GliderCENTRAL

Lumpy jaw help!

Posted By: Anonymous

Lumpy jaw help! - 01/27/10 02:45 AM

some of you may remember i just recently posted about our baby over grooming her head. Well as soon as she was better(took lots of playtime/new toys/cage rearranged) now she has a large lump on the left side of her face just below her eye. Started off small, then got a little larger/more noticable! we went straight to the vet! he prescribed her antibiotics and gave her a shot of baytril. We were to guve her 2 drops a day orally. That was 3 days ago....now the lump is much larger and its more centered in one spot of her face! She is going back to the vet tomarrow morning...should he try different meds or just operated and try to drain/remove the lump? This is killing me! she was kinda mopey and seemed tired at first and she wasnt eating much but now she's more lively and she's eating better aswell but like i said the lump is larger. Any input for me/the vet would be very Very much appreciatted!
Posted By: LSardou

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/27/10 02:53 AM

It sounds as though she could possibly have an abscess.
If so, they will need to open it and drain it. As far as the medication, this will need to be determined by your vet. Depending on the type and the condition of the abscess, will depend on what antibiotics that should be given.
I hope that everything goes well for her tomorrow.
For tonight, just make sure that you keep her activity levels down, keep her warm, and offer her plenty of fluids to prevent dehydration.
Sending lots of prayers your way.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/27/10 03:23 AM

thanks for the prayers! i have pedialyte that i have been giving her via dropper. Also gave her some mealies which she gobbled up. Gunna give her medication here in a little bit. Right now shes sleeping in her pouch in my shirt...and i have a sweater laying over my shirt. every once in a while i open the pouch and check on her. She'll let me rub the lump so im not sure if its causing her pain....but its huge! i feel so bad for her frown from what im reading there are a few causes. one being genetics....i really really hope this isnt it. She is 3.5yrs old now and this is the only real problem she has ever had.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/27/10 04:23 AM

update,

Shes been in my shirt for a few hours, Now shes awake and getting antsy. I didnt want to play with her so i just pet her a little bit and put her in her cage. She jumped around for a min then started to clean the lump. frown i hope i can see the vet early tomarrow...its still soft so i think they can drain it?
Posted By: Gizmogirl

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/27/10 05:13 AM

Sending lots of prayers for you and your baby. I also hope you can get her to the vet, I think it is very painful for her.
Posted By: the gliders angel

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/27/10 07:29 AM

have the vet do a culture on it
Posted By: glidrz5

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/27/10 08:56 AM

With a localized infection, your vet should be able to open it and drain it. As Karen mentioned a culture and sensitivity test should be run on the pus. This way your vet will be able to tell which medications would be the best to use for the infection. Once it has been drained, you will need to keep the area clean and apply a topical antibacterial ointment (pain free) this will help her to be more comfortable and will protect the injury. Also be aware that it is not uncommon for abscesses to reoccure. My Nicky had one on the top of his nose that he opened up the night before we got to the vets office. There was nothing for the vet to see or culture. He remained fine for 6 or more months and then it came back in the same spot and again Nicky practiced medicine on his own, another 6 months or so passed and it came back one last time. That was several years ago so I'm hoping it's gone for good this time.
Best of lucky with your baby tomorrow.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/27/10 12:44 PM

Watching this clock tick is driving me mad. Once it hits 8am the vet's phone will be ringing! Do you guys think she will have to stay over night? She's never been away from us. I'm gunna ask for a culture. I mean they just stick her with a needle and suck it out or is it an incision?
Posted By: glidrz5

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/27/10 03:06 PM

I know when my gliders have had abscesses lanced it usually takes about an hour or so. They will take her back and sedate her and then slice the abscess open with a scaple and squeeze out the pus. Sorry to be so graphic but there's really no other way to say it. Then they will clean the area out and wake her up. Be warned that when a glider comes out of anestetic they WILL bite ANYTHING. This includes you, any blankets they are wrapped in or themselves. It is a knee jerk reaction to the confusion of anestetic and pain. Be sure that your vet gives you pain meds for her. Torbuteral is a safe and effective drug to use. Once she is fully awake she should be fine to come home and will most likely be less anxious with you in a familiar environment than at the vets with strangers.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/27/10 09:41 PM

well just left the vet frown this is the hardest thing ever! The abscess leaked into her eye socket causing her eye to crust shut. When we brought her to the vet, he gave her some eye drops and started to rub her eye lids with a quetip. Once her eye opened up the puss leaked right out. He cleaned her eye and gave her some more eye drops. At this point i was ready to punch the vet for not sedating her right off the bat! I demanded that he sedate her before he goes any further. He gave her some gas and then cleaned the eye more and drained more fluid out. He thinks her eye "should" be ok and we need to keep giving her eye drops to keep the area moist and he gave us antibiotic ointment(sp?) to rub on it every day twice a day. He also gave her a shot of convenia.

He apologized for not sedating her like i requested first, and explained why he didnt. Said he has seen small animals not take sedation well and just didnt want to risk it. Which i understand. So after alot of tears and some crabbing i think both of us are ok. The abscess is ALOT smaller...her eye is still closed but i think she is just keeping it closed. Gunna stay up all night and watch her.....i'll keep everyone updated. Please if you have any advice please please let me know.
Posted By: LSardou

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/28/10 12:10 AM

I'm sorry that her treatment process was not of the best, however, I think your vet was doing right by taking precautions with her. Hopefully, within the next couple of days, things should start to clear up.
I would try and 'gently' wipe her eye with a damp warm cloth at least once a day to help prevent any further build up. If you do notice the slightest increase of swelling, get her back in as soon as possible.
My prayers are with her.
Thank you for the update. hug2
Posted By: Gizmogirl

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/28/10 10:30 AM

It must have been hard for the both of you, I will keep on praying for you guys. Good luck and keep us posted. Give her all the love you have to give, she needs it now.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/29/10 12:46 AM

today has been so so. Its still leaking into her eye...not much just a little. She's getting eye drops every 45min-1hr and antibiotic ointment around her eye. She takes it well with no fuss. No more swelling....but of course the area around her eye is still a little swollen. Shes bathing the area aswell. Also shes still getting her antibiotics orally twice a day. Still eating the same....lots of yogurt and pedilyte.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/29/10 05:59 AM

ok.....deep breathe...Just cleaned the eye again...she didnt like it this time. Did as LSardou suggested and whiped it gently with a warm damp clothe. Also soaked a quetip in her eye drop solution and rubbed her eye a little. It softened up the crust on her eye lid and i applied the ointment.

I don't know if i'm doing it right. Is it ok to go to the vet and have her sadated again....so soon? to have her eye cleaned and opened up again?
Posted By: Their_mommy

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/29/10 06:35 AM

I had the same thing happen to my Newbie. It was under his left eye.
Rushed him to the vet that lanced it and drained puss out of the poor little guys face.

He gave me antibiotic to put directly into the incision twice daily and you may need to get that for your little girl.
Also he was antibiotics 2 times a day which he hated.
It finally healed up after 2 weeks but then a month later opened again, I doctored it myself since I still had the remainder or the meds left over. Every so often since then (it has been 2 years now) the swelling starts to come back, then dissipates on it's own.
Since it was right under his eye, I kept it cleaned up several times a day to keep any drainage from getting into his eye.
Otherwise causing an eye infection.
He has been great ever since and we figure it was from the junk cage he was in(it had loose parts) when I rescued him from a torture like home.
But I love him dearly and he gets all the mealies he wants anytime he wants them.
So lots of love and a good vet will help you to get your little girl healed up and back on the road to recovery.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/29/10 06:43 AM

see thats the problem with her abscess. When it leaked its on the inside of her eye socket. So it filled up and crusted. Thats when we rushed her to the vet and he drained it. So thats why her eye keeps crusting closed. Even when we clean her eyelid off completly she still wont open it. Thats whats scareing me....so is it ok to go back to the vet so soon and have her sedated so he can clean it more thoroughly?
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/29/10 09:52 AM

You can use plain neosporin on the incision-not the kind with pain relief. Is the glider on an oral antibiotic or have any kind of oral pain meds yet? Drops into the abscess are a good start, but I would HIGHLY recommend an oral antibiotic as well.

While you can go and have the eye seen to-make sure the vet uses Isofluorin for the anesthetic...it's safest for gliders...it probably won't help much until the swelling goes down more, and will be stressful for you both. There's quite a bit of pressure and infection in there right now, and these take time to heal. I'd continue gently soaking it open, since it's likely to gunk back shut for now. You can also use some plain vaseline (one of my gliders had this also) around the eye itself...it will make the fur greasy and help keep it from sticking so badly so it's easier to soak open.

I would also give Chris...glidrz5...a call (she posted earlier in your thread)...she's been through this with a few gliders and can probably give you things to try (along with support)-her phone # is 217-224-1793. She works nights (like me) but is usually around in the mornings and evenings when she's not sleeping (our schedules are upside down).

Please keep us updated on your little one!
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/29/10 11:58 AM

Thank you all so so much!

right now the eye is gunked shut...everytime we rub it and feel that its dry she gets eye drops applied via quetip. She is on oral antibiotics and has been sense the start. Also she is on an antibiotic cream, that we apply around her eye. The oral antibiotic we mix it with a little yogurt and she takes it pretty easily. I'm just scared because she hasnt opened the eye sense it first leaked at the vet. Should i wait a few days before going to the vet? She nipped me earlier(very Very rare) while i rubbed it but then she went running in her wheel like it never happened. Like i said i'm just worried there will be perminent damage to her eye. So should I wet the area with eye drops and try to open her eye?
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/29/10 12:10 PM

If the eyelids will separate you can gently open her eye and take a look-make sure it's nice and dark, no discoloration or cloudiness, etc. Enough swelling or discomfort though, and she will probably keep it shut of her own accord until it feels better. With my Riker, I'd sit with him and keep the warm, wet cloth on his eye (and I do mean wet-almost drippy)..sometimes for 10-15 min or so-very gently rubbing when the gunk had softened enough to remove most of it-if some is still stuck around the eye but not sticking it shut, don't worry about it-it'll come off eventually. Looks bad, yes, but not crucial to remove-and the less rubbing, the less it'll get further irritated. Certainly if all fails and you can't even take a look the vet can help.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/29/10 12:23 PM

^ Thanks a bunch! i really really appreciate all the help. This is very comforting knowing i'm doing the right thing and if all goes well then its juet a matter of time.


She wont hold still enough to let me just rest a damp cloth on it. But she spent a good 5 hours in her pouch in my shirt and she'll let me rub it a little but then she just trys to curl up again to sleep. I think i'll just keep applying her eye drops and antibiotic cream and otherwise try and leave it alone. If she hasnt gotten any better in a few days, i'll take her back to the vet to have the eye opened and cleaned.
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/29/10 12:45 PM

She won't like it, but during the day, hold her still in her pouch with her face out-like you would to give meds, and just gently hold the cloth on it. She doesn't need to like it, but you do need to make sure the eye WILL open, even if she elects to keep it shut once it's unstuck. If something is caught under the lid it could scratch. A little stress from you is much preferable to the vet if avoidable for something like this...then follow with a couple treats...yogurt drops or maybe a few pieces of cheese shreds...something she really likes...and she'll forgive you wink Only rub when the gunk is thoroughly softened to avoid scratching the lid or eye, which could open up a whole new set of problems.
Posted By: glidrz5

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/29/10 03:11 PM

Have you talked to your vet about an opthamalic ointment? Since it is an ointment it might last longer than the drops do. It's what I used on Brodie when his sinus infection caused his eye to swell shut.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/29/10 08:38 PM

That's what she has now, an antibiotic ointment that we apply after we clean her eye lids free of gunk. She gets it twice a day. Aswell as baytril 2 drops orally twice a day.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/31/10 07:07 AM

Hello Everyone, I am Charlottes mom! Just wanted to give another update and see what you all thought. i have some good news. As you all know we have been cleaning her eye with the eye drop solution, the ointment, and giving her her antibiotics. Well today I gave her a mealie to distract her while I cleaned all the gook again. I was able to open up the eye a tiny bit today and get an eye drop in. From what I saw inside, the eye looked black and normal. Should I just keep doing what I am doing and try to open up her eye more? Also she seems to be back to her old self. Eating ALOT! lol, drinking fine, bouncing around, running on her wheel, climbing all over me as she usually does. She seems to be in no pain whatsoever and lets me rub the ointment on her eye..I am hoping that this is good news. I would be the happiest momma ever if nothing permanent happens to my poor baby's eye frown
Posted By: Xfilefan

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 01/31/10 10:46 AM

If she will allow you to gently massage the ointment in or hold a wet cloth on it to soak the gunk soft enough to get the eye open it's probably a good idea, especially now it's partway open-my concern is something getting under the lid and possibly scratching the eye or causing an ulcer-I'm so glad it looks healthy from what you've seen so far though! As the swelling goes down and the gunk and discomfort lessen she should open it gradually all the way on her own as the infection clears. just go slow and be very gentle-if it only opens a little each time you try that's okay too as long as it keeps improving-good work! thumb
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 02/01/10 10:54 PM

Bad news, this morning I was doiong my usual cleaning her while she ate mealies and she was doing fine. Went out to lunch, came home, checked on her and there is all hardened discharge on the top of her head, I immediately cleaned it all off and it looks as though there was another small bump on the top of her head as well?!?! How is it possible we didn't see it? or could it have suddenly appeared like that? i just want this to be over with! she is acting normal now. running all around seems to be in no pain whatsoever. she lets me rub and clean everywhere on her body with no problems. and my vet is booked up until wednesday at 4..what should i do if this is another bump that has suddenly appeared and ruptured??? ohwell confused

p.s. she is eating alot still, running on her wheel, drinking fine, everything seems fine! i just dont understand why this is happening..and if so why so fast and again! </3
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 02/03/10 11:58 PM

well vet visit was bitter sweat....we both got bit while trying to hold Charlotte. She did have 2 more lumps...one on the top of her head(that leaked before) and one on the back of her neck. That one was drained, but left a large opening! there wasn't really any blood at all on the Q-tip just alot of puss came out. Her eye on the other hand is much Much better...shes looking out of it and opening closing it regularly.


glidrz5...ill text you later if thats alright?
Posted By: oakley

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 02/04/10 12:17 AM

I'm very sorry to hear about Charlotte.

I think you are already getting some great advice and it seems as if your vet is doing a great job as well. I'd just like to mention the risk of sm (self mutilation) or overgrooming on her behalf or by Lemi (Her cagemate?).

It sounds like you are already keeping a close eye on her, but I wanted to make sure you were aware of these possible dangers. I wish you and Charlotte the best of luck!
Posted By: glidrz5

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 02/04/10 04:44 PM

Mr Juice....sorry no texting here. You can call me if you want. With abscesses it is possible for them to move & spread. With Carina it started under her eye and then spread to above her eye and then moved back down & then was both above & below. It is better to have to drained and get the puss out. You may want to talk to your vet about hitting the infection hard by giving a combination of antibiotics. I know with Brodie and his most recent sinus infection which turned into a small abscess he was given the combination of Clindamiacyn, Clavamox and Flagyl to cover both aerobic an anaerobic bacterias. This is also the combination that xfilefan's Riker was given when he has a severe sinuse infection. You will also need to give the antibiotics for an extended period of time to make sure that the infection is gone and not just dormant.
Posted By: Anonymous

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 03/24/10 01:46 PM

sorry ladies n gents i forgot all about this post! Charlotte is doing amazing! no more lumps and her eye recovered fully!!!! Shes bouncing around being her chippy self, like this never happened. Shes putting on weight again and is just overall a healthy happy glider.

Thanks so much for all the advice and helping us through this!
Posted By: Gizmogirl

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 03/24/10 02:54 PM

clap That is great!! clap
Posted By: sugarlope

Re: Lumpy jaw help! - 03/26/10 03:06 AM

clap Thank you for letting us know!
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