Abscess Help for Huckleberry

Mellissa Mae · Oct 23, 2015

Late last night we discovered an abscess on the side of Huckleberry. Last Saturday, he and his former cage mate got into a fight. Eeyore got injured, we are treating him, and his wounds are healing fine. However, we didn't check Huck for any injuries, and we feel terrible about it, until Tuesday evening when I was patting him and felt a scab. I put some ointment on it, bacitracin, because it didn't look out of the ordinary. Just a scab. Well, last night I was patting him and noticed a lump under his fur. When I spread the fur I noticed white mucous-like stuff on his skin. We took him into the kitchen under a better light and saw that it was puss. It had a smell to it and realized that it was an abscess. We cleaned out it, also realizing, that his fur got trapped in the wound and we are guessing that THAT is what caused the abscess, so we had to pull the trapped fur out, and it was covered in goo. I could be wrong, we are just guessing. It was flushed out and we got the puss out. I gave him some baytril and benebac last night before bed.

This morning, about 8 hours or so after cleaning him, blood had congealed in the wounds. It isn't quite a scab yet. I don't know if we should try to soften the blood or wait until it scabs over again. I have to get him through to Monday, today being Friday. I have some pictures, they aren't the best quality, but just to give you an idea. Took them about an hour or so ago. Twelve hours after the initial cleaning.

We made a mistake in not checking Huck, we are not abusive or neglectful fur parents. We have had over 8 vet trips in a month dealing with a skin issue on Eeyore and a URI with Peaches, it just got away from us. We feel extremely bad, trust me.

So, any help. Please.

We have syringes, not the curvy kind, just the basic ones without needles.

There is a glare on the wound because I used my flash. The color of the inside of the wound is red, ie the congealed blood.

bpatters · Oct 23, 2015

You shouldn't let it scab over. It needs to heal from the inside out, or else it will just keep recurring.

Get some sterile saline (any pharmacy) and flush it thoroughly twice a day, getting any pus out. Don't put bacitracin on it unless it's definitely in a place where he can't lick it, and unless the other pig(s) can't lick it either.

Here are some links with information: https://www.guinealynx.info/search_abscess.html.

Mellissa Mae · Oct 23, 2015

We removed the blood by using warm water in a syringe and many qtips to try and work out the dried scabby blood. There was a little puss in there. It looks better than it did. I put some bacitracin around the wound, not sure if I should put it IN the wound. He can't get to the wound, it is in an odd area and I watched him clean himself, and he isn't housed with anyone else. We are going to pick up some saline today.

One more thing.. Should we trim the hair around the wound to prevent hair getting caught inside? I'm just paranoid.

bpatters · Oct 23, 2015

Yes, I'd trim the hair, and yes, I'd put the bacitracin in the wound.

pinky · Oct 23, 2015

If you can get chlorhexidine from your local pharmacy, dilute it in warm water to a light blue color and use it to flush the wound with the syringe. It's really good at cleaning out wounds.

Soecara · Oct 23, 2015

Yes either Chlorhexidine or Povidone Iodine will do the trick for cleaning the wound, read this page https://www.guinealynx.info/antiseptic_solutions.html

Mellissa Mae · Oct 24, 2015

We were able to soak and flush the wound to clean it out. Later this evening we cleaned it again and thankfully it wasn't full of blood. Flushed it and then found two smaller abscess wounds on the lower part of his face. We had a heck of a time trimming the fur away from it just to get to it. Eventually we were able to get to them. They are smaller wounds. We soaked/flushed them and were able to remove the puss and scabs. One had hair inside it, so I was able to remove them. They both look pretty good. Applied bacitracin to all three wounds.

We are going to get betadine tomorrow as we are having a heck of a time finding saline solution that isn't for eye care or in a mist or spray.

bpatters · Oct 24, 2015

Betadine will work. Just be sure to dilute it quite a bit, like 10 to 1, because it's very drying.

Mellissa Mae · Oct 24, 2015

We picked up some betadine today at the store. I've read the dilution formula on Lynx and we are going to try it.

The big wound on his back I am guessing may need stitches. Everything looks clean. The two smaller ones on his face are REALLY small, no puss has come out, I don't feel any lumps, but we flushed everything really good this morning and used ointment. When we cleaned them off last night, there was what looked like a tiny pustule, or ball of yuck that came out, that seemed to be hanging off. Right now they both look like regular wounds. We are still going to flush them though.

bpatters · Oct 24, 2015

Wounds can't be stitched except for a few hours after they first occur. After that, they're left open to heal on their own.

Mellissa Mae · Nov 1, 2015

Just an update, sorry it wasn't sooner. We took Huck to the vet's last week and the doc said it was healing nicely. As of yesterday afternoon, it had completely healed up, there is a scar, but that is to be expected. I have attached a picture so you can see it. The reason it looks wet, is because we had just cleaned it and applied ointment one last time. Thank you for all your help.

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Abscess Help for Huckleberry

Mellissa Mae

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Mellissa Mae

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pinky

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Soecara

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Mellissa Mae

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Mellissa Mae

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