As you know from my post last week, my little girl Carina went into the vets office for a swelling on her face. It turned out to be an abscess that they had to lance & drain. She has healed up just fine & is now back with her family. However, I thought that you might like to see the x-rays that they took of her face.
The first one is a top view of her. You can definately see the large swelling that was the abscess on the right side of her face.
Carina's X-Ray top view
Next we've got a bottom view of her face. The swelling is harder to see in this one. It's located at the bottom of the image & is very faint. However I thought it was very interesting to see her jaw & arm structure.
Carina X-Ray bottom view
He also took a side view of her face. You can't see the abscess in this view, but you can get a good look at her dental structure. Carina X-Ray side view
While Carina was sedated, I also asked my vet to take an x-ray of her arm/shoulder. She is my little tripod glider & we've wanted to get an image of her injured arm to make sure that nothing else was wrong with it since she continues to hold it funny. From the X-Ray you can see that her posture in holding it is muscular rather than skeletal. Her bones look fine & there is nothing to be concerned with about them.
Carina X-Ray shoulder

I thought it may be an abcess, I am so glad you figured it out, and it should be on it's way to healing now! Thanks for posting those X-Rays as well! Very interesting to see, none of mine have ever needed an X-Ray.

I'm sending you many hugs, and prayers for a speedy recovery!

I'm glad that you find out what is going on. You and Carina will be in my prayers.

Thanks for sharing the Xrays, Chris. They are VERY interesting and will be a good reference for future gliders with similar issues

That is just so interesting. I have never had a reason to have any of mine x-rayed so this something to see.

I have to ask, HOW did they get that little one to hold still during that? Was she drugged? Scared so bad she was doing one of those........if I splay out and stay real still they can't see me's? Ya'll know what I'm talking about, that famous deer in the hide lights look....lol.

Whatever way it took to get them, I'm just glad they got them and fixed her up!! Healing thoughts headed your way!

Theresia

Theresia, Carina was sedated during the x-ray which is why I chose to have them go ahead & take the ones of her shoulder at the same time. It was better for her not to have to be sedated more than necessary to get the shots.

Those x-rays are fascinating!

Thank you so much for posting them. And I'm glad Carina is better.

What's really amusing to me is: in the second xray you can see her ear! That's cute!

Chris, those are fascinating! I didn't get to see my baby's x-rays (I forgot to ask, was too upset). Now I see how the jaws are! It makes sense for what I went through! So glad Carina is doing much better and THANKS for the pics!!

Alden, you had me searching for the ears! LOL They ARE cute!

Thank you for sharing those X-Ray photos with us Chris! I'm happy to know that Carina is doing better!

Tonight when I was feeding I noticed that my poor little Carina's face is swelled up AGAIN! This time it's above her eye rather than below tho. Poor Precious looks so miserable with her little eye almost fully closed due to the swelling above it. She was trying so hard to get around the cage & eat with everyone else, but since she has only one front arm & now one eye closed it was hard for her. I think her depth perception is thrown off. But she is a little trouper & is managing to the best of her ability. While it might be better for her to be in a smaller cage, I know that separating her right now would be more stressful than leaving her with her family for tonight. Expecially since she is likely to have another surgery to have the swelling lanced & drained and that WOULD mean separation from her boys.
My vet is getting a call first thing in the morning & Precious will be going in ASAP. Please say a prayer for her & keep your fingers crossed that this is the last time those nasty swellings appear.

I'm so sorry Chris. We will be praying for her.

Chris, what meds was she on, for how long, and were you using any topicals?

Chris, keeping you and Carina in my thoughts and prayers!!

Anna

Chris, I know that when Cricky was having chronic facial abscesses, we tried a number of different antibiotics, but nothing really helped long-term. At least, not until the vet finally sent a sample of the fluid from one of the abscesses out for a Culture & Sensitivity test. Then, he was able to prescribe a specific specialty antibiotic that addressed the specific staph infection that was present. That's the benefit of a C&S - it tells you what specific antibiotic will work on the specific infection. I had to go to a pharmacology lab to have the antibiotic made up for Cricky (even got to pick the flavor for him) and that was the last of the facial abscesses! So... to make a long story short - make sure the vet sends out for a C&S this time
I hope Carina feels better soon! And, by the way, I never separated Cricky from Pika when he had his infections and all went well

Jen, Rena was on Baytril the last time as an oral med, plus a steril flush for it followed by a topical triple antibiotic ointment. She was on meds for a full 2 weeks.
Suz, I think you are right about sending it in to be tested. I am definately going to request that my vet send it in for a full C&S this time. I can't keep watching my Precious going through this. You can tell that it hurts her, both pain & with throwing her balance even more off.

awww chris! I'm sooo sorry!

Chris, I am so sorry to hear that Carina is still having trouble with her eye. I was so hopeing that things were cleared up and she will doing well. I will keep her in my thoughts and prayers today. If you need to talk, please don't hesitate to call...I'm here for ya sweetie!

Thanks Linda, I appreciate it.
Rena goes into the vets today at 2. not a pleasant time for a night auditor, but she is worth going short on sleep for.

I will be waiting to hear! Good Luck Chris!

Chris, I'm sorry to hear her abscess is back. I agree completely with Suz. What she suggested is the same as what we were taught in Optometry school: it's okay to first try treating an infection with just a regular broad spectrum antibiotic, but if it doesn't respond well, or begins to recur, culture and sensitivity is the way to go.

We even got to do some in school. If anyone is curious, here's how it works:

You take the sample (fluid from the abscess) and spread it on several different plates of culture medium (blood, chocolate agar (sp?) and one other I don't remember the name of). Different bacteria prefer different media. So you put on the plates in an incubator to grow. This is the culture part. Whatever grows the most (or whichever one is the most pathological) you assume is your culprit.


Next, you take another sample of the type of bacteria that grew the most (or several types) and using the media they preferred, you spread them on another plate, only this plate has little spots of different antibiotics on it. When it grows, there will be little clear spaces in the growth over the antibiotics that work the best. Whichever antibiotic appears to impede the growth of the bacteria the most is the one you recommend.

That's whay C & S's take so long. You have to grow out the bacteria twice, which takes time.

Good luck Chris, and get all better soon Carina .

Karin

awww Chris, poor Carina! hope you're able to get to the bottom of this and get her feeling all better soon!

I can't add to what to expect from the culture-but remind your vet (and I know this is late in the day time frame wise-so you probably won't see it until after your visit)-anaerobic bacteria (those that grow and thrive in areas withOUT air) LOVE abscesses-particularly in the face, jaw sinus & head. MOST common broad spectrum antibiotics don't go after anaerobics well. Since the first med failed, I would suggest adding Flagyl (and I'm going to PM you with Lyah's weight, mg/ml, and dosage-run it by your vet to work off of-in that group PM...it's not teeth per se, but it is facial) in addition to the secondary antibiotic. Anerobics take very careful handling to culture-not just the medium, but keeping the conditions airless or close to it..if the lab makes even a small oops you may not have growth when it IS there.

I would also suggest (this isn't set in stone, but I've seen it work), adding a few drops of Betadine, few drops of antibacterial dish soap, to a small amount of very warm water and flush the wound with it. The water should look pretty brownish. Betadine is the best thing I know of for getting bacteria in this type of wound, and putting it in the water and soap makes it so it won't damage her skin. It will also make the abscess a less hospitable place for the bacteria in between flushing. Antibiotic ointment can lightly go on after-not too much or it could prevent subsequent flushes from penetrating through the petroleum base of the ointment-all the ointment is supposed to do is provide a barrier to new bacteria getting in between flushes.

I'd also go a length of ONE MONTH at this point with the meds. Anytime an infection recurs, you have the risk that there is a now resistant bacteria in there that will be even harder to kill than the first time when it didnt' work. And that one may be one of several, that might or might not show up on culture as resistant in addition to type, especially if it's not currently the primary problem (it will become the primary problem in another recurrence if not killed).

Thinking of you and Carina Trey, and praying she gets better soon. Let us know what the vet says.

Thanks Jen, I'm glad I checked the board before heading to the vets office. I've printed out your post so I can take it with me so I REMEMBER what to ask. LOL not thinking the straightest in the "middle of the night"

Me, either, lol

Dratted 'midnight' hours, lol. If I didn't need to do some laundry and get ready for 2nd job I wouldn't be up yet, but got knocked offline last night with the storms here (and even funnel clouds though I don't think either actually touched down.

Hopefully I'll be able to look before first job-if not, when I get to the second one. Take care of your precious girl.

Well, I'm back from the vet. Dr Kaiser had to knock her out so he could lance & drain the abscess. Poor Precious woke up struggling & trying to bite anything near her. I managed to burrito wrap her until she was alert enough not to do herself harm. Thank you Jen & Teresa for telling me over & over again that it is common for them to come out of anestetic biting. It made it alot less frightening for me knowing that was why she was trying to bite her legs, toes, arms & my hand.
She is on Clavamox & Flagyl for her antibiotic. Plus I am supposed to rinse the area & apply the triple antibiotic ointment. He chose not to go with the benadine solution in the wound Jen, he said he uses something that starts with an N, but I don't remember the name of it. Anyway, whatever it's name, I still have some left from the last time.
Since the abscess was in a more difficult place (above her eye this time rather than below) it made it more difficult for him to drain it. Rena is to go back tomorrow morning for him to check that he was able to get it all & for him to see how she is healing.
I do have pictures of her face before her surgery, & I will try to get a photo of her later tonight and then will post them both. Right now I don't want to stress her any more. Poor baby, she's had a tough day, but she does look better, even with the "cut" above her eye. Once she's awake, I'm guessing that she will be able to open her eye some more & see again.

Chris, did he send the drainage for culture? Not all broad spectrums will work for all bugs-with me, most of mine have infections that are diffused so a sample can't be gotten-(though Lyah goes back Thurs, and I think I'll see if we can't get a sample this time, since months of meds and even the gel pack haven't helped her mor than temporarily). It can make treatment SO much better targeted if beyond gram pos. or neg. they can figure out exactly what is being fought, and what it responds to.

Poor girl-I can just picture this and feel so bad for her.

And another PM sent

He said there was quite a bit of puss in there, so I'm guessing there was plenty to test. As for the culture & sensitivity, I insisted on that & he is sending the sample off to be cultured.

I'm glad he was able to get a sample to send out for the C&S That will help a lot with being able to get it all cleared up. Thanks for the updates Chris