Rex with a large abcess under his chin

loulouembers · Feb 28, 2006

My Rex, who is not yet a year old has suddenly developed an abcess under his chin. At first I thought it was just his dewlap growing but the lump is almost the size of a golf ball and very hard. It has come up very quickly.
My vet says he doesnt think it is connected to his jaw so not a tooth problem but he cannot be sure if it is a one-off or will re-develop and be a continuing problem.
Has anyone any advice? He is a happy healthy rabbit in every other way.

Thanx
Louisa

Angie65 · Feb 28, 2006

Don't the vets have to burst it? They did with my Flints & he had antibiotics & an op to remove the infected area.

loulouembers · Feb 28, 2006

The vet said Flint would need a g/a and to have the abcess cut out. He hoped it would come out in one go. He said rabbit pus is thick and waxy and didnt suggest draining it?

Jack's-Jane · Feb 28, 2006

Hiya. I'd say that having the abscess surgically removed will be the best option. Lancing it might drain some pus but the abscess cavity wall will contain infected tissue so more pus will form. If your Vet can remove the entire abscess capsule and it is NOT tooth root related then hopefully it wont recur. Taking a swab of the abscess cavity wall would enable your Vet to prescribe the most appropriate post surgical antibiotic therapy. If Baytril is given I would question this as quite often Baytril is not effective. Jane x

taylor v 109 · Feb 28, 2006

What a crying shame, in my experience ive done both had it cut out whole and had it drained with after treatment.

neither worked. They are noteories for spreading and it can reacure.Best chance is remove it hoping it is unbroken but even then there is a high risk to it coming back there or in another place. Sorry i carnt tell you some good news. val

Angie65 · Mar 1, 2006

I found Flnts abscess on a Friday night, had him at the vets on Saturday, vet burst it, then on Monday he was back in & had his G/a & op on the Tuesday. It had healed over on the Monday, but was still pus-filled. He was on Baytril for a week, but stopped eating, so vet gave him a couple of painkiller jabs & an antibiotic jab, then a jab to get him to eat (it had been 3 days & I was syringe feeding-& not enough). He had his 5 stitches removed last Friday & now he's back to his bouncy self

taylor v 109 · Mar 1, 2006

Lets hope it dosent come back but i think its cleared qicker than i would have expected.Lets hope is one of the kucky ones

val

BevBunny · Mar 1, 2006

Charlie had quite a nasty abcess on his chin when he was about 1 - it came up very quickly, was fairly big and hard.

TMy vet and I discussed the options and we decided we may as well try to drain if first, and only take the step of removing it under GA if it came back.

The vet lanced it, lots of thick smelly cheesy stuff came out - he rinsed inside with something (I assume saline solution), gave Charlie antibiotic jab, and oral antibiotics to take home. I bathed it for a few days, it healed up. Never came back.

So, I know other people have had bad experiences but I thought it might be good for you to know that things can go well with them too.

Rex with a large abcess under his chin

loulouembers

Warren Scout

Angie65

Wise Old Thumper

loulouembers

Warren Scout

Jack's-Jane

Wise Old Thumper

taylor v 109

Mama Doe

Angie65

Wise Old Thumper

taylor v 109

Mama Doe

BevBunny

Mama Doe

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