I Hate Absesses!-need advice *Pics*

[bruxxy]

My boy Lyric's facial absess is one of the most irritating things I have ever had to deal with. This has been going on for almost 3 months now and the absess seems to change constantly. Last week he got pretty bad. The absess was huge and he wasn't really eating. I was concidering having him pts since I can't afford the 400$ to have it removed and the size of it made me think it was more than an absess.

But now its clearing up again and looks a lot smaller in size....again

The problem is, the pus is so thick I can't really get it out even though the absess has come to a head. It also seems to be really deep it his face.

I have him on .15cc of both baytril and doxy and I clean it with hot water every night, and flush it out with warm salt water every other day, but I don't know what else to do...I'm not exactly experienced with absess either since this is my first time.

It seems like its just going to be this rollercoaster of the absess getting really big and then getting small again.

Whats the best way to deal with this?

 

[mamarat]

Sometimes you need to pull out the pus, I had a rattie and it almost looks like elastic, I had to literally pull the plug of pus out and then flush and it did heal eventually.

 

[SQ]

Someone posted about packing a cleaned out abcess with sugar, you could read up on it and ask your vet.

 

[mamarat2]

Someone posted about packing a cleaned out abcess with sugar, you could read up on it and ask your vet.

That was me.

We had to start packing Luke's abscess (neuter abscess) with sugar. I was told this irritates the bacteria from growing and promotes granulation tissue.

Also in Lukes' case the vet cleaned his abscess thoroughly before we began applying the sugar.

 

[bruxxy]

How do you pull the pus out? the hole is too small and the only thing that comes out is the top layer of pus...I know there is a huge mass burried in his face but I can't get at. It almost makes cleaning useless too since i'm only able to flush out a small amount.

 

[lilspaz68]

It sounds like it needs lancing and cleaning out by a vet again, and then kept very open and kept clean with the saline until it heals properly.

Can you take a pic bruxxy?

 

[bruxxy]

i'll take a picture tonight

 

[mamarat2]

I had the vet clean Lukes' abscess as it was deep and very painful. She put him under to do it.

 

[Cityratt]

when my boys' neuter incisions BOTH abcessed i believe (if memory serves me correctly which i doubt it does) we cleaned both boys out, Thompson's cleared up nicely but Hunter's kept festering away, we had to lance it twice i think, and eventually (once the infection was gone) had to be stapled shut because the hole was so large the skin wouldn't meet on its own to heal. (thankfully we didnt have to debride it! poor guy)


Ugh. i HATE abcesses too

 

[G~Ratified]

I have heard from my mother, that using parsley ( chopped up ) as a compress on a wound, can draw out the puss and help it heal... and I know from experience, that honey can help heal a cut/ sore (antibacterial).. I had a couple really deep cuts in the last few years, and I put honey on it - healed up so well< I can't even tell you where they were. Also have used aloe vera on burns/small blisters.... helped heal without scars.

 

[bruxxy]

I was finally able to get my camera working today so I was able to take some pictures. The pictures aren't the best quality but hopfully it will give you a rough idea of what I'm dealing with.

Today it looked really bad. Since its so close to his ear, I think there are some veins or something because it bleeds alot when he scratches it or when I have to clean it.

 

[jorats]

Oh that poor boy. I'd say he should be looked at by your vet again. It should be a recheck.

 

[bruxxy]

Thats what I'm going to do. Its been bleeding alot more since Friday and that worries me since I'm afraid there might be some damaged veins or something.

 

[mamarat]

Poor sweetie. Good luck at the vet.

 

[mamarat2]

Definitely a vet visit for him. Just an FYI the placement of that abscess anatomy wise, rats have something called a zymbals gland right there under the skin. Flat round looking gland. I know sometimes they can abscess.

The zymbal's gland is an auditory sebaceous gland, some rats do get tumors and abscesses in them though its not a common thing.

 

[bruxxy]

Thats interesting. I'll mention that to my vet.

 

[mamarat2]

Thats interesting. I'll mention that to my vet.

Sorry I don't have any more info for you. I just know that its right in that area. Have never had any personally that had that issue, definitely, but just wanted to let you know.

 

[lilspaz68]

Poor Lyric, the original abscess (where it drained to) was below this particular spot, and looks to have healed well, but this is the initial problem site

http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/sq ... cinoma.php

 

[mamarat2]

Thanks Shelagh, that was exactly the type of article I was looking for to describe it, unfortunately.

 

[bruxxy]

oh god that article killed me to look at. Lyrics face isn't that bad so hopefully its something that will be cleared up with another trip to the vet.
Thanks for the article Shelagh...atleast it gave me a better idea of what I might be dealing with.