Abscess or??? On "chest"

[Sendhendrix]

My one and only mama rabbit has a growth about the size of a small marble protruding from her "chest" more or less between her front legs. It feels like a tiny water balloon, not hard like I've read most rabbit abscesses described. I just discovered it yesterday.

I hate to lose her, she just raised her first litter of nine to perfection. She's about 10 months old, a Cali/NZ meat mutt.

Is this more along the lines of a tumor? Should I cull her and start shopping for another doe, or watch it and see what happens? I'm very new to rabbits.

Thanks!

 

[promiseacres]

Does it have a hole? Might be a warble.
Photo might help. They also get dewlaps.

 

[Baymule]

I took a $10 rabbit to the vet for a lump. (this was 40 years ago--how the he!! did I get so darn old!!) The vet showed me how to tell if it was a tumor or an abcess. He stuck a needle in the lump and drew the syringe out a little. There was a thick yellow-whitish goo in the needle, rabbit pus is thick! That told him that it was not a tumor, but it was an abcess. So he lanced it, squeezed the pus out and told me to keep it open and put an antibiotic ointment on it. He charged me $10.

So my suggestion to you it to try to draw out pus with a medium to large size needle. If you don't get any pus, it is probably a tumor. If it is an abcess, are you comfortable with lancing it and cleaning it? If not, take her to the vet.

 

[Eteda]

It may be a pressure sore. from lying on her chest on a hard surface. My sheep developed a huge pressure sore on her brisked between her front legs. her uterus hurts do to an on going infection so she lays funny to relieve the pressure. she is on antibiotics and sleeps in a heavily bedded stall.

I am in the process of making her a sheep pajama suit with a zippered pocket for a pad to be inserted into. it itches like crazy. the vet said to put preparation H on it. and I mix that with some 3 way sauve containing pain killer.

Iema in her depends. who knew depends under garments were so handy. They were the thickest cheapest non stick padding I could find. it kept the dirt out and the medicine on the wound. Its depends on the other end!!!!!! LOL

 

[Baymule]

 

[Sendhendrix]

Thanks baymule, I will follow your advice. I'll need to get myself a hypo first obviously.

If it turns out to be an abscess, I'm assuming an exacto-knife with a new sterilized blade would be the thing to use. And then a fairly long incision. I figure I'll squeeze out everything I can, irrigate with saline, and pack it with neosporin or bacitracin. I'm wondering if I should shave the spot and apply some kind of topical anesthetic first.

From what I can glean on the internet, this probably will be a recurring issue. She doesn't seem to be in any discomfort or pain. I'm wondering if I can continue to breed her.

 

[Bossroo]

Since you recently weaned her litter, it could also be an engorged mammary gland.

 

[Sendhendrix]

Her litter was weaned about two month ago, is that recently enough? I'm quite new to rabbits.

 

[Baymule]

Can you post a picture? And I think shaving the area would be a good idea before you do anything to her.

 

[Sendhendrix]

In this pic I'm basically pinching the abscess to make it more prominent. With the position she's in it pretty much disappears otherwise. I'd say it's about 2/3 the size of a grape.

Also, when I let it go, it seems to shift towards the (looking at the photo) left, about in line with where I'd expect to find a teat. Which I can't find ANY teats under all that fur! Again, it's been about 2 months since her litter was weaned.

When she's on all fours, if I squat down and look from under her cage, I can see it dangling. She shows no signs of pain or discomfort whatsoever, even when I'm manipulating the abscess/growth whatever it is. No other signs of illness. Eating and drinking like a champ.