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Michelle has a nasty abscess on her tummy UPDATE 24/8

toffee

Mama Doe
I took Michelle to the vet last night. The lump I found on her tummy is an abcess. :( I'm so worried. :(

The vet has shaved her tum, squeezed the pus out and given her baytril (an injection and an oral course). I asked him what happens if baytril doesn't work and he says he is willing to try penicillin (i think that's what he said) if the baytril isn't doing anything. At least he's willing to do everything he can to help Michelle. :)

She seems ok in herself (a little quiet maybe) and she's eating fine so fingers crossed.

I'm taking her back on saturday to have it checked so I'll know better then how she's doing.

I'm worried about flies as well now because where he's squezed it is a bloody scab (last night I had to do fly patrol - she's in the living room at the moment because I know there aren't any flies in there)

She's a brave little girl - she let the vet mess her around last night without struggling at all. :love:
 
She might have to have an operation to have the infected area completely removed. Both my abscess patients did (Flint & Dusk)

Also, she might stop eating with the baytril (Though I'm beginning to think Flint was jut being a typical man :roll: )

I had to keep opening the abscesses though & washing with salt water to keep then drained. & Flint needed extra pain killers :(

Hope she's ok
 
The vet has recommended we wash it in salt water too. He wants to see if the baytril will work to start with before he thinks of anything else.

To be honest, if an operation will get rid of the abscess then I don't mind. I just don't want to have to try a million things to make her better if I don't have to - It's not fair on her. Better to try something that is more likely to work straight away.

I've got lots of spring greens in (her favourite) so hopefully she will keep eating these.
 
When Jack had his abccess he had to have 2 ops to try and clear it daily painkillers, baytril and cleaning, Jacks abcess turned out to be a bone abcess though I do hope that she's ok and you can get it sorted XXXX
 
I have just been home to check on Michelle. She has a lump where the abscess is but the vet has drained it and the lump was there straight after he did?? Is it just swelling?

She is eating fine.

She is running about with the others so I guess she can't be in pain.

I can't wait to go back to the vet on Saturday. I know this is going to take ages to heal but I need to know she's going to be ok.
 
I'd say a gentle sqeeze, getting the puss out and cleaning it with saline will help.
 
I tried squeezing the lump last night but I couldn't get anything out.

Michelle has fallen out with me because I keep messing her about. She's still bright and lively and eating so hopefully she's ok at the mo.

The other 2 she lives with are fussing her - they're licking her head and ears and they don't usually do that. Will they know she's poorly?

My poor baby girl. :(

Back to the vet tomorrow.
 
I wouldnt have thought that operating would be a good idea as its already been opened, so if they operated they would be helping to spread it around. I would have kept it open and flushing it out. Ive always used [as advised by my vet] parozide in a syringe pused into the hole. This loosens the pus and you will see it bubbling as it disoves it. Its efective in cleaning out the wound. The pus should be analised to see if the batril is the right thing to use. Most times its useless.I rearly hope you have success with yours as ive never had a good result it pops up somwere else after a while. val
 
I think you need to be quite insistent with your Vet re treating the abscess. Most Rabbit savvy Vets know that although the protocol with antibiotics in Rabbits is to start with the licensed one, ie Baytril, then progress 'off-license' if necessary. BUT they also aknowledge that Baytril is often useless for treating abscesses. A Rabbit savvy Vet tends to go straight in with a more appropriate antibiotic or Penicillin INJECTIONS.

Without actually surgically removing the abscess capsule it will be very difficult to cure it. But total removal is not always possible depending on where the abscess is.

If Michelle were my Bunny I'd ask Vet the following:

Is surgery an option NOW to avoid further tracking of abscess?

Would another antibiotic based on microscopic analysis from a wound swab be more appropriate?

Pain relief for use if necessary.

Non Rabbit Savvy Vets are reluctant to go against the guidelines re prescribing 'off-lisence' antibiotics to Buns but really the sooner an antibiotic based on culture and sensitivity results is started the better.

Good luck at the Vets today.

Janex
 
I was treating Michelle with Baytril for a couple of weeks. We went back to the vet on Saturday and the lump had gone - almost completely - overnight.

So at the mo she is ok. I'm not convinced however that it won't come back - keeping an eye on it.

She has a few tiny porridgey lumps under her skin on her tummy below where the abcess is/was. The vet said this was due to the size of the abcess and they are unlikely to be a problem unless they get bigger.

Before I realised the lump had gone I was going to ask that they surgically remove the abcess but if it's no longer full of pus and Michelle's not bothered by it then I guess all I can do is wait and see.

She's off Baytril now.
 
glad she seems ok .
hope its gone for good but keep a close eye on her as they do tend to come back .(though not always ...2 of our buns with abssesseshealed well first time.

Angie
 
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