TWO CHEEK ABSCESSES IN A RABBIT
 

Cheek abscesses are common in rabbits. Thick sticky pus. The roots of the teeth are infected and the teeth are extracted. However, it may not be possible to take out the roots as the mouth access is difficult. Therefore, there may be a recurrence of abscess.

If the owner ignore the abscesses, they may swell considerably. By then, the rabbit is under great stress and may just die under anaesthesia or after surgery. This is a factor to be considered as many owners think that all pets will have no problem in anaesthesia. There will be deaths if the patient is in poor health and under great stress of infections. 

Nowadays there are safer anaesthesia for rabbits. Still, the owner needs to get the abscesses treated early. My practice is not to rush into surgery but to stabilise the rabbit for at least 24 hours and give antibiotic injections.

In this case, the rabbit had 24 hours of rest before surgery. He did not die on the operating table. The lady owner's eyes brightened when she saw the rabbit with non puffy right cheek on the 3rd day when she would take the rabbit home. I told her that the pus might recur as it was not possible to extract all the roots of the molars.