• Forum/Server Upgrade If you are reading this you have made it to the upgraded forum. Posts made on the old forum after 26th October 2023 have not been transfered. Everything else should be here. If you find any issues please let us know.

  • Please Note - Medical Advice

    Please keep in mind that posts on this forum are from members of the public sharing personal opinions. It is not a replacement for qualified medical advice from a veterinarian. Many illnesses share similar symptoms but require different treatments. A medical exam is necessary for an accurate diagnosis, without which appropriate treatment cannot be given.

    You should always consult your vet before following any suggestions for medication or treatment you have read about. The wrong treatment could make your rabbit worse or mean your vet is unable to give the correct treatment because of drug interactions. Even non prescription drugs can do harm if given inappropriately.

    We are very grateful to members who take time to answer other members questions, but please do be clear in your replies that you are sharing personal experience and not giving instructions on what must be done.

    Urgent Medical Advice: If you need, or think you might need, urgent medical advice you should contact a vet. If it is out of working hours phone your vet's normal number and there should be an answer phone message with instructions on what to do.

Abscess help please/ piccy added

Hugo's There

Hugo's There

Wise Old Thumper
Nessa has a facial abscess as well as an upper respiratory tract infection. It appears to be a surface abscess and not related to any underlying tooth/root problem.

The problem is she cannot have the abscess surgically drained because of her breathing. This is making it very difficult to drain, as the only thing we can do is lance it with a needle. Getting rabbit pus through needle hole is very difficult and Nessa is finding it very painful as i am having to apply so much pressure.

I squeezed for ages this evening and got lots of stuff out until she couldn't take it any more. The problem is it still looked the same size afterwards, I just can't get enough out. And it is breaking my heart that I am hurting her so much, I know she will never trust me now :(

Is there anything else I can do or another way I can do it? Any advice would be appreciated :)

She is on 2 antibiotics and pain relief :D
 
Last edited:
Thanks Jason, she is getting all the right treatment, I just wondered if anyone had any tips on how to clean out an abscess that can't be surgically drained :)
 
Aww so sorry to hear this, poor Nessa, it must be so distressing for you both :(

Is there enough of a hole to try putting some active manuka honey on it? Even if it's only a tiny bit getting in, it may be enough to start off the process. It can't do any harm to at least try it I wouldn't have thought :?
 
If you get some disposable blades from the vets that they use for cutting the skin, then you could do it that way and then after squeezing you can use a syringe to suck out the gunge. The hole will stay open a bit longer if it is done with a scalpel blade :)
 
Could she tolerate light sedation and then having the abscess opened more fully ?
I am not sure where on her head the abscess is ? Could it be that her sinuses have abscessated ? If so a larger opening would allow better draining/flushing and perhaps the abscess could be plugged with Manuka Honey after each flush :?
 
Jaypot said:
If you get some disposable blades from the vets that they use for cutting the skin, then you could do it that way and then after squeezing you can use a syringe to suck out the gunge. The hole will stay open a bit longer if it is done with a scalpel blade :)
Click to expand...

I would be a bit scared to do that as she is a wiggler, the poor girl has been pulled about so much after a life time of never being handled :( I'm sure it would really help to have a bigger cut but it is so close to her eye :?

No way i can get any honey etc in it as it is literally a pin ***** at the moment.

I really wouldn't want to risk any type of sedation at the moment. We have worked so hard to pull her through this far and she has fought so hard but she is still sneezing, weezing and has a runny nose
 
I remember having a rabbit when I was young that had an absess. My mum used to care for it but I remember her having to cut a small hole in it with a scapel and drain it then push a big tablet into the hole!

Prob doesnt help much but your post suddenly jogged my memory of an old bun!
 
When Little Sam had an abscess the wound was kept open and we used a set of forceps to 'break up' the puss, we then syringed it with hibiscrubs. It seemed to work for him, unfortunately, the vets weren't using penicillin based antibiotics, so it kept recurring and we eventually lost him.
The abcess was around his facial area.
And I'd certainly give manuka honey at try, it must be factor 15 or above.
 
With Bobby's abcess (he was a very brave boy), the vet used a scalpel to make a slit, then squeezed the pus out, and flushed it. It sounds horrible, and I hated having to put him through it, but it really got most of it out. Abcess pus in rabbits is so thick, isn't it, it needs quite a large hole.
 
Couldn't she have a local anaesthetic? That's what the vet used when she opened up Milly's pad 2 weeks ago... We were having the same problem i.e.the hole was too small to get everything out
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

R
Loads of Unknown Cysts
Replies
6
Views
128
Shimmer
S
B
Rabbit not eating / dental / abscess
2 3 4
Replies
61
Views
3K
Jemi
J
B
Abcess or possible tumour - UPDATE
Replies
16
Views
315
tonibun
T
Back
Top