Millie has an ABSCESS on her foot

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Okay Randy, I swear I'm not trying to pick on you, and I'm not trying to disagree with you on purpose...but I just wanted to point out....

Salty water, with the salt dissolved, is pretty much the same thing as a saline. The difference is that you can vary the concentration of the salt with the "salty water". It's no more uncomfortable than flushing with a saline. Granted, saline often has a few other things in it besides sodium chloride, but yeah....they're pretty much the same thing.

If worse comes to worse, you could buy saline solution for soft contact lenses and use that.
 
When Oliver had his bite wounds, the vet made me pick the scabs so that it did not dry up and heal on the outside before the inside was healed up... I imagine you'll have to deal with something similar once the abcess bursts? Keeping the wound fresh and open (no scabbing) so that it can dry out from the inside first.

The vet was so thorough at picking Oliver's scabs, I just kept apologizing for hurting him when I was trying to do it. :(

If Randy or Ivory read this - is that the right thing to do in this situation? If the hole scabs over, should it be reopened?

Nad
 
Ivory wrote:
Okay Randy, I swear I'm not trying to pick on you, and I'm not trying to disagree with you on purpose...but I just wanted to point out....

Salty water, with the salt dissolved, is pretty much the same thing as a saline. The difference is that you can vary the concentration of the salt with the "salty water".
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I was thinking that myself. Isn't saline just a reallysterile version of salt water?
 
Thanks for the help everyone.:)

ra7751 wrote:
A few things I do and don't do with abscesses. I do not open them. I have found, nothing scientific just my experience, that by opening an abscess youcould beallowing an expansion of the infection. I prefer to keep it contained. Have done so with all our abscess concerns. If it does open on it's own, I would never use salty water. I think that might be a tad uncomfortable...maybe a lot uncomfortable. We generally use saline or something comparable to it. If it's open, I will flush it to keep it clean.
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Thanks for the great advice Randy, however I do have a few questions.:)

My vet commented that with Millie's abscess he thinks the best thing is for it to burst as it was probably caused for a foreign object becoming lodged in the foot, so if it bursts it will hopefully expel this object. He also said that with abscesses if they don't burst and then heal up, they tend to just retract while the bun is on antibiotics and then reappear weeks or months later, therefore if it bursts it usually helps with the healing process. Is this something you have any experience with?:)

Nadia -good question about picking off the scabs, I'll definitelywant to know the answer to that if anybody knows?

Also interesting observations on the saline vs salty water.:ponder:No offence intended to anybody, but personally I think I'll stick with the salty water as the vet did recommend it (and I did question him on it). It may sting, however the important thing is that it will clean the wound out and hopefully help it heal up.

Thanks again guys!:hug:



Also - an update on Millie today. She is fine within herself, although her abscess does look sore!:(There is a little dried blood on it so it must have bled during the night - but itwas only a tiny bit. My poor girlie!:(
 
Sounds like it's getting ready to burst if there is blood. When you soak her foot today, can you make the water just a bit and I mean a tiny bit warmer? and leave her foot in it a bit longer? it might be just what it takes to get that opened.

If there is more pus buildup when it scabs over, I am thinking you would need to reopen it. The more it drains, the less infection is in her body! Be careful how you help to expell the pus tho, don't force it back into the flesh.

Warm salt water to flush it per the vet - I would do that too. Did he tell you what the ratio should be?

I'll be happy to hear she's feeling better - poor girl!
 
The general ratio is, one tablespoon per gallon of water is generally effective.

I personally don't let scabs go back over, I make sure they stay open for easy flushing and easier healing.
 
on the saline issue...I have quite a few sinus problems and to prevent or get rid of an infection I rinse my sinuses out with plain salt water instead of buying saline. As long as you make sure everything is clean before you mix the salt and the water it will be the same thing, but you can control how much salt you want in the water. Saline usually has less salt then what people would think of as 'salty water' So I would think home made saline would be just fine as long as there isn't too much salt in it because it would sting really bad!

another note: if you are mixing at home make sure ALL the salt granuals get disolved they can scratch pretty bad and make a problem worse in my experience
 
Oh man :shock:, I never would have guessed this would be what was wrong with Millies foot, poor Millie and poor you Jess :(.

I REALLY REALLY REALLY hope she's going to be aright :sad:.
 
Bunnys_rule63 wrote:
Thanks for the advice on the salty water guys, and Ivory thanks for the measurement - I had no idea!:shock:Thanks everyone.:hug:
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How's our gorgeous girl doing?

To get the salt to disolve, I would put it in a smaller amount of warmer water to start and mix that well - then add the rest of the water.

You probably already knew that but I always have to offer stuff like that incase.
 
Thank you Michelle - I hope so too.:hug2: I'm just taking this thing a day at a time and hoping and praying Millie gets better...I can't let myself think of the worst possible outcome. I have to stay positive and get my girl through this...

Thanks for the tip BBB - I didn't know that so that is very helpful.:)Millie in herself is good, but her abscess has started oozing blood and pus.:shock: I've cleaned it up as best I can and am keeping her on soft, clean bedding...I just hope it doesn't burst during the night.:?
 
The actual abscess? Hmm...about0.75cm each way? :ponder:I would try and measure it but Millie has had enough of me messing with her foot today - and showed that by throwingthe bowl of water I was bathing her foot inacross our kitchen.:shock:
 
Ack! Nasty abscesses. Sounds like youre doing everything right. I wish you guys had PenG over there though, this would be a good time to use it.

Sounds like youre doing everything I would do. Did the vet give you any antibiotic cream to rub on/in it when it bursts? I think they make a PenG topical cream but Im not sure if you guys can get that over there. My vet gave me a saline/baytril mix to flush Max's with after his surgery.

I'll be thinking of you and your sweet girl. Let me know if theres anything I can do to help.

PS. Emily (m.e.) went through a foot abscess with Rex, you might want to PM her to see if she did anything differently. Iremember hiswent awaypretty easily.
 
Thanks guys.:)Yup she still has her attitude - nothing can hold my girl down!;)

Haley - no he didn't give her a cream although I have been thinking about asking about it.:ponder:The vet only put Millie on 5 days of antibiotic and she is getting her 3rd dose today, so when I take her back in I may ask about using a cream on it. Also I never realised rex had an abscess on his foot too (maybe it's a rexy thing?:?) I may pmEmily about it.:) Thank you!:hug:
 
Re: Saline Solutionvs. Homemade Salty Water...

This quote is from a doctor,fwiw... "... therefore for larger wounds it's recommended to wash them out with saline[/b] solution[/b] (exactly concentrated to be isotonic to the body)."

I've also seen references warning thathypertonic solution (a heavier concentration of salt) should only be used (at least in things like sinus rinses) with the advice of a physician.

I've also heard that table salt includes impurities, but not sure about that one. And it should be noted that saline solutions traditionally use distilled water.

And an offhand reference from my own vet: always refrigerate any of those solutions -- saline, green/black tea eye washes, etc -- and discard after a week or so to prevent bacteria growth.


sas :bunnydance:
 
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