Abscess, CL (Busted) - Help?

**TwoOfaKind** · #1 07-20-07, 05:45 pm

Hey everyone. I haven't been here in a while, life has taken a crazy turn. Well Bailey and Reeces have been together in the same cage for a while, and they are very happy together. A while back Reeces was treated with a sulfa based medication (I think, it was SMP TM something-or-other, I would have to look it up)

Well Bailey developed a huge lump beneath his chin practically overnight and I just noticed it has busted. I am about to seperate the piggies. I called around to see if I could get a round of the antibiotic (or similar Bactrim) but everyone is requiring an office visit first (and quite frankly, I cannot afford it at the moment because I was layed off from my job)

Does anyone know if there is any alternative (either if I can order over the internet or something OTC ?)

Thanks!!

**piggly wiggly** · #2 07-20-07, 05:48 pm

I think he would need a vet visit for antibiotics, but you could bathe the wound in a warm slt water, do it frequently. If it is pussing, the salt will eat away the puss.

**Ly&Pigs** · #3 07-20-07, 06:08 pm

A busted abscess will require a trip to the vets. If the infection gets into the blood stream it will be worse on him. He will need antibiotics and flushings of the wound. Take the time to read this thread as well- Guinea Lynx :: Topic - Abscesses

Generally you want to flush it with an antiseptic solution, salt water is a non antiseptic solution. Guinea Lynx :: Antiseptic Solutions

Also read this page-
Guinea Lynx :: Common Mistakes

**TwoOfaKind** · #4 07-20-07, 11:55 pm

Hey Guys.

Well, I am not so sure that the lump busted.. I thought that below his chin was goopy, but when I attempted to clean it with the warm compress and the iodine/water solution (I followed the instructions exactly) I could not find any open wound of any type, it just seemed to be a quarter-size lump/knot. I seperated Bailey and Reeses. Bailey seems happy and he's still eating/drinking fine. I gave him some critical care to be on the safe side since I am limiting the hay b/c I don't want its courseness to bother the area. I'm going to hopefully get him in somehwere soon. I will keep you posted. Thanks guys.

**maeve100** · #5 07-21-07, 02:08 pm

Hi there -

I have recently (and am still dealing with) a chin abcess on my pig Monty. Keep a watchfull eye on it to see how fast it grows, but nothing is going to clear it out except a trip to the vet. They might be able to aspirate (sp?) it, but for most rodents surgery seems to be the only option.

One thing I would suggest, if surgery is in your future, is to have an Xray taken. Its pricey (~170 in LA), but if I had had an Xray taken before the surgery then they would have seen the abcess came from his lower teeth and then I wouldn't have had to get a second surgery!

All the best of luck! I know how annoying and painstaking an abcess process is.

Liz

shellbie967 · #6 07-21-07, 03:22 pm

Just a little word of good advice;
If you haven't done so already, remove the pig with the absess. The pig needs to be quarintined (another room and all).
Once the absess had ruptured, if it's CL, it becomes highly contagious. The ruptured area needs to be flushed and drained daily until it heals from the inside out or it'll be a constant occurance. The ill pig needs antibiotics as well.
Just a little well needed advice from someone who has learned the hard way.

**pignewton** · #7 07-21-07, 06:30 pm

My youngest had a lump under his chin a few months back and I could not get him into the vet for 2 days (holiday weekend). By that morning the lump was gone. If it was an abcess it was reabsorbed into the body as there was no sign of a wound. If it was not an abcess what could it have been? I ended up not taking him in to the vet as he seemed fine and he has been very well since then.

**StanleyPig** · #8 07-21-07, 09:57 pm

I have had great success with calendula tincture and water to flush abcesses on my dog (1 drop per ounce of water applied with a cotton ball). It helped to "dry" the abcess out and prevented further infection. Ly and others, would that work with piggies??

**TwoOfaKind** · #9 07-22-07, 11:40 pm

We are taking Bailey to the vet in the morning. The lump appears to be just that - a lump/mass. It hasn't grown any that I can tell, nor has it ruptured (which I thought it had); Bailey is still eating/drinking fine, and playing and popcorning. So to the vet he goes in the morning, hopefully all is alright !! Keep Bailey in your thoughts

Thanks

**envisionary333** · #10 07-23-07, 01:12 am

Good luck at the vets and let us know how it works out! I'll definitely keep him in my thoughts for you.

**TwoOfaKind** · #11 07-23-07, 11:14 am

Bailey's appointment is at 4pm, I will be back later to let you all know how it goes. I was holding him earlier and he was very talkative and happy

**TwoOfaKind** · #12 07-24-07, 12:04 pm

Hi Guys! Well I braught Bailey to the Vet .. The vet prescribed Baytril (mixed it in a cherry-flavor) and I am to give him that until it's gone (twice a day); The vet said that it could possibly be CL, but if the lump does not go down with the antibiotics he wants to do labwork to test for a lymphoma (cancer)

While he said it was unusual for a piggy this young to have lymphoma, it is not unheard of. Please please pray for my Bailey. He's such a sweet piggie, and a joy.

For now we rigged up a new cage for Bailey (by connecting the two old cages with cubes) and he is seperated from Reeses.

*sigh*

Thanks everyone

**maeve100** · #13 07-24-07, 12:14 pm

I'm so sorry to hear that :-(. I really wish you the best of luck, I know how trying these things can be. It might be a comfort to the piggie if you set the cages up near each other, so they are still able to see one another. This really lifted the spirits of my pig when he went for surgery, etc, etc.

You are in my thoughts - Liz

**clotho** · #14 07-24-07, 12:43 pm

Bailey will be in my thoughts and I am wishing you all the best with him! Hopefully the antibiotic will clear it up! Keep an eye on his appetite to make sure he isn't having ill effects from the antibiotic. You may want to read over handfeeding tips just in case you need to handfeed. You also might consider a probiotic for him while he is on antibiotics.

Guinea Lynx :: Hand Feeding
Guinea Lynx :: Probiotics

**TwoOfaKind** · #15 07-26-07, 11:54 pm

Hello everyone ! I am truly stumped

Bailey really seems completely un-affected by this mystery mass. He is still eating and drinking like a normal happy healthy piggy, he's romping around and squeaking, but it appears as though the mass on his neck may be getting larger (I can't quite tell?!) So yes, I am stumped !!

I have his cage set up next to Reeses' cage, so they are in very close proximity.

But I am really confused. And not sure if I should be as worried as I am or what. I find it always in the back of my mind that something is going to happen, that one day I'll walk into the room and find him horribly ill or even worse, but at the same time, I don't know if I am being paranoid?

*sigh*

I adopted a piggy a couple of years ago, his name was Ely. I rescued him (he had been horribly neglected for the two short years he was alive, and despite the excellent care I had given him once I adopted him, the damage had already been done. Just a month and half later I took him into the vet and chose to have him euthenized, as that was the humane thing to do

Anyways - this is hard ... Thank you all for your thoughts and continued prayers for Bailey

**maeve100** · #16 07-27-07, 12:22 am

All I have to offer are my experiances - here is a pic of my pig before his surgery:
Picasa Web Albums - Liz - GuineaPigScra...

You can use his post op picture to tell where the lump is:
Picasa Web Albums - Liz - GuineaPigScra...

Up till his surgery he acted completly normal: eating, drinking, playing as if nothing was wrong. I am guessing that its true that piggies are realy good at hiding illness :-(.

I really hope that the antibiotcs help your little one out and it goes away.

Liz

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