[Top Of The Hill]

Summary for those who didn't read my other post regarding this. Dee recently had surgery (approx. two weeks ago) to clean out an abscess (apparently from a puncture wound of some kind) in the back of her mouth. We have no clue what caused this, but she has been on antibiotics and pain meds for a couple of weeks and seemed 100 percent back to normal. Well yesterday morning she had the last dose of the antibiotics. This morning she just doesn't seem quite herself. She was iffy about eating a cookie first thing this morning (did eat it after hesitation, but not like usual); she did eat her breakfast just fine. She seems to have gone back to being nervous that I'm going to touch her mouth....just acting a bit odd. Not so much with SU....probably as I'm usually the one who gives meds and checks out problems. My immediate fear is that the abscess/infection is still lurking. I'm hoping I'm just worrying too much, but I wonder what the odds are that the infection could flare back up. She was on Cephalexin for 2 weeks.

One thing that I've noticed (and may have nothing to do with the abscess she had) is that she is shaking her head occasionally. Not much; just once in awhile. Hers ears are fine, so I doubt it's anything like itchy ears. The only time I've noticed her doing this in the past is when her ears have been irritated. I figured I was just being hyper-sensitive to every move she makes after the scare with the abscess, but now I'm wondering again if there could be a connection. I just offered her another dog biscuit and she's very hesitant. We also discontinued the Metacam (last dose yesterday morning), but it seems unlikely that that would have had time to have much affect as she wouldn't have been due for another dose until this morning. I guess it's possible.

Any thoughts and experiences with abscesses appreciated. Of course I'll be checking with her Vet. It's unfortunate that it occurred in an area that he can't really have a look at without sedating her. I'm really hoping that it's just residual soreness and not more infection.

 

[Kate3jays]

No abscess experience sorry, just good wishes for your girl that it isn't a recurrence~

 

[Top Of The Hill]

No abscess experience sorry, just good wishes for your girl that it isn't a recurrence~

Thanks for the good wishes Kate. We just got home from the Vet. He seems to think it's unlikely that it would reoccur. He checked her glands, opened her mouth fairly wide and no yelping, temperature was normal etc. Per his suggestion I'm going to keep her on the Metacam (for any lingering pain) for a couple more days and just keep a very close eye on her.....which of course I was already doing. She hadn't missed a dose of the Metacam, which is why I didn't really think it could be that. Had she started to act odd after missing a dose I would have thought that might be the reason for feeling off this morning. Anyway, she seems a bit perkier since getting back from the Vet. Not totally her usual self, but she's taking treats and ate a small dish of food with her meds. Hopefully I paniced for nothing. If not I guess we'll be back at the Vet's on Monday. This hasn't been a great couple of weeks between one thing and another. Too many worries!

 

[amazongold]

Lots of good thoughts that everything will be back to normal by Monday morning.

 

[hark67]

Hope Dee is acting and feeling better this evening. I sure hope it is not that abcess again. Poor girl. Sending well wishes her way.

 

[mitziandjudysmom]

Mitzi recently had an abcessed back tooth extracted. It never seemed to bother her, she behaved normally, she ate normally, even marrow bones, but a side of her face swelled. She had ten days of antibiotics after the surgery, but her face was still somewhat swollen. The vet seemed kind of surprised, but gave her another round of antibiotics before the swelling went down.
With Mitzi it was obvious, but if you think Dee is not normal yet, express your concern to the vet that there may be residual infection.
I hope she gets back to feeling well soon,

 

[CJs Mom]

Best of luck to you and poor Dee.

 

[talleyJudy]

I hope the original abscess was/is not caused by a "grass awn", like a foxtail or similar type "awn".

 

[Top Of The Hill]

Mitzi recently had an abcessed back tooth extracted. It never seemed to bother her, she behaved normally, she ate normally, even marrow bones, but a side of her face swelled. She had ten days of antibiotics after the surgery, but her face was still somewhat swollen. The vet seemed kind of surprised, but gave her another round of antibiotics before the swelling went down.
With Mitzi it was obvious, but if you think Dee is not normal yet, express your concern to the vet that there may be residual infection.
I hope she gets back to feeling well soon,

She actually had surgery to clean this out and then 14 days of antibiotics. When I had her back in to the Vet yesterday he said her glands felt fine. Her face doesn't appear to be swollen at all. As soon as I got home from the Vet she seemed to pick up....even before I gave her a dose of Metacam. Last night she was feeling great.....had a butt tuck around the yard and was begging for tidbits when I was eating something. This morning she seems under the weather again so far. She's not due for another dose of the Metacam for a few hours. I'm puzzled. We'll see how she is today. The Vet really seemed pretty sure that the infection wasn't back.....said it would be unusual and nothing in the check he did suggested that it was. He also said that it wouldn't likely flare up that quickly again. She had only missed one dose of the antibiotics.

talleyjudy - We have no idea what caused this......other than the Vet said he was sure it was a puncture. She's never out of our sight. He didn't find any foreign object when he cleaned it out, so it's really a mystery. Some sort of grass is certainly a possibility. If there had been something in the wound I would have thought it would get cleaned out when he did the surgery.

Thanks both for replying and thanks everyone for the good wishes. I hope this resolves soon. We'll see how it goes today.

 

[georgie]

I hope Dee feels better soon.

 

[justine]

Good thoughts on their way!

 

[MNLab]

Good thoughts for Dee! I'll be anxious to hear how she progresses!