Abcess on hock (joint)

Hello

I noticed Finley was limping on Saturday morning so I took him to the vets straight away - we got an emergency appointment.

The vet drained some fluid from Finley's hock/ankle and said that it was clear with a few white bits in it. He decided the best thing to do was to try and flush the joint out and trying to get rid of some of the puss. This meant that Fin would have to have anaesthetic - which he did. The abcess was flushed out for 45 minutes and there was alot of puss. Finley was kept in the vets on Saturday night and was given pain relief.

I picked him up Sunday morning and was told it would be swollen for a few days and we need to hope the medication kicks in soon and fights off the infection. It is quite swollen and feel hard like a ball. Finley has been having his pain relief once a day and is due his duphapen (penicillin) injection tomorrow (to be had on every third day). He still has a good appetite and is pooping and weeing normally. He hops around but isn't really using his back leg.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.


Tanya

I am afraid that other than what the vet said I don't have much advice. Every day try and take the top off the scab and if he will tolerate it, squeeze as much of the pus out as possible. It will be thick and stink but needs to get out as much as possible. By stopping the skin on top healing over, you are leaving an opening to let as much drain out as possible.

Thank you.

Unfortunately there is no scab or any open wound. It would get more infection is he left it open. The abcess is on his joint.

tanya_306 said:

Thank you.

Unfortunately there is no scab or any open wound. It would get more infection is he left it open. The abcess is on his joint.

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OK, I hope the depocillin works, it is one of the best for these kind of abcesses. Your bun sounds as though he is in good hands.

Are there any special foods that help to fight bacteria??... I am willing to do anything for my baby boy

I honestly don't know about foods to fight bacteria. Rabbits on strong abx are very prone to stomach upsets and need to take prebiotics to keep the healthy bacteria in their tummies. The most common one I give is protexin professional. I make up a fifth of a sachet in 8-10mls of water and then syringe feed it. The rabbits usually love the taste and after the first few times will lick it off the end of the syringe without me having to pick them up.

Here is a picture, not sure if this is the best price but gives you something to go on. Your vet should be able to give you some tomorrow t get you started.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Protexin-Pr...28XQ/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1327962240&sr=8-9

Much better here, 1.99 a sachet and free delivery.

http://www.animeddirect.co.uk/dogs/supplements/Protexin_Professional_5g_Sachet_-_Single.html

Thank you.
I have got some Avripro Plus...is that the same sort of thing?

Yes, that's great. I am crossing everything in the hope that things improve. Let me know how tomorrows vet visit goes.

Poor boy

Did the Vet take an Xray of the hock to try to establish if there is any evidence of osteomyelitis ( bone infection) ?

Was a swab taken from the wound for culture and sensitivity testing. This would identify the bacteria involved and the most appropriate antibiotic to use. This may or may not be Depocillin. It may also indicate the presence anaerobic bacteria which would require Metronidazole to be included as an antibiotic treatment.

As the wound is open you could ask the Vet about the possibility of packing it using Manuka Honey (UMF20+) or if a C+S test indicated bacteria sensitive to tetracycline antibiotics then a wound packing paste could be made using intrasite and Ornicure (doxycycline)


http://global.smith-nephew.com/master/INTRASITE_27567.htm

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Dec...ycycline_Powder_for_Oral_Solution/-52829.html

Packing the wound would probably mean that a dressing would be required. This would need daily attention.

Echinacea may help boost the immune system and it can be added to the drinking water.

Fibreplex paste may also be a useful supplement to help the GI tract when Bun is on antibiotics.

I would also recommend Manuka Honey. I have used this many times on abscesses, all with sucessful outcomes.

My Inca suffered from Abscesses on her foot. She was on injectible antibiotics. Her wound was left open, i would pick the 'scab' off it once or twice a day, squeeze as much pus out as I could, rinse it with dilute iodine in a syringe then put manuka honey on. I used the UMF 25+ stuff. I then put a baby sock on her foot so that she never got the honey off or got the wound dirty.

I really found that this process worked. IMO antibiotics alone can find it hard to break down an abscess and a two pronged approach is better.

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately honey won't help Finley because there is no open wound. The abcess is in his hock joint.

I spoke to the vet today and he said I need to give the leg more time for swelling to have a chance to go down. I have just given Finley his penicillin injection but his fur was a bit wet after. I am guessing that some didn't go under the skin?

He is still eating and pooping lots and has hopped around the living room.

I will feel his leg for swelling later...he doesn't like it being touched.

tanya_306 said:

Thanks for the replies. Unfortunately honey won't help Finley because there is no open wound. The abcess is in his hock joint.

I spoke to the vet today and he said I need to give the leg more time for swelling to have a chance to go down. I have just given Finley his penicillin injection but his fur was a bit wet after. I am guessing that some didn't go under the skin?

He is still eating and pooping lots and has hopped around the living room.

I will feel his leg for swelling later...he doesn't like it being touched.

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Do make sure you wash off any Depocillin that went on his skin/fur immediately. If he ingests it it will make him very poorly.

Jack's-Jane said:

Poor boy

Did the Vet take an Xray of the hock to try to establish if there is any evidence of osteomyelitis ( bone infection) ?

Was a swab taken from the wound for culture and sensitivity testing. This would identify the bacteria involved and the most appropriate antibiotic to use. This may or may not be Depocillin. It may also indicate the presence anaerobic bacteria which would require Metronidazole to be included as an antibiotic treatment.

As the wound is open you could ask the Vet about the possibility of packing it using Manuka Honey (UMF20+) or if a C+S test indicated bacteria sensitive to tetracycline antibiotics then a wound packing paste could be made using intrasite and Ornicure (doxycycline)


http://global.smith-nephew.com/master/INTRASITE_27567.htm

http://www.noahcompendium.co.uk/Dec...ycycline_Powder_for_Oral_Solution/-52829.html

Packing the wound would probably mean that a dressing would be required. This would need daily attention.

Echinacea may help boost the immune system and it can be added to the drinking water.

Fibreplex paste may also be a useful supplement to help the GI tract when Bun is on antibiotics.

Click to expand...

Thanks Jane! We had the results back from the culture and Finley is on the right antibiotics...just need to pray it works.

Finley is due his next penicillin injection tomorrow and he is still having his metacam once daily (reduced dose).

He is happy to hop around and is eating/pooping/weeing normally. However, he doesn't appear to be putting much weight on it still. There is still a hard swollen ball where the needles entered his joint to flush the abcess. It is one week today that he had it flushed.

The vet is not back at work until Monday (I only want to see this one vet) and we still have our appointment for Wednesday.

I am assuming that Finley is not in too much pain because he is still happily eating, etc.

He is a house bunny so he isn't catching cold outside.

hi, was this the 'sore hocks' condition that your rabbit had?

No...my other rabbit (Otis) has sore hocks and he is so much easier to treat than Finley.

The vet thinks that Finley stood on a thorn in his hay tray which resulted in an infection and an abcess forming in his hock joint.