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Billy has a lump under his jaw!

B

Bunny Land

Banned
Last night, I noticed for the first time that Billy, one of my Rex rabbits has a lump the size of a marble underneath his jaw. The lump moves around. I'm not sure whether it's a pasteurella abscess or not, but it's definitely come up quite quickly. Bounty, my Ermine Rex, regularly gets these abscesses, due to suffering from Pasteurella, normally they come to a head and I lance them, then remove the pus, then clean and bathe them, he's also on Baytril. However, I couldn't seem to lance Billy's abscess - Billy suffers from severe Pasteurella, is bald and has a slight head tilt. However, he's a very happy bun. He's also eating and drinking as normal. Billy is also still bald, he's been to the vets on numerous occasions and they've tested him for mites etc and inspected skin samples, but they've said he's clear - but I'm not so sure! Billy only weighs 1.8kg, even though he's a full size Rex (not a mini). However, he eats and drinks more than my largest rex who weighs over 3kg! Infact, he never stops eating, which I'm glad about, but there must be a reason for this! He also has very "bulging" eyes.

Carol
 
Sorry but this sounds like a mandibular abscess probably originating from an infected tooth root. The bulging eyes are also a cause for concern as rabbits can get abscesses behind their eyes.I would take Billy to your Vet ASAP as Mandibular abscesses are nasty and once they penetrate the bone they are virtually impossible to cure. The fact that Billy has clinical symptoms of an intra-occular problem also needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Jane and Buns xx
 
Hi Jane, I've booked Billy into a vet first thing in the morning. I think Billy was kind of "the runt of the litter" and has suffered just about everything from a very young age. His teeth were only checked last week by the vet and apparently they were found to be ok. They'd taken some skin scrapings and sent them off for analysis, but said there were definitely no mites. I think because Billy is bald, this is what makes his eyes bulge, as these have bulged since he was very young, and is now nearly 2 years old. I've nursed Billy through everything, when he wouldn't eat a thing, I syringed Oxbo through to him until he recovered. He's constantly back and forth to the vet, even though his appetite and moods never change. It's more because I find things and worry about absolutely everything. He lives in my bedroom in a large indoor cage. He has a cat igloo in one side of the cage and he treats this as his domain! and he has a renewable large incontinence soft pad on the floor of the hutch, as to protect his hocks because he's a Rex. He's a very happy bun, but I'm just very worried about this lump. Do other people lance abscesses themselves??? and if so, what do you use to lance these abscesses?

Carol
 
Bunny Land said:
Hi Jane, I've booked Billy into a vet first thing in the morning. I think Billy was kind of "the runt of the litter" and has suffered just about everything from a very young age. His teeth were only checked last week by the vet and apparently they were found to be ok. They'd taken some skin scrapings and sent them off for analysis, but said there were definitely no mites. I think because Billy is bald, this is what makes his eyes bulge, as these have bulged since he was very young, and is now nearly 2 years old. I've nursed Billy through everything, when he wouldn't eat a thing, I syringed Oxbo through to him until he recovered. He's constantly back and forth to the vet, even though his appetite and moods never change. It's more because I find things and worry about absolutely everything. He lives in my bedroom in a large indoor cage. He has a cat igloo in one side of the cage and he treats this as his domain! and he has a renewable large incontinence soft pad on the floor of the hutch, as to protect his hocks because he's a Rex. He's a very happy bun, but I'm just very worried about this lump. Do other people lance abscesses themselves??? and if so, what do you use to lance these abscesses?

Carol
Click to expand...
I really would not attempt to lance the abscess yourself. Far better for your Vet to establish what it is. Just because Billy's teeth looked ok without dental x-rays it is IMPOSSIBLE to ascertain what is going on within the tooth roots. The fact that Billy's lump has come up so quickly makes it even more likely that a tooth root abscess is the cause. If Billy has a chronic Pasteurellosis he is going to be prone to abscesses, both external and internal. Jane and Buns xx
 
Thanks Jane,

I'm going to try a different vet. My vet refuses to lance abscesses. The last time he removed Bounty's abscess. He kept him in for 2 days and charged me just under £300! He operated and apparently removed the capsule and then stitched it all back up again. Within a few days Pasteurella, had built up to a point where it burst open the stitches. It was then left open to heal on its own. Within a week another abscess at cropped up at the side of the original one. Every day, I remove the pus, as the wound is constantly open (a tiny hole). However, the original abscess appears to have cleared up now.

I honestly don't think my vet is too "up" on rabbit abscesses. What do you think?

Carol
 
I took Billy to the vets yesterday (a different vet to my usual one) morning. The vet said that it is a Pasteurella abscess, she didn't want to lance it there and then as she wanted to start him on Baytril first. She didn't want to give him an anesthetic either, because he's such a wee little thing and didn't want to risk it with his ongoing problems. She's suggested a try lancing it myself, however, if the wall of the abscess is too thick I need to return to the vets on Monday / Tuesday. He was given a thorough examination, and he's actually put 15 grammes on since his last weigh in, so that takes him up to 195g!!, which is brilliant really. His teeth are in very good condition and this vet has agreed to give him some Ivomec, once this abscess is sorted out.

Carol
 
Billy's lump is now shrinking with the help of Baytril. It used to be the size of a marble. However, after administering Baytril to him twice a day, it is now clearing up. I'm really pleased with his progress, as I thought he may have to have it removed at the surgery.

Carol
 
I know, it's wonderful to hear that Jack is improving too :D It's so worrying when they're not well.

I've just acquired 2 Rex buns, which have been quite badly neglected :twisted: Angel was born in 1999 (a Dalmation Rex) and Sasha (a Brown Spotted Rex) was born in 2001. Angel is in the worst condition, very boney, so much so, you can feel her spine and rib cage quite easily and she has lots of loose skin :( She just looks like a bag of bones, so along with Angel's Foster Carer (**Red**), we've both been on a mission to fatten her up! She's eating and drinking continuously. I've just been wondering whether it's due to Angel being older, or whether it's due to the fact that she was neglected? Also, how long can I expect my Rex bunnies to live? I have 8 Rex buns, 1 medium Lop, 1 Netherland Dwarf, 1 Dutch and 1 Agouti.

I once had a lop rabbit years ago as a child, however, sadly she only lived to 6 years of age, because she developed a lump on her stomach. Toffee then had a big operation to remove the lump as it was growing, at the vets. However, she deteriorated after the op, even though we tried absolutely everything to make her better. 6 years seems young to lose a bunny?

Carol
 
Hiya Carol. Yes I am so pleased with Jack. He is just over 7 now so is an old boy. Standard Rexes tend to have an average life-span of 7-8 years although there are always going to be those who make it into double figures. I think the Mini Rexes have about the same average life-span. My oldest bunny was Ruffles, a Dwarf Lop. He went to The Bridge last year at the age of 13. I had only had him for 2 years though. He was handed in to a Rescue at the age of 11...... :cry: :cry: Glad to hear that the FF Rescues are eating well and will hopefully get back into good condition. Jane and Buns xx
 
Oh, that's good Jane! obviously, we all want our buns to live forever! At least you gave Ruffles a very good 2 years, where no doubt he was spoilt rotten! I find it so hard to believe that people can part with their pets, I certainly couldn't, especially, when you've had them a while. You and Ruffles were very lucky to have each other!

I sadly lost a Dalmation Rex, which I rescued early last year. He was nothing more than a Kit, who had been taken away from his mother too early! I called him Snoopy, and although I only had him for 2 weeks before he sadly went to the bridge, I nursed him and cared for him and took him to the vets loads, I cried so much when I lost him! :cry:

I know they all have to go to the bridge sometime, but we never want that sometime to come!

Carol xxx
 
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