flemish giant with abscess

Question
I have a male Flemish Giant that is around 1 year old.
I noticed on his chin he has a  growth a little larger than a golf ball.  It is somewhat soft to the touch and i can move it from side to side.   Is this characteristics of an abscess or possibly a tumor?  What would the treatment be?  How soon does it need to be taken care of and if it is an abscess can it cause and other harm to the rabbit.Thank you so much

Answer
Dear Kathi,

In this location, abscesses are more common than tumors.  But it would be wise to have it removed/treated ASAP to prevent it from spreading or becoming worse.  

If it's that big, it hurts, and surgery may be needed to completely remove it, capsule and all, as if it were a tumor.  It would be best to have the capsule sent for culture and sensitivity testing:

www.bio.miami.edu/hare/culture.html

to know what followup antibiotics might be necessary to prevent recurrence.

It's good that the lump is moving with the skin.  This suggests that bone is not (yet) involved, though that's not a given.  A good vet will be able to do a full exam and determine the best course of treatment.  You can find one here:

www.rabbit.org/vets

Hope this helps.

Dana