|
|
Post by sweetpea on Jan 1, 2021 16:39:36 GMT
Hello all. Does anyone have experience of abscesses, particularly a burst one?
|
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Jan 2, 2021 0:48:25 GMT
Not quite an abscess but an impacted preening gland. If it has burst, good, as long as it isn’t bleeding. I would clean it out with a warm saline solution and pack it with either Manuka honey or propolis, both have antibacterial properties. Is this a first, sweetpea, or recurring? |
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Jan 2, 2021 10:31:18 GMT
The answer to your question, Hezz, is that it's a nightmare. Too long a story but basically Perry has an abscess (according to the vet) that burst (lots of blood). She cleaned it as best she could (without anaesthetic), I think just with F10, certainly not honey, but it has bled since (yesterday). I covered it in cornflour. The problem is that we have had bank holidays & now it's the weekend. Plus our usual vet took December off & is not available until Monday. Decent vet care is thin (pretty much non-existent) at the moment. I am hoping he will manage until Monday... He's on Guardian Angel at the moment. |
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Jan 3, 2021 0:12:55 GMT
Update: Our usual vet is not returning to work on Monday - she has delayed for a week.
On top of that I am questioning whether the diagnosis of an abscess is correct. Wouldn't there be pus rather than blood? Wouldn't the vet have noticed it was an abscess when she saw him 2 weeks before it burst? Perry has had his 'lump' since March 2019, yet suddenly it seems to have turned into an abscess. It all seems odd. Maybe I'm just thinking too much (in the absence of proper veterinary care).
|
|
|
|
Post by Morgan on Jan 3, 2021 0:29:23 GMT
sweetpea - Sorry I can’t help with this, but I understand the worry! Just try to stay calm, and maybe a photo would help Hezz and others to better advise? 
|
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Jan 3, 2021 0:40:24 GMT
The important things to remember is to firstly keep bleeding to a minimum. Second, prevent anything nasty from getting into the wound which means bathing it to be sure that any germs that might be the cause of the “lump” are washed out as well. Thirdly, I would try to pack it with something like I’ve mentioned, in the absence of any antibiotics, and then try to keep Perry from picking at it. It might be that that has caused it to burst - it may have gotten to the stage where t was annoying him so he picked at it.
Shouldn’t there be pus rather than blood? I’ve seen a few abscesses lanced and burst over my life and all have consisted of both. Not with the birds, but an abscess is an abscess whether on a bird or a human. I think it is possible, likely that Perry’s lump has burst from him picking at it, if the lump was not hot and inflamed and acting like an infection, which would make it an abscess, rather than as you’ve said a long-term thing and not overly bothering him, and not causing any pain. Regardless of what it was, it is now a wound. Is it in an easily treated place?
|
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Jan 4, 2021 0:19:52 GMT
Thanks Hezz. Unfortunately, there's zero chance of me holding him *and* cleaning the area. It was enough to throw the cornflour over it & even that took two attempts to cover everything. At least that didn't require too much precision. I have taken some not-very-good photos but need to download them. The area is to the side of one leg. I can see two dark bits that may be dead tissue and/or dried blood. I don't think I mentioned that on the 15th Dec, a small 7mm piece turned black (dead tissue) & fell off by itself (no blood or anything) & the vet advised no treatment, as it came away cleanly. He has been eating & drinking today so I'd like to think he's at least building back strength from the previous blood loss. |
|
Apr 20, 2024 5:18:38 GMT
Deleted
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Jan 4, 2021 0:43:18 GMT
Sorry, I can't help with this. I can understand the worry you are having. Hope Perry gets better!
|
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Jan 4, 2021 21:59:10 GMT
I do remember your previous concerns so will wait for the photos. Making sure it stays clean will be the hard part from the sounds of things. |
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Jan 11, 2021 0:20:55 GMT
Sorry for the delay in posting photos. To be quite honest, I can't bear to look at them! Most of the time Perry hides the wound well so I can pretend he's okay! It's only really when he is preening that he reveals the damage.... Taken on the 3rd Jan:  Taken on the 7th Jan:  It occurred to me that the vet may have said 'cyst' to me... not abscess. She was wearing a mask & I struggle to understand what is said (I have hearing loss in both ears). I don't know if a cyst would be a better fit for what has happened. My vet is due back on the 14th, so fingers crossed we can see her then or soon after. |
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Jan 11, 2021 22:06:18 GMT
Awww, poor Perry.  That doesn’t look like much fun. Can you ring to get the first appointment for when the vet is back on deck? As a previous patient Perry has to be a priority, surely? I’d be wanting some fairly decisive answers and a treatment plan. |
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Jan 12, 2021 0:12:43 GMT
Awww, poor Perry. That doesn’t look like much fun. Can you ring to get the first appointment for when the vet is back on deck? As a previous patient Perry has to be a priority, surely? I’d be wanting some fairly decisive answers and a treatment plan. I already emailed for an appointment so I am hoping we will be fairly high in the queue.... |
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Jan 13, 2021 0:40:47 GMT
Good luck with getting in, sweetpea. I’d be interested to hear what she has to say about the seemingly dead tissue, as I’m sure you are. Having a second look at your photos ... is there another area of blackness back from the first, towards his tail? I’m really hoping that is is only old dried blood that we are looking at. |
|
|
|
Post by sweetpea on Jan 13, 2021 1:06:07 GMT
Good luck with getting in, sweetpea. I’d be interested to hear what she has to say about the seemingly dead tissue, as I’m sure you are. Having a second look at your photos ... is there another area of blackness back from the first, towards his tail? I’m really hoping that is is only old dried blood that we are looking at. As far as I can tell, there are two problematic areas. The top, round, black area is, I think, dead tissue that may be gradually growing in size. The lower patch is, I think, dried blood & possibly a scab, from the last bleed he had. Whether there are other areas I don't know! He's still eating & drinking so seems pretty stable. |
|
|
|
Post by Hezz on Jan 13, 2021 1:09:01 GMT
Not good. Fingers crossed for an appointment as soon as possible. A good thing that he seems not to be too affected by whatever it is. |
|
That doesn’t look like much fun. Can you ring to get the first appointment for when the vet is back on deck? As a previous patient Perry has to be a priority, surely? I’d be wanting some fairly decisive answers and a treatment plan.