Bunny has another abscess :(

My rabbit Lily had an abscess on her cheek at Christmas time and she had that removed and it all healed really nicely. The vet removed her saliva duct (not the gland) as he suspected that's what was causing the trouble. At first he thought it was the tooth but didn't remove that in the end because he said it would cause even more problems with the hollow hole that's left when a tooth comes out.
She's been fine and recovered really well although she has a small lump where the saliva can't drain into her mouth now so it gathers (the gland is still there you see). The vet said the back pressure should eventually stop saliva being produced on that side and the lump will go. (He didn't want to remove the gland as they're so high up on the head it's very delicate).
Anyway, this week a lump has appeared again further along her cheek and the vet took a sample and it was pus so she's got to have another op on monday to have that removed.
He said he'll take x-rays to see if her teeth are causing it and if it is the tooth then it will have to come out :-s He said looking in her mouth her teeth look fine. I feel sick knowing she's got another op :'(
Has anyone else had a rabbit with an abscess caused by a tooth? Or a rabbit who's had more than one abscess? Does this mean they'll keep coming back?
I'm worried sick. I hope there isn't an underlying cause with the tooth.
Thanks x

Hi,

My friend had a very similar situation with her bunny. He definitely had at least two abscesses and they must have been caused by teeth.

In the end he had to have a few teeth removed altogether. A rabbit specialist did the surgery. After that no, he never got another one.

The good news is that he's well now, but it was a long fight.

I can ask my friend for all the details if you want?

Thank you Hesperus that would be realllly helpful thanks. Did they fill the holes in with something?
My vet is a rabbit-savvy vet but he said if it's something he can't do he'd refer Lily to a specialist down in Swindon. x

My experience isn't abcess related (yet!) but I did want to let you know that my Charlie had several teeth removed last week (nothing left at all down the left side now) and has recovered really well- eating brilliantly, and it barely affected him beyond that first day.

Like Lily though, his teeth looked ok on exam- vet was thinking of removing one (because it was long and not meeting on anything and wouldn't wear down), but once they got in they saw that most of the teeth down that side had pus under them, so they all came out.

On check up last week, he also has an infection on one molar on the other side, so if we can't kick that with antibiotics he may well be back in...

Suspect it will be a long fight, but he's doing so much better than I expected. I know its easier said than (and yes I'm a little hypocritical ), but try not to worry hun :wave:

elaine84 said:

Thank you Hesperus that would be realllly helpful thanks. Did they fill the holes in with something?
My vet is a rabbit-savvy vet but he said if it's something he can't do he'd refer Lily to a specialist down in Swindon. x

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Great Western Exotics? They're the vet I use and I really can't recommend them enough. Charlie's holes weren't filled in and I've managed to feed him normally- no cutting stuff up fine or anything. I was told normal was better as smaller would be more likely to get stuck in the gaps (yuk). I held off on pellets for about 4 days, and hard veg like carrot and swede for a couple (of my own choice- it sounded painful), but ultimately I couldn't stop him and the cheeky little thing was sat waiting by the fridge til I fed him the good stuff!!

Well my vet said that the tooth pockets eventually close up but they get food trapped in them that can rot and cause infection, so that's what i'm worried about if she has a tooth removed, but I'm glad you say Charlie is doing well and now I can speak to others whose bunnies have gone through similar things
He didn't mention the name of the specialist but he said they're an "exotics specialist" so it could very well be that one - again I'm glad you've had first hand experience as it's always hard knowing which vets to trust!
Thank you for your replies, I appreciate every single one!

I've had several siblings have identical abscess problems. None have had operations, all have been managed by meds and pain relief. The worst was/is Lighters and he is just as he ever was, but with a high dose of pain relief and daily penicillin injections. To look at him you'd never know anything is wrong, and he doesn't know either. so we took the move to manage, rather than eradicate.

Lily's just gone in to the vet. Positive vibes please x

Hope the op goes well and Lily recovers quickly. Sending lots of vibes xx

Thanks Captain Helen,
waiting to hear from the vet. Makes me feel sick all day! Fingers crossed she's doing well

Lily's coming round from the anaesthetic
Appointment at 4:40 to see what's been done. Fingers crossed.

elaine84 said:

Thanks Captain Helen,
waiting to hear from the vet. Makes me feel sick all day! Fingers crossed she's doing well

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I'm going through the exact same thing now. My bun is a dental bun - he only had his last op two weeks ago and is in again today Hope yours is okay x

marchi1990 said:

I'm going through the exact same thing now. My bun is a dental bun - he only had his last op two weeks ago and is in again today Hope yours is okay x

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Thanks yours too. Lily has had spurs a few times, I've been picking her grass when it's too horrible for them to go out. She loves grass and prefers it to hay. Need to see tonight if there's any teeth problems causing the abscess - hopefully not. Thinking of you and your bun too x

Hi there

I had a dental bun (molar spurs) who had an abcess underneath his bottom front tooth. My vet took out his top two teeth and bottom two teeth and bun then began Duphopen injections and Baytril for quite a few months. My vet also manually expressed as much of the pus as he could (was painful for bun) and surprisingly enough, the abcess never came back. I think the Duphopen injections really did the trick, as my vet said he'd had very good results with them. The trouble with rabbit abcesses is that the pus is very thick and difficult to drain. However, saying that, I thought it was the end of the world for my bun when he got the abcess, but he lived to be over 11years old, so don't give up hope! I don't very often come on the site now, as I no longer have a rabbit, but I wish you and your bun good luck and hope your bun is soon on the mend.

Thanks everyone for your messages
Lily came home last night and luckily there were no tooth problems so she doesn't have to go to the specialist
She had her abscess removed - there were also 2 tiny ones next to it so that's all out now. We have to be really careful the wound doesn't get any food trapped in it (it's right by her mouth) but at her check up today the vet said she looks like she's doing really well I've got some Critical Care to syringe feed her but only if necessary as it's quite bitty and we don't want any bits getting stuck in the wound.
She's eaten some leafy things like basil, coriander, kale, & spring greens. I've put probiotics in her water and keeping her warm (she's an indoor bun anyway).
She's on a course of antibiotic injections and the vet also squirted some antibiotic into the wound (he said the oiliness also stops new abscesses being able to take hold on there).
She's also drank a lot which is great and she's done some tiny poos.
Just recording everything on here in case it helps others!
Next appointment tomorrow evening.

Pleased she is doing ok and you didn't need to extract. Charlie is not doing as well as i thought :-(

natandfluffs said:

Pleased she is doing ok and you didn't need to extract. Charlie is not doing as well as i thought :-(

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Thanks She's having a little nibble to eat. I've been holding her water bowl in front of her to drink as she doesn't want to move much. How is Charlie - how come he isn't doing as well now? Hope he's ok x

I've been cleaning the abscess hole daily and she's on antibiotics and seems to be doing well but the hole is nearly closed and there's still a fair bit of pus in there when I clean it
Got the vets again tonight (checkup every other day) so going to ask if he can reopen it or something so i can continue to clean it out till pus stops appearing

Have the abcesses been surgically removed or just drained? I'm getting confused as when Dipsy had his surgically removed, not just drained, it was then sutured, had antibiotics for 5 days, all sorted. I prefer Supreme Science for syringe feeding as not bitty.

The abscess was surgically removed unburst then stitched, it was removed from the outside so there's a 'scooped out' area that's healing, but that is quite deep and germs are breeding in there... She's on antibiotics and the hole/wound is being cleaned daily until it's healed.