[Gpdd] RE: subject: HEALTH-----ABSCESS

[Uptagrafft]

Hi Misty,
Our boy Sidney had an abscess in January right after his 5th birthday.
It appeared huge and just came up overnight.  It really scared me.  Dr.
DeLong took x-rays.  He lanced, flushed, and drained the abscess.  We
had to take him back every couple of days for them to lance and flush it
over and over.  It worked!! It began to shrink with less fluid each
time.  He was given a Baytril injection at the initial lancing and was
sent home on liquid Baytril and Bene Bac.  It was a long ordeal but the
abscess did finally heal.

I also wondered at the increased number of abscess all of a sudden.  I
had not even heard of one of our wonderful piggies having any when
Sidney had his.  Good luck coming up with some reasons.  Sidney's doctor
thought Sidney might have gotten a puncture wound from a piece of hay
but we never knew for sure.  His paperwork explained the abscess like
this:

An abscess is the accumulation of infectious material containing a
thick, yellow fluid.  The surrounding area is after very swollen and
painful.  An abscess that has fully formed feels like a water-filled
balloon when it is touched.  It is very similar to a "boil" on a
person's skin.  Abscesses are caused by bacterial contamination of a
puncture wound such a scratch or bite.  The skin over this type of wound
heals quickly on the surface and therefore encloses bacteria pushed in
by the puncture.  Since the bacteria can't get out, an infection begins
to form.  If the abscess is not surgically drained, the infection can
spread into the surrounding tissues and eventually throughout the body
via the bloodstream.  Blood poisoning may occur threatening the life of
the patient.

Sorry this is so long but maybe it will help to understand what an
abscess actually is.

To everyone that has lost a valued family member to the Rainbow Bridge
recently, Sidney and I send our sincere sympathy.

Jane Uptagrafft, proud mom to Sidney 

 

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