My guinea pig has an abscess. What can I do if I can't afford a vet?

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'm sorry to hear Pickle has an abscess. I would recommend looking into veterinarians who treat pocket pets in your area, as an abscess typically requires antibiotics and other supportive care (such as an anti-inflammatory) to heal. In the meantime, I would gently warm compress the area. Good luck!

This is likely an abscess which will need to be seen and treated by a veterinarian. The vet will need to lance the abscess and flush it. Since it may be involving the teeth, your vet may want to x-ray the head to see the extent. Kuri will need antibiotics. If you have financial concerns, investigate the possibility of getting care credit (www.carecredit.com), make a few phone calls to some pet charities in your area and talk with your vet about a payment plan.

If you're having trouble affording veterinary care this site may help give you some ideas to make it more affordable for you, or to find a free or low cost clinic: http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_veterinary_care.html -- Some clinics and shelters will also have angel funds that provide for the cost of a basic exam and treatment at no cost to you, so asking around your local area may help. Ideally you'd get the piggies a vet visit along with a deworming depending on the type of worms they have. However if you absolutely can't care for them, afford dewormer, or they continue to worsen, then surrendering to a local shelter may be best.

I am sorry to hear about your kitty. Unfortunately from these photos it does not appear that at home care is going to be appropriate anymore. I am concerned based on the picture that some of the tissue/skin around the wound could be devitalized/dying. He likely needs systemic antibiotics and wound care by a professional at this point. I would recommend looking at this site for info on ideas on affording veterinary care: https://www.humanesociety.org/resources/having-trouble-affording-veterinary-care . There may be a low cost clinic in your area associated with a human society or shelter that may be more affordable.

Thank you for your question about Pickles. There are a couple of things that the lumps could be. You are correct that they could be abscesses, as these don't occur uncommonly in guinea pigs. Another potential is a type of tumor called a trichofolliculoma. This is a special tumor that occurs in guinea pigs, and typically occurs around their rear ends/hip/back region. It would be a bit strange to have multiples of them, but it can happen. I would recommend taking Pickles to the veterinarian. Depending on your area, the exam fee may range from $50-80 typically. After a thorough examination, your veterinarian can perform a fine needle aspirate and cytology of the masses. This means that they put a needle into the mass and extract some cells. They put these cells on a slide and look at them under the microscope. If they see bacteria, it is likely to be an abscess. If they see other cells, then it would be something else (such as the trichofolliculoma). A fine needle aspirate and cytology can vary in price, anywhere from $30-60 depending on the practice. After that, depending on what is found, the veterinarian may make further diagnostic recommendations, such as a culture if the masses are abscesses, or surgery if they are tumors. Thankfully, if it is a trichofolliculoma, surgery is curative. They may also have treatment recommendations, including pain medications and antibiotics. Please don't give Pickles any human medications, as many of them are harmful to our furry friends. If you are unsure about what veterinarians are comfortable seeing guinea pigs in your area, you can look at the Association of Exotic Mammal Veterinarians website. They have some resources on finding a vet in your area. I hope that gives you a place to start, and I wish you the best of luck!

Thanks for reaching out about your guinea pigs. Cat bites or claw marks are notoriously contaminated, often causing serious infections. A veterinary visit is highly recommended to prescribe antibiotics. Reaching out to local humane societies or rescue groups can sometime provide some financial assistance. But don't wait too long as infections can progress to systemic problems quickly. Good luck.

Thanks for reaching out about Hamsy and Shamcey? Abscesses usually require systemic antibiotics to cure, so a veterinary visit is needed. Trying to keep clean with a dilute betadyne will help. Monitor appetite and water intake. good luck.