Abscesses

An abscess is a pocket/crater filled with pus. Pus can vary in colour and consistency depending on age. It is white or creamy in colour and can be anything from fluid with little lumps in to ‘cheesy’ paste that is of a yoghurt consistency. There is a definite smell present too that indicates infection.

Abscesses need to be lanced by your vet preferably without anaesthetic though if a vet is not confident it will be safer to give guinea a whiff of anaesthetic than risk a slip of the hand.

The wound must be kept open to allow healing from the inside out and twice daily (sometimes more often) flushing. Wounds that are allowed to heal over may be concealing pockets of pus.

Use a canula (blue or pink) to flush and Hartman’s solution. The canula needs to be fitted onto the end of a syringe (without the needle).

Antibiotics in the form of Baytril should be given as toxins will be present and could be fatal should they enter the bloodstream. Give a probiotic one hour after the antibiotic.

Calista’s abscess on the day it was lanced. Her teeth were uneven and one was yellowing and dying. After nearly two years the tooth regained its normal healthy white colour and looked normal. While the wound was open it needed twice daily flushing using a Canula (blue) on the end of a 1ml syringe. After 6 weeks of being on Baytril at a dose of 0.4ml twice daily Calista made a full recovery.

Picture shows the equipment needed for flushing an abscess (provided by your vet). Baytril, to be given orally and sometimes topically with Hartmans Solution, Syringe (this size should never be inserted into the ‘wound’ lanced by your vet, always use a Canula), Blue Canula for fixing onto the end of a syringe and using for deep flushing, a Needle is needed to draw the Hartmans Solution into the syringe, and lastly the bag of Hartmans Solution that is the latest solution being recommended for flushing abscesses. Other solutions have been shown to kill off the good bacteria and so prolonging recovery from abscesses unnecessarily.

Picture courtesy of Reading Guinea Pig Rescue.

January 1, 2009 Posted in: Gallery