Bunni abscess

Question
Misster Bunni has had two abscesses since March 2006.  She is a rescue bunni so I have not idea how old she really is but we have had her for at least 3 years.

The first abscess protruded in her cheek and we think it may be a tooth problem that is causing it...

she recovered from it with assisted eating, mild painkillers, medicine to help her digest and baytril

she became the bunni we know and love - running around eating everything given to her

then just last sunday when i was giving her breakfast, i noticed she was breathing heavily...

we took her to Angel Memorial ER and they found an abscess below her jaw

we had no indication about it because she was still eating and drinking and doing everything as usual....

i took her to her doctor and she prescribed baytril and she was quite nervous about her breathing - so she took an xray to rule out a tumor, enlarged heart and lung problems

they found slight tendrils in her lungs probably indicating a slight pnenomia

she gave her batril for the infection and told me to let her know if the breathing didnt' get better by the next afternoon because if not, she would give her another antibiotic on top of the baytril

well the next day came and she wasn't any better and this doctor told me there was nothing else she could do !  she just said to take her back to angel memorial!  I was very upset - and called another animal hospital to find out if there was anyone i could take her to - NOW - they said to bring her in right away

i did and the doctor - altho not a bunni doctor - gave her a shot of pennicilin and i made another appt for the next morning with the bunni doctor

the next morning the bunni doctor advised that we lance it some and scoop some of the pus out - so he did and i took her home

she was eating ok - yesterday she was eating some hay, parsley and carrots but now she doesnt want to eat (she'll take slivers of carrots but that's about it)  - i am assisting her with critical care but im worried about her

she is drinking a lot of water - and we warmed up a towel to clean up the wound and it was dripping thick dark red blood - not a lot but enough to make me scared

she is holding her head to the side - prolly b/c it hurts

is dark red blood thru an abscess wound normal?

should it bleed like that - it's not profuse but scary nonetheless

please help!  

Answer
Dear Joanne,

The Penicillin was a good idea if this is a jaw abscess.  Please find out if it is bicillin (Penicillin-G Procaine with Benzathine), as this is the antibiotic of choice for a case like this.

She is probably not eating because of the pain, so analgesics are essential right now.  Please ask the vet about Banamine or an opioid, which will help her feel better enough to eat.

Dark red blood oozing from the wound isn't great, but it's better that the wound is draining than impacting, as long as the bleeding is not profuse.  Please ask the vet about this, as he may want to pack the wound to promote coagulation and healing up of the outer aspect of the wound, at least to some degree.

Please also see:

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

and keep feeding her Critical Care.  It's vital to keep her eating while the antibiotics are doing their work against the abscess.

I hope this helps. Please write back if you have more questions.

Dana