[Jess]

When I gave him some treats before bed time, he stood up and looked up at me and I noticed some fur under his jaw looked funny... I felt it and he has a lump. With his teeth problems, I'm so so so worried that it's a tooth abscess. I'm taking him to the vet ASAP tomorrow. I don't even know how long it's been there... Bunnies hate being touched under their chins so I usually don't pet him there. And he hasn't been acting strange at all: He eats like a horse, does his Bunny 500s, binkies all the time... I hope he isn't in pain or anything. Ugh I feel so bad. Say prayers for him please

 

[Nibbler]

aww jess *hugs* im sure he will be just fine your a great bunny mommy

 

[Dragonrain]

Aw I'm sorry!

Good luck at the vet and keep us updated.

 

[Jess]

Thanks, I'm leaving for the vet's in a few minutes.

 

[Jess]

Ok, there is good news!


The abscess isn't attatched to the bone, so it isn't a molar root abscess, thank God! Molar root abscesses are pretty much my worst nightmare, so I was really freaking out when I found the lump last night. I feel SO much better now.


So Smudge is going to be on Baytril for 10 days now, and if the abscess isn't gone/almost gone by Monday, I'm bringing him back in and they will probably drain it. I really hope it goes away with the antibiotics though, cause I don't want him to be put under. Plus, this was already $90, and Smude needs blood work in the spring which will be $125 alone, AND I need money for Dudley's new cage too. Plus, the vet said some up his upper molars were a tiny bit long, so hopefully he won't need another teeth trimming too. Oh well, I'm just glad that this is nothing major.

 

[Sasami]

I'm glad to hear it's not a big deal!

 

[Jess]

Yeah, me too LOL! I'm leaving for vacation next Wednesday, so I'm glad I eon't have to worry about him too much while I'm gone.


He is being a major brat about his meds though. Usually he LOVES Baytril, but he fought me tooth and nail when I gave it to him. I'll have to go back to doing the bunny burrito tomorrow.

 

[Purple-Hops]

Aw, poor Smudge! He'll need to realise things will be okay if he just eats the dang meds!! lol, glad its nothing major!

 

[bunz]

I've been absent from the forums for a little while, (moving, preparing to move, etc), but I hope Smudge is beginning to feel better!

 

[Jennicat]

Just my two cents, but we generally open up and clean every abscess because rabbits tend to wall them off and they'll just KEEP reoccuring. Baytril actually doesn't penetrate the 'wall' of an abscess and won't generally get rid of them completely

 

[Jess]

Ok, well I'm just doing what the vet said for now. He said that it looks more like a big misplaced pimple, and not an infection from his teeth or anything, if that makes a difference? I'd rather try this before doing surgery, incase it does take care of it.

 

[Dragonrain]

The vet didn't want to try any other antibiodics? For something like an abscess I wouldn't really think that Baytril would be your best bet.

I'm glad to hear that it's not as serious as you thought! Sorry he's giving you trouble taking his meds. I hope Smudge gets better soon!

 

[Jess]

Well that's just what they gave me. Ugh, IDK.
They are a really good rabbit vet and they see tons of exotics,and they are recommended by the HRS. I observe there too. I would think they would know what they are doing?


Either way, I don't Smudge can have surgery before I go to FL. I don't think my bunny-sitter would be pleased to hear that she has to keep a drained bloody abscess clean.


Now I feel worried again...

 

[Jess]

Would it make a difference if it was a cyst? I thought the vet said it was an abscess, but my mom thought he said it was a cyst. Smudge had a cyst on his shoulder for a few years (got it removed when he was fixed, and it hasn't come back), so he has gotten them before.


I'm confusing myself... *sigh* Calling vet tomorrow.

 

[Nibbler]

aww jess *big hugs* i hope he gets better soon

 

[Jennicat]

Just keep in there. It's just kind of unusual that they'd go with antibiotic therapy for rabbits. The "surgery" he'd have to go through is so extremely minor, we put rabbits and guinea pigs through it pretty much regardless of body condition. All they really need to do for an abscess like that that's right on the surface is to gas him down and then lance it.

The issue with guinea pigs and rabbits is that they very tightly and aggressively wall off abscesses. If you compare them to rats (where 99% of the time you can actually use warm compresses to bring them to a head and clean them out at home), they can actually retain abscesses for years before they become problematic. I once saw surgical photos of a rabbit having an abscess the size of a baseball removed! That "barrier" they put up to wall off the infection is very difficult to penetrate, and Baytril doesn't tend to penetrate very effectively, so typically the infection won't be completely killed and that nodule will keep swelling back up until you go in and remove the entire nodule (if that makes sense?)

There are some antibiotics that penetrate better, but they also tend to have a higher incidence of causing GI upset because they're harsher. They're typically used in cases where surgery isn't an option, or where there's significant concern that they didn't get all of an abscess or that infection has penetrated the bone (like in tooth root abscesses -- our vet will remove the tooth, start them on chlor, and even sometimes pack antibiotic beads into the empty cavity).

 

[Jess]

Ok, thanks Jenni.
I would never let it get to the size of a baseball (I would like to know how that went unnoticed?! Wow.), and like I said before, if it isn't gone by Monday I'm taking him back in. It's just the timing for all of this that is killing me, because he would probably have to be on more antibiotics after it's lanced and my pet sitter won't be able to medicate him. If the Baytril can at least keep it from getting any worse until after I get back from FL, I can deal with it more aggresively then, if needed.


I hope ne one thinks that I'm putting this off or trying to go the "cheap" route with Baytril, because that's really not the case.

 

[Purple-Hops]

Nobody thinks you're cheaping out!!! lol we all know you love little Smudge!

 

[Jess]

K, thanks Amanda.


Just wanted to report that Smudge's abscess is noticeably smaller today. So hopefully the Baytril is working better than expected?
And he took his meds like a good little bunny today. What can I say, I have skills at drugging bunnies LOL.

 

[Nibbler]

K, thanks Amanda.


Just wanted to report that Smudge's abscess is noticeably smaller today. So hopefully the Baytril is working better than expected?
And he took his meds like a good little bunny today. What can I say, I have skills at drugging bunnies LOL.

YAY SMUDGE come on little friend you can do it your such a great bunny mommy jess