Abcess?

[beckiboo186]

Can anyone tell me what the start of an abcess looks like please? Also, how are they 'caused'? Hoping im just paranoid Xx

[TheGaffer]

An abcess is a pus filled sac type thing. The ones my buns had were under the skin and felt hard to touch.

[beckiboo186]

An abcess is a pus filled sac type thing. The ones my buns had were under the skin and felt hard to touch.

Oh B*gger

[TheGaffer]

oh no, do you think one of your buns has one??

[Ben's mum]

An abcess is just an infection that's contained under the skin - a bit like a spot really but bigger! The abcess needs to be 'popped' with a needle or lanced so the pus can be flushed out as they're usually self-contained so difficult to heal without interference. Once it's been flushed out it needs to be kept open but clean to allow it to heal without the infection being trapped under the skin again. Antibiotics are usually given to help fight from the inside and prevent spread of infection then topical treatments like Hibiscrub or Manuka honey can be used on the open abcess
Usually it's caused by bacteria getting in through a wound - e.g. a bite may cause bacteria already on the skin to be pushed into the wound and as the skin heals over the bacteria stays inside and forms an abcess.
Things like root infections can go on to cause jaw abcesses etc too and are usually the more problematic ones due to having a different cause - you'd need to be able to treat the tooth problems or the abcess would probably keep reoccuring.
General abcesses on the body aren't too much to worry about but need to be treated quickly and aggressively to prevent the infection spreading to the bloodstream and causing septicemia

[bunny-mad]

Where is the abscess?

Rabbit abscesses are particularly difficult to treat because they are normally filled with a very hard, paste-like substance which is difficult to drain and not easily pentrated by antibiotics. Therefore the best treatment in rabbits is to remove the abscess altogether.

Whether this is possible depends very much on where the abscess is, the aftercare can be quite difficult and it is never guaranteed that the abscess will not come back. Having said that I've had one bunny with an ear abscess who has had it removed and she has recovered very well with no sign of the abscess returning as yet. I have another bunny who has just had the same op so she is starting on the aftercare now... Helen

[beckiboo186]

Thanks for replies Jens had a poorly eye (sort of around her eye) and theres now a lump. I dont know if its an abcess tbh, sometimes I think it must be then 5 minutes later I look again and think no its not! At the vets again tomorrow eve so should be sorted then whatever it is Xx

[luvabun]

Thanks for replies Jens had a poorly eye (sort of around her eye) and theres now a lump. I dont know if its an abcess tbh, sometimes I think it must be then 5 minutes later I look again and think no its not! At the vets again tomorrow eve so should be sorted then whatever it is Xx

I'm playing catch up here and see a week has gone by since you first noticed this. Did the Vet say it could possibly me an abscess and what did he/she give you for it?