# Throat Abscess (graphic pics) Improving with pics :D



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

This is not a question this is a learning post.  A picture or 2 is worth a thousand words they say. 

I just took in 6 rats from a rehoming situation today, and found one of the lovely older girls Maddy had a throat abscess.
I gave her a dose of baytril, until my friend suggested I use my chlorampenicol palmitate instead (chlorpalm) since I had tons, the bottle was already opened and its very effective for things like this.
So this is what I found
Sorry for this pic being blurry, she had only been her an hour at that point








this ones a bit better









So I decided to start warm damp compresses and soften the scab to see where we were at with the abscess. The scab came off very very easily and this sweet girl let me hold her on her back and gently scoop out the cheesy pus inside. Then she let me carefully flush the cavity with saline solution. I had heard of abscesses in this area going all the way thru into the throat or mouth, but this one wasn't...*whew*

Maddy doesn't mind a helping hand








Here I was trying to hold her head and tip it back to get a pic of the cleaned abscess...she kept licking me and her wet feet. :roll: 








She forgave me all the indignities








And then she happily lay in my lap and groomed herself
















So this is what the abscess looks like cleaned out....didn't take a lot of effort and she feels so much better she was bruxing and boggling for me. :mrgreen:


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## Wench (Apr 5, 2007)

*Re: Throat Abscess (graphic pics)*

Ouch ouch ouch.

Glad you got it cleared up, that looked nasty.


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## 2manyrats (Apr 10, 2007)

*Re: Throat Abscess (graphic pics)*

Wow, six new additions. All from one source?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Throat Abscess (graphic pics)*



2manyrats said:


> Wow, six new additions. All from one source?


Yes. The 4 Wildgirls I had adopted to her 7.5 months ago, and so they were my responsibility and the 2 older girls came with them.


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

*Re: Throat Abscess (graphic pics)*

did you clean it out with anything but the saline solution?

I had an abscess on riff raff in the same spot once but MUCH worse and I cleaned it out with hydrogen peroxide and water solution as well as bactine killed all the infection from the inside he was also put on atibiotics but this way it healed really fast. After a couple of days of the hot compresses and getting EVERYTHING out (it was huge) i started with neosporin to help it heal.


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## Spider (Mar 19, 2007)

*Re: Throat Abscess (graphic pics)*

What is the cause of abscesses like that one? its a wonder she stood still for your treatment, I had to check one of my little fatties for a penis plug today and I'm still trying to deal with all the cuts and scratches on my hands.
Spider


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## OhBugger. (Apr 6, 2007)

*Re: Throat Abscess (graphic pics)*

poor girl!

I'm glad she was so patient to let you help her. it must have been really uncomfortable.

I don't think I could have the stomach to do things like that.
It would probably be a trip to the vet instead.


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

*Re: Throat Abscess (graphic pics)*

Thanks, v interesting


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## JennieLove (Jan 2, 2007)

*Re: Throat Abscess (graphic pics)*

Ouchies! My Jay just healed up from an abscess on his tum tum! But the heck >.< Poor thing!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Throat Abscess (graphic pics)*

I find saline does a fine job, I have peroxide here if it hadn't cleaned out well.

She was an absolute doll this little girl and soo happy I was helping her, that she gently licked my fingers and bruxed and boggled soon afterwards.

She's on the chlorpalm to fight any infection that way but I have just used saline as well for an abscess and they have healed beautifully. Depends on the abscess itself and how long they've been fighting it. An abscess is the body walling off an infection from the healthy tissue, and is pretty self-contained.


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## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

*Re: Throat Abscess (graphic pics)*

that looks so much better, i'm glad she let you take such good care of her. looks like she's going to make a full and very calm recovery! yay!

as for why this might have happened, spider, abcesses can result from pretty much any break in the skin that doesn't get cleaned out well and thus doesn't get to heal. the pus and stuff is the body trying to clean itself out but for whatever reason, it doesn't heal right. could have been a deep scratch, bite, or she got her head caught on something sharp in the cage, etc. cleaned one out on a dog with mammary tumors one time, as big as a softball. talk about YUCK.


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

*Re: Throat Abscess (graphic pics)*

that's awesome lilspaz I never knew saline solution could do that! I will try that next time I have to deal with one LoL (I have had to deal with sooo many in the past) What is the saline solution you use?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Two days later.



















And for anyone concerned I was scaring or forcing her, she let me tip her head back for pics, and here she is a few seconds later...










I wubs my Maddy!!!


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

What a great post! Do you have any idea what caused the abscess to come up right there, or was it just one of those unfortunate things?


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

DonnaK said:


> What a great post! Do you have any idea what caused the abscess to come up right there, or was it just one of those unfortunate things?


No idea. She obviously had it for a long time before she came into my life 3 days ago. I am hoping it is just a regular abscess that never recieved treatment and just kept refilling and bursting, and will heal up just fine with some care. I am praying it is not a tooth abscess as they are very very difficult to treat/cure.


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## Stephanie (Mar 25, 2007)

from the second set of pics it looks like there is still stuff in it are you still cleaning it out?


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

You can buy wound packing that you push inside-it keeps the wound open and encorages it to heal from the inside out and some have properties of antimicrobial and anti slough. I duno how you might get her not to fiddle with it tho


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Thats the scab. And yes, still softening, scraping (if necessary) and flushing  I will do that til there's no more cavity.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

ladylady said:


> You can buy wound packing that you push inside-it keeps the wound open and encorages it to heal from the inside out and some have properties of antimicrobial and anti slough. I duno how you might get her not to fiddle with it tho


Can you imagine? Forget her, what about her 5 cagemates...LOLOL...c'mon girls, leave it alone will ya?


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## ladylady (Apr 5, 2007)

:roll: 
Yeah-sticky, smelly stuff-ripe for fiddlin!

Does the scraping hurt?


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## DonnaK (Feb 8, 2007)

I think she's a very brave and lucky girl


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

ladylady said:


> :roll:
> Yeah-sticky, smelly stuff-ripe for fiddlin!
> 
> Does the scraping hurt?


I do it as gently as possible. An abscess is pus and dead skin, etc...sometimes its very liquidyand easy to get out, and then there's cheesy and thick. I am sure its uncomfortable but she IS very brave and very grateful.

I think she hates the flushing with saline the most.


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## Poppyseed (Feb 1, 2007)

She seems very trusting and thankful for your care <3


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