Hey guys I'm looking for some advice on how to reduce the size of an Abscess on the jaw. I have taken my 2yo male bunny to the vet and I need to save up for his surgery which will take a long time. I would like to try and make it a bit smaller if I can while he waits for me to get the money. Does anyone have a simple method that won't scar
Jaw Abcess
- Thread starter LJillie
- Start date
Help Support Rabbit Talk Forum:
You need to be more specific as to what kind of abcess it is - bite wound? puncture? tooth? no known cause?
I would pluck all the hair on and around the abscess to see what I am healing with. Please post some pictures of this.
Cold compresses may help reduce the swelling. Warm/hot compresses will increase the pressure and pain
every method will scar, there is no way for the vet to treat without cutting through the skin (unless its a tooth abscess) and scarring is highly likely.
I would pluck all the hair on and around the abscess to see what I am healing with. Please post some pictures of this.
Cold compresses may help reduce the swelling. Warm/hot compresses will increase the pressure and pain
Sorry I didn't know you could upload photos
gallery/image_page.php?album_id=2&image_id=2292
I don't know how to add them to this post specifically so I uploaded it to the gallery. It is very red and hot and the skin is all dried out. The vet said they will have to remove the tooth it is attached to. Sorry I should have said "Is there a away I can reduce the size of it without cutting his face open because he won't let me give him his antibiotics let alone cut his face open."
I tried to remove some of the hair around the abscess but he's not a very co-operative rabbit. I hope this is more helpful to you Dood.
gallery/image_page.php?album_id=2&image_id=2292
I don't know how to add them to this post specifically so I uploaded it to the gallery. It is very red and hot and the skin is all dried out. The vet said they will have to remove the tooth it is attached to. Sorry I should have said "Is there a away I can reduce the size of it without cutting his face open because he won't let me give him his antibiotics let alone cut his face open."
I tried to remove some of the hair around the abscess but he's not a very co-operative rabbit. I hope this is more helpful to you Dood.
WOW
That thing is huge!
It really needs to be lanced - now !
Then warm compresses to increase blood flow and get it to drain.
Without lancing the antibiotics won't do anything to help and are a waste of money IMHO
Why didn't your vet lance it? And do the surgery later? Did they take x-rays? Is it a tumor and not an abcess?
I am quite confused.
Unfortunately it is likely into the bone and the vet may need to remove more than just a tooth but some jaw as well
and bone infections are notorious for being hard to treat for coming back once thry stop taking antibiotics.
That thing is huge!
It really needs to be lanced - now !
Then warm compresses to increase blood flow and get it to drain.
Without lancing the antibiotics won't do anything to help and are a waste of money IMHO
Why didn't your vet lance it? And do the surgery later? Did they take x-rays? Is it a tumor and not an abcess?
I am quite confused.
Unfortunately it is likely into the bone and the vet may need to remove more than just a tooth but some jaw as well
and bone infections are notorious for being hard to treat for coming back once thry stop taking antibiotics.
Dood has been giving you some very helpful advice and I think she is right that it needs to be lanced ASAP.
I am going to move this thread from Pet Rabbits to Rabbit Care because I think more people will see it there.
I am going to move this thread from Pet Rabbits to Rabbit Care because I think more people will see it there.
dayna
Well-known member
Have you ever lanced anything before? A pimple on a human, or infection on a dog?
It's hard to explain, it really depends. I had a goat with an abscess and I used a syringe to drain it out, and then flush it out. I kept flushing it out a couple times a day till it started to heal.
It's hard to explain, it really depends. I had a goat with an abscess and I used a syringe to drain it out, and then flush it out. I kept flushing it out a couple times a day till it started to heal.
I'm going to take him to the vet to get it lanced, what can I do to make him comfortable until then? He doesn't seem like it's bothering him at all. He's acting like his normal self
UPDATE: The abscess has opened a little and I can see blood pooling up behind trying to escape, I don't have any sewing needles to sterilise to help it escape, what else could I use
UPDATE: The abscess has opened a little and I can see blood pooling up behind trying to escape, I don't have any sewing needles to sterilise to help it escape, what else could I use
You can sterilize a large sewing needle by holding it in the flame of a match or candle. Likely you could also sterilize a needle or blade with rubbing alcohol. You can also use a scapel, or a new Exacto knife blade. If you make the cut at the lower edge of the abscess, gravity will help it to drain better. The pus will likely be very thick, about the consistency of toothpaste. Hydrogen peroxide squirted into the abscess with a syringe without a needle will help loosen it. This is likely to be a bit messy and sometimes when an abscess is opened some of the pus will come out under the pressure that has built up. You may need help to restrain the rabbit or you can wrap its body in an old towel or the like to restrain it. But two people would make it go faster.
At this point I would not be worrying about a scar. A small neat cut may leave a small scar, but his fur will grow back and cover it for the most part. His health is far more important.
At this point I would not be worrying about a scar. A small neat cut may leave a small scar, but his fur will grow back and cover it for the most part. His health is far more important.
