Update and Advice on Rabbit abscess

[dragonladyleanne]

It's been 2 months since my doe got that abscess on her cheek, and it has burst twice. The first time I mashed out as much "paste" as I could, and swathed it in neomycin and gave her benadryl. It seemed like it was healing, but then swelled up and burst again. At that time I had managed to find a feedstore which sold agrimycin, and I injected her 4 days in a row with .2 ml each day (though I am not sure I did it right), the maximum amount based on the instructions. I also kept washing it and swathing it in the ointment a few days after that. Again, it was better for a few days, and the burst spots healed, but now it has swollen above the burst bits and her eye is almost shut, with the nictating membrane up. I am going to try one more time to get all the paste out, though I may have to cut her to do it, and this time wash it out with hydrogen peroxide (I think someone here said it liquifies the paste?) before using the ointment. Should I also inject her with more of the agricillin? At this point she has become a bit of a pet, so I am loathe to put her down since she seems to enjoy her food and a lap cuddle, and I certainly wouldn't breed her while she is in this condition, but should she EVER breed, even if the abscess heals? I can't find any other signs that it is anything other than a badly infected wound or maybe broken tooth, but should it take this long to heal?

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

I wouldnt keep doing this.. If you heal it again .. It will just pop up somewhere else. So why bother..It is hard on her and you .

 

[mystang89]

I wouldnt keep doing this.. If you heal it again .. It will just pop up somewhere else. So why bother..It is hard on her and you .

What is the reason these abscess pop up to begin with?

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

What is the reason these abscess pop up to begin with?

It is a different form of pasteralla.

 

[dragonladyleanne]

You're thinking the systemic Pasturella, then? I have been watching for new abscesses, but none have shown up, it still appears to be just the one place, like an injury. I can't afford a vet to confirm it, nor to sedate her to clean the gunk out completely or to put her down with injection. I suppose I can get a friend to pop her neck. Is it cruel to just keep feeding her and keep her as a pet, do you think? I feel like the thing is putting pressure on her eye, which is why I wanted to lance it.

Sorry, this is a very hard choice for me, I am mostly needing moral support, and appreciate all advice, even if I don't take it!

 

[Mary Ann's Rabbitry]

i am sorry dragon lady. If it is done by a bite ect. and if you cant get all the gunk out. It will just keep coming back.... THE main spots for this is face and chin. THAT is what makes me think it is pasterulla.It is hard on a rabbit to keep on doing this even as a pet. And also hard on you to see this keep coming back also. My advice is to put her down . This is her third time..

 

[dragonladyleanne]

Well, luckily for Schatzi, my friend who was willing to terminate her for me is not feeling well this weekend, but at the same time, I could not just leave her alone until then, as it looked swollen worse, and appeared to either have the pus-paste oozing, or a tooth exposed. Well, since I had created a cat-free rabbit hospital zone for Spot's babies, I decided to take Schatzi in as well, so I had better light, plus she wasn't bothered by bugs (darn cold snap is gone and the mosquitos are back as thick as ever). I had noticed a little raw area around the "pus/tooth", and so thought maybe I could get hydrogen peroxide up in there without cutting her. I started by just pressing hot water-soaked paper towel against the spot to loosen it, which it did - and suddenly, the "tooth" broke off! I cleaned IT more, and discovered it was a SEED of some sort (similar to cantaloupe seed, only I never gave them any cantaloupe, ever). All I can figure is she noshed it at an angle where the sharp bit went into her cheek inside, and it has taken all this time for it to migrate out the other! About a week before noticing the injury, I had given the rabbits some of that "rabbit treat" mix that I later read here is not so hot for them, and now I know why! Anyway, I finished washing out the hole in her face, applied hydrogen peroxide liberally, then coated the whole thing with neomycin. I saw no sign of pus other than the crusty bit around the seed, so I am not going to inject her with any more of the agrimycin, but I am keeping her indoors and washing it daily.

 

[Bad Habit]

That's crazy!! Here's hoping that Schatzi starts healing properly now, and there's no other bits left in there to fester. Crazy that it worked its way from the inside out, though!

 

[garden lady]

Well, luckily for Schatzi, my friend who was willing to terminate her for me is not feeling well this weekend, but at the same time, I could not just leave her alone until then, as it looked swollen worse, and appeared to either have the pus-paste oozing, or a tooth exposed. Well, since I had created a cat-free rabbit hospital zone for Spot's babies, I decided to take Schatzi in as well, so I had better light, plus she wasn't bothered by bugs (darn cold snap is gone and the mosquitos are back as thick as ever). I had noticed a little raw area around the "pus/tooth", and so thought maybe I could get hydrogen peroxide up in there without cutting her. I started by just pressing hot water-soaked paper towel against the spot to loosen it, which it did - and suddenly, the "tooth" broke off! I cleaned IT more, and discovered it was a SEED of some sort (similar to cantaloupe seed, only I never gave them any cantaloupe, ever). All I can figure is she noshed it at an angle where the sharp bit went into her cheek inside, and it has taken all this time for it to migrate out the other! About a week before noticing the injury, I had given the rabbits some of that "rabbit treat" mix that I later read here is not so hot for them, and now I know why! Anyway, I finished washing out the hole in her face, applied hydrogen peroxide liberally, then coated the whole thing with neomycin. I saw no sign of pus other than the crusty bit around the seed, so I am not going to inject her with any more of the agrimycin, but I am keeping her indoors and washing it daily.

Good going!!!!!!!!!!! Glad you kept at it!

 

[dragonladyleanne]

That's crazy!! Here's hoping that Schatzi starts healing properly now, and there's no other bits left in there to fester. Crazy that it worked its way from the inside out, though!

That possibility is why I am keeping her inside now. No bugs to buzz the open wound (oh it looks nasty right now, she has a hole in her face), and I can clean it more often.

 

[MamaSheepdog]

I have a similar story; we have a Great Pyrenese, and he once got a foxtail (an awn from a type of grass) in his eye. He developed a huge abscess under the eye, and when we took him to the vet, they wanted to remove his eye to get it out. :x I refused, and brought him home. I decided to shave the area to make keeping it clean easier, and while I did so, the abscess burst inside his mouth, and the foxtail came out on the inside of his cheek!

(oh it looks nasty right now, she has a hole in her face)

That hole in her face is the best thing going for her right now! I am so glad you found the problem. Just continue cleaning it as per your plan, and hopefully she will be good as new before too long! :clover:

 

[garden lady]

That's crazy!! Here's hoping that Schatzi starts healing properly now, and there's no other bits left in there to fester. Crazy that it worked its way from the inside out, though!

That possibility is why I am keeping her inside now. No bugs to buzz the open wound (oh it looks nasty right now, she has a hole in her face), and I can clean it more often.

What gets me about rabbits is how they let you doctor things. This eye medicine I had for my cat, took 2 of us to hold her and me putting the drops in. She knew when I opened the drawer in the frig and would run and hide. Snickers hops over to the door and sits there and lets me put this in, wipe his face and is still sitting there when I leave. I can just imagine trying to squeeze pus out of this cat's face once much less multiple times. :x I am still to chicken to look inside the mouth of a rabbit and mess with them. I should start handling the kits and get use to it.

 

[MaggieJ]

Not all abscesses are caused by pasteurella, although it is always a concern. Good for you, DLL, for hanging in there long enough to discover the cause. Hope your bunny heals up well now.

 

[ladysown]

well well...who'd a thought?