Patrick neuter abscess - vet update :( (pg.5)

[mamarat]

I flush them twice a day too.

 

[ryelle]

i am sliced to bits He squirms like crazy and his claws are making me bleed. My boyfriend isnt always available and my mum is allergic so i cant get any help with this :doh: Im surprised he hasn't bitten me yet because i have to hold him quite firm to stop him from struggling. i will be one massive walking scratch by the time i get rid of this abscess and the second one scabs up :doh:

The scab is twice the size today, and after soaking it it looked like some puss was about to come out, but it didnt. I didn't want to squeeze it. I dont think its time yet lol. Few more days maybe. I worry that itll burst open when im at work or something (eww)

 

[ryelle]

As green as pea soup and the smell :sick2: :sick2:

my hands are bleeding again, ouch. dreading doing a compress again tonight

 

[jorats]

What you can do for flushing it out is remove the scab, use a needless syringe and squeeze the water right into the whole.

 

[ryelle]

I dont have any syringe's.. i accidently snapped the last one i had in half >< i might ring the vet and ask if i could pop over and pick one up.
I tried to press the skin to squeeze some of the gunk out but i dont know if i got it all. he squirms so bad and im trying my hardest not to hurt him at all. i have to try and press him to my stomach and hold him there whilst trying to press the cotton balls on the abscess. GAH dont want the other lump to scab now *cry!*

 

[Debbie]

I don't mean to scare you, but he needs to be on antibiotics right away. Incision abscesses are very serious and should never be considered "normal". Metacam would also be a good idea, as he's probably pulling at those stitches because of pain/infection.

This is not a garden variety abscess, when sutures are involved, they can pull the infection all the way back down to the inner wall...that's one infection you do NOT want. It can become life threatening very quickly!

Again, not trying to scare you...but if it were me, I'd take it very seriously. I would have him back at the vet, on antibiotics and metacam. Your vet might need to go back in and surgically clear out the infection before it gets worse. :sad3:

 

[ryelle]

i dont have any cash at the minute, but i think i will ring the vet and see if he can get in and pay them later, or see if a visit will be free considering it is a thing from surgery there, and just pay for meds later or something if they think he needs them

i will call them now and see what they say.

 

[ryelle]

I am taking him down at 5:30pm (its 3:45pm atm) because they want to check it out and put him on some antibiotics. Going to have to borrow some money off my mum until next week - i only have to pay for the medication because it is linked to the surgery.

ill let you know how it goes later and ill definately ask for a syringe or two lol

 

[ryelle]

back from the vets
She gave me 4ml's of Baytril. Im giving 0.15ml's of Baytril twice a day, she said its ok to give one days lot in the morning if i have trouble giving him it... i doubt that i am armed with Strawberry Complan afterall. She said if i can handle it (she saw my hands hahaha), to keep up with the saline soaks. I am to give him it until it clears up basically. We have an apointment next Thursday to see if/how it is healing and to decide how long to keep the meds up for.

She also got this stitch remover blade thingy, and removed the stitch that was close to the abscess that Patrick keeps pulling on - he'd pulled one of the internal knots right to the surface and half of it was poking out. I had to hold his head and his front legs, the vet held the stub of his tail to try keep him still while she cut the suture. He was struggling so bad the nurse had to come in and hold both of his back legs still. 3 people to hold one little rat - my boyfriend and mum found it hilarious when i told them

 

[mamarat]

That's great, your vet is keeping on top of it too. I always laugh when it takes so many adults to hold one little rattie.

 

[Debbie]

so glad to hear you were able to get some antibiotics for him and the vet won't charge you for return exams post surgery. HOpefully the baytril will do the trick and get him healing up quickly.

Have you tried to sneak his meds in a dab of Cool Whip? Works like a charm here. No scratches! :joy:

Sending good thoughts to Patrick!

 

[ryelle]

He had his meds in some strawberry complan shake last night, and my mum baked some cupcakes so he had his meds in a bit of cake this morning :shock: lucky boy!! (ofc Sid had a bit of cake too )

The wound looks amazing today. I thought it would fill back up again with puss over night, but there isnt a lump there. The scab isnt all black and nasty looking, and i couldnt feel anything under the skin. Hes still going to be getting saline soaked, just incase, but i think (and hope) this will clear up fast

 

[jorats]

Even if you don't see a lump or scab keep doing the flushing.

 

[ryelle]

The lump on Patrick's side drew my attention when i picked him up yesterday. It feels slightly bigger. I thought i felt another lump on his other side when i picked him up a few minutes ago, so i did a full body check. I didnt find any lumps/bumps on his right side, just the lump (cyst) on his left side, and i checked his nether-regions aswell.

UGH I am freaked a bit. I was expecting the second lump to come up after we had finished treating his first absess (treatment is over and done with on that, and it has healed beautifully). BUT, i am freaked by the position of it, and the size. It has been the size of a pea for about 2 months now - since whenever he was neutered - and now it is fairly massive.

Some pics, to show the size and where it is :shock:

I pointed the pea size lump to 3 vets now and they said it was fine, but it obviously isnt.


Is this anything to worry about.. like should i race to the vets with him tomorrow? (its 5:45 pm here now)

I reeaaaaaaaaaaaaaally don't like where it is

 

[jorats]

Breathe! :giggle:
Ok, the lump is in a typical place. It could be an abscess or it can be tissue build up. If he's not bothered by it and it doesn't look like it's coming to a head, I would probably just keep an eye on it.

 

[Joanne]

An easy way to tell if it's an abscess is for the vet to do fine needle aspiration - basically stick an empty needle into the lump and draw back. If it's an abscess, puss/blood will come out. If only a tiny bit of blood (and cells) comes out, they can put it on a slide and have a look at it under the microscope. This is quick and not very invasive, and may give you an idea of what you're dealing with. I don't think it's an emergency situation as it is fairly long-standing. I never like to leave lumps --> "just in case". I would hazard a guess that it's an encapsulated abscess/cyst related to the neuter.

 

[ryelle]

i am just worried that it is going to press against something inside. it is a little larger today, but i can't see a scab yet.

 

[Fidget]

Big hopes your little man is a-ok real soon! My heart goes out to you both.

 

[ryelle]

He has a vet appointment tomorrow afternoon. The lump is big and feels 'full' (not hard, not squishy, just inbetween), the skin is pulled very tight and turning a purple-ish colour. Im terrified it will explode. There is still no signs of a scab, im hoping the vet can lance it or something

ETA: It is pressing on his.. manhood.. and pushing it to the side. im still worried it will be pressing on something internally

 

[SQ]

I am presently going through something similar with 3 neutered boys.