chin absess

Question
We have a male lion head rabbit he is 3 years old with no previous health problems. His chin started to swell last week and there appeared to be a sac of infection. We took him to our vet.They kept him overnight and said it was an abscess but did not say what may have caused it. It was drained and he was given two shots of antibiotic. We were sent home with liquid sulfatrim twice a day. He was home only one day when the swelling returned once again. He was kept overnight and the abscess drained once more and received two more antibiotic shots. Is this normal for an abscess? He still appears to have a small pouch under his chin and we are praying for the best. But we would like another opinion. What do you think? Will we be continually taking him to the vet for this procedure to be repeated?  

Answer
Dear Karla,

Jaw abscesses do not easily resolve in rabbits, and they require the care of a very experienced rabbit vet familiar with the dental medical needs of rabbits.  You can find one here:

www.rabbit.org/vets/vets.html

A couple of antibiotic injections (what antibiotic was used?) will not cure this.  It is most likely in the bone, and that will require long-term antibiotic therapy with a rabbit-safe antibiotic that will stay in the system for longer than something like sulfatrim (which is practically useless for conditions like this).

Please read these two articles right away:

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

and

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

and then get your bunny to a vet experienced with rabbit medicine for a second opinion, and--hopefully--more appropriate and effective treatment.  I hope this helps.

Dana