey -Thank you so much!

Now I have the exciting/ nerve wracking task of finding him a new friend - have been in touch with a local rescue center who have a single boar and introductions to take place next week. I am away to read up on the guides for bonding etc

Thank you again
 
Just caught up with this thread (how did I miss it?). Pleased Tornado (great name) is all better it's a worrying time when they have an abscess. My RB piggy Christian had a HUGE abscess removed and only just survived the operation.
 

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Betsy said:
Just caught up with this thread (how did I miss it?). Pleased Tornado (great name) is all better it's a worrying time when they have an abscess. My RB piggy Christian had a HUGE abscess removed and only just survived the operation.
Click to expand...
Here it is being cut open (apologies if you're just about to eat!)

 
So cool (and gross!) that your vet did a video for you! Now I am wishing that I had asked for the same thing when one of my past pigs had an abscess capsule removed like that, in one piece! The last abscess we dealt without couldn't be removed totally so had to be left open and drained... and I'm well aware of all the nastiness that came out of that thing!
 
Black piggies said:
🤮 Poor Christian! How did you get that video? Like the pimple popper Doctor programme.
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Freela said:
So cool (and gross!) that your vet did a video for you! Now I am wishing that I had asked for the same thing when one of my past pigs had an abscess capsule removed like that, in one piece! The last abscess we dealt without couldn't be removed totally so had to be left open and drained... and I'm well aware of all the nastiness that came out of that thing!
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My vet is great and knows I'm interested in all things piggy (she is quite impressed by the knowledge I've gained through the Forum) she kept the abscess for me as she thought I may be interested. When she told me how huge the abcess was I took along a tape measure and videoed her cutting open the abcess when I went to collect Christian.
 
Very educational! That's good she recognises you know about piggies. When she said there was nothing inside it, what was she looking for?
 
Black piggies said:
Very educational! That's good she recognises you know about piggies. When she said there was nothing inside it, what was she looking for?
Click to expand...
She was looking for something that had caused the abscess in the first place. She said that abcesses don't just happen something has to cause them.
 
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