Any jaw abscess success stories?

[bunnylover100]

Hello- This is my first time posting. Recent struggles with my Lily’s jaw abscess have brought me to forums trying to figure out what to do. I’m just wondering if anyone has a happy, healthy bunny after jaw abscess treatment- especially recurrent ones. Lily is a 3.5 year old lop…completely healthy otherwise. I spoil her so I always thought she’d live a long life. But, I found an abscess when it was still small last month. The exotic pet vet suggested marsupialization surgery so we went through with that. They did not end up needing to extract any teeth. She recovered well and was on Baytril and Chloramphenicol and we flushed the wound until it closed. However, once the course of antibiotics ended and the wound closed up, the abscess came right back. So, back on the meds and back to flushing the now-open wound/scab. After a few days of this, there isn’t any more pus forming and she continues to seem healthy and normal. I’m not very optimistic though. The vet implied that the meds are only a temporary fix and that the abscess will progress unless the tooth is extracted (and even that may not do the trick). In surgery less than a month ago, they saw the tooth and didn’t think it needed to be extracted, by the way. So, I’m faced with the decision of considering another surgery. I just want her to have a good quality of life and not to put her through excessive treatment that will be stressful to her and my budget. Any success (or lack of success) stories similar to mine out there?

Thanks

[Sarita]

Have you tried pen-g shots?

My rabbit Bobby was dumped at a guinea pig rescue (about 2 years ago) because he wasn’t eating – turns out he had a jaw abscess – the vet treated with surgery and pen-g shots – he doesn’t have any lower left molars due to the abscess though – he lost a few during the initial surgery and thereafter a few more. However he is doing very well and is just a great little rabbit.

We do have to go regularly for dental trims and he now has a lose upper right hand molar that we are trying to save because the poor little rabbit just doesn’t have much teeth.

I would ask the vet about trying pen-g shots.

[jerseygirl]

A friend has a rabbit who had dental abscess and the vet didnt think it was going to be resolved fully. They ended up removing a tooth and there hasn’t been a recurrence in a couple years. Apparently her vet is really surprised by it.

The tooth was so affected that the vet just pulled it out.
The tooth had become like a foreign body & as my friend said, the abscess was the way the body was trying to push it out like it would a splinter. It was an interesting way to think of it.

Have you had X-rays to see how the bone is looking around this tooth?

[bunnylover100]

Thanks for the responses. No we have not tried pen-g shots. How long/often did have to administer those for? I don’t want to put her through too much….

Yes, x-rays were done last month prior to the marsupialization surgery. Apparently the tooth was “not involved”. I was relieved by this because it would lower the cost and recovery time of the surgery…. but now the vet is saying that tooth extraction would be the next step. He “has a high suspicion” that it is probably involved since the abscess came back without the extraction in the last surgery.

I’m also struggling with whether to keep her in the pen with the rabbit she is bonded with. I kept them apart (close but with a partition between them) for 2-3 weeks after her surgery last month. Her wound closed but now it is reopened (After the recurrence of the infection) and we are flushing it again…so I’m assuming I should probably keep her separate from him again so he does not overly groom the wound. However, I don’t have it in me to keep them apart anymore. They get so much joy from each other that I’d rather they enjoy each other now in case she gets sicker later.

[Sarita]

Pen-g shots are not a big deal and wouldn’t be putting her through too much. What my vet has done is a 7 day course once a day.

Are you talking about 1 tooth? I wouldn’t hesitate to extract 1 tooth to keep an abscess in check. Like I said my rabbit Bobby has lost all his bottom left molars and he does perfectly fine.

Don’t separate your bonded pair…I don’t see what that would accomplish and having her friend with her will help with healing. I think you are right to let them stay together.

[TBpony414]

My first rabbit had a jaw abscess that came back twice. We did the flushing and all that until it healed and after the 2nd time ended up pulling that tooth (and a few others over the years) which stopped the problem. Baytril would not be my suggested drug of choice for a jaw abscess, I’d definitely recommend Pen-G which is Penicillin. It’s very easy, just one shot a day for usually 7-10 days.

Unless you have actually seen your bunny’s other half actively irritating the sutures, I would keep them together. It’s more stressful to separate them. Good luck and keep us updated!! Thinking of you and your bunny, this stuff is so stressful but you will get through it

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