Lump Update on Shadow's cyst

[Katrinah]

So I am going to take her back to the vet again today. We took her to the vet Tues afternoon because Monday night we noticed a lump on her cheek. https://www.guineapigcages.com/forum/medical-veterinary/52568-piggies-cheek.html

The vet prescribed Baytril twice daily as well as using a very warm wet cloth on the area 3 times a day for 10 mins. While doing this this morning, I noticed the area on her neck that was slightly swollen now has a grape sized hard lump in it. I am bringing her back to the vet today at 2:45pm. She is still eating, drinking, running around as normal, but I am sooooo worried about her.

 

[Katrinah]

Well, puss was building in her lymph node so the Vet is putting her under to lance and drain it. I will be picking her up later tonight. Vet wants us to continue the Baytril and use hot wet washcloth compress on both her cheek and where they lance 3 times a day over the next few days and to keep an eye on her. I will be picking her up in about an hour. Getting the cage divided up now. Should a 2x2 area for each pig be enough for them for a couple days to a week?

 

[Katrinah]

She is back home now. The Vet made two incisions on the abcess and said it was full of very thick puss. She recommended we send it for culture and I have told her to do it in case the Baytril will not clear it up.

She also told me to flush it twice daily with peroxide or bedatine(sp). After reading some on Guinealynx it looks like peroxide is not recommended but bedatine is so I am going to do that.

The cage is seperated and shadow is just lying by the seperation and her sister on the other side of the grids next to her. She ate all her veggies tonight which is a good thing. Going to be a long haul weekend with her. It just breaks my heart to put her through all this and I am so worried she is going to hate me when it is all done.

 

[1frankie7]

I hope she gets better soon!!!

 

[pinky]

She is back home now. The Vet made two incisions on the abcess and said it was full of very thick puss. She recommended we send it for culture and I have told her to do it in case the Baytril will not clear it up.

She also told me to flush it twice daily with peroxide or bedatine(sp). After reading some on Guinealynx it looks like peroxide is not recommended but bedatine is so I am going to do that.

The cage is seperated and shadow is just lying by the seperation and her sister on the other side of the grids next to her. She ate all her veggies tonight which is a good thing. Going to be a long haul weekend with her. It just breaks my heart to put her through all this and I am so worried she is going to hate me when it is all done.

I went back to check my records of how my guinea pig was treated for an abscess in late 2006. It was a large abscess on the bridge of her nose. The vet lanced it and cleaned it out. The pocket (hole) was very large. She put her on 7 ml of Bactrim twice a day and had me use QTips to remove any pus that would build back up in the hole. I did it multiple times a day. The hole was big enough that I could easily put the Qtip in there. After cleaning it, I'd fill the hole with Neosporin. Surprisingly, it didn't hurt her. The key was to not allow the hole to close up because it needed to heal from the inside out. Cleaning it out was important. It did close up one time and I took her back to have it relanced. It was a lengthy process but the hole started to get smaller until all that was left was the opening of the wound which healed up. When I'd use the Qtip, I'd clean it out with until it the pocket was dry and empty. Sometimes it would bleed a little bit, but nothing significant.

 

[Katrinah]

Just another quick update. Shadow is doing well. She is still eating and drinking good, hates the warm washcloth with a passion, bites it like mad when i try to put it on her neck and eye area. She actually tollerates the flushing of the neck lacerations for drainage very well.

Tonight after we did the meds, flushing, cloth etc she is in her cage running around popcorning and poking her nose through the grids at her sister. I think they really miss each other, at least they can see and chatter to one another.

The lump has not had any huge improvements but seems to be slowly reducing a little. The vet should have the culture back I am guessing by Monday or Tues so we will know if she needs her antibiodics switched then. But for now, staying hopeful and loving to her!

 

[Onetwo]

Aww Lisa I am sorry she is not doing too well... Good luck. Since she is so little she really should be on Bactrim instead of Baytrl. Personal opinion...if she doesnt like the warm compresses maybe its making things worse. I dont know I am not an expert but usually instincts are stronger than anything else. I mean would you put a hot compress on a tooth that has been pulled? I wouldnt I would put a cold compress. But guinealynx has great info and maybe someone there (if you post something there) would be able to give you more advice. I know it is hard to have them separate but it is for her to heal. Keep us updated.

 

[Ly&Pigs]

You actually would put a warm compress on it to help draw it to the surface if it's an abscess.

 

[Katrinah]

Yes, from what the vet told me it is to keep things soft and draining so that it heals from the inside out rather than outside in trapping the infection. That is the only part she really really hates and fights hard. I suppose it is because she gets wet on that side =b

Onetwo, she actually is doing pretty good, behavior is good and no change in the appetite. She just hates all the fussing going on with her. But I make sure to cuddle her before and after we are done to let her know coming out of the cage is not all about the "mean" stuff.

 

[Cogni]

I am so glad the little one is healing and you are doing everything you should be despite her fighting the evil warm washcloth !
I learned a lot from your thread about how to treat an abscess. Poor little pookies! They must get some external cut or bite that lets the bacteria in.
Shadow is very fortunate you noticed the lump and got it treated early and well. I don't know what would happen to neglected piggies that would get such a thing and not get proper treatment.

 

[Katrinah]

I am lucky too that I can work from home. My boss must think I am nuts but I told him until she heals I will be working from home to do her care. Thank goodness he is an understanding kind of guy =D

I also have to give props to my husband because he is doing the medicine administration and flushing while I hold her. She is being such a trooper!

 

[Katrinah]

Shadow is doing awesome!! Checking on her this morning visually the lump is barely noticable now (other than the shaved fur hehe). The vet told us to flush it for another couple days then just continue with the warm, wet cloth compresses until the end of the week and the Baytril until it runs out next week. Then we will keep an eye on her make sure it stays down and she heals up. The one by the eye still looks a tad puffy but not bad.

 

[Animals548]

AWWW I get the chills when I read stuff like this! I always feel so bad for them! Get well soon Shadow!

 

[Cogni]

Good lass, she is striving to get better and get back to her happy little piggie self! Good husband, for being a total supporter of you and Shadow!! And good you, for being an A-1 piggie momma!

 

[Katrinah]

So the vet warned me about this. After we flush the abcess we are to squeeze it gently to see if any drainage comes out. Well today tons came out, chunky, almost cottage cheese looking and some thick puss. This is a good thing per the Vet because it means it is clearing up and expelling what is left in there. After we were done (she really did not like this at all this morning!) her neck looks almost normal again! But man it was sooooo gross!

 

[Onetwo]

Auggg I can only Imagine! LOL thanks for the graphic images! It may take a few days again but she will love you. I think she knows you are try to help her. Thanks for all the info and I am sure because of you sharing the story many of us will have a little more knowledge about abscesses. Yuck for better or worse! lol Good luck and let us know!