The owner is unhappy when her hamster has a recurrent eyelid abscess.  Pt 2. What to do?
Channel: Dr David Sing
Date: 26/04/2015

HOOK
Eyelid abscesses in dwarf hamsters, like Ear abscesses in red-eared sliders in Singapore are surgical conditions presented at Toa Payoh Vets sometimes.  Images
  
BE KIND TO PETS IMAGE

TITLE
The owner is unhappy when her hamster's eyelid abscess recur.

DEFINE ABSCESS
An abscess is a pocket of pus. It can be present anywhere in the body. When an area of your body becomes infected, white blood cells fight the bacteria within the damaged tissue. The area becomes inflamed and in some cases, pus forms in an area. This is known as an abscess.  


TREATMENT OF RECURRENT ABSCESS:  
1.  SURGERY. INCISION AND DRAINAGE.
Incision and drainage under general anaesthesia. 
The vet uses a scalpel to cut the abscess so that the pus will drain out. Normal saline is used to wash or irrigate the wound. I recommend a LONGER CUT (more than 5 mm, if possible) to permit residual pus to be drained out post-operation. 

2. REMOVAL OF THE CAPSULE OF THE ENCAPSULATED ABSCESS. 
This procedure applies to abscesses enveloped by a thick shell. Hence it is called an encapsulated abscess. Incision and drainage have had not been effective. Such encapsulated abscesses are not found in dwarf hamsters but can be found in guinea pigs and rabbits. 

POST OPERATION NURSING CARE FOR THE FIRST 3 DAYS
3 days of inpatient care to prevent recurrence of the abscess in the dwarf hamster and red-eared slider (ear abscess). 

We use cotton bud tips to express any residual pus from above and below the incision daily. Then we drip antibiotic eye drops onto the eyes and wound. 

TIPS AND ADVICES TO VETS
COMPLAINT OF RECURRENT ABSCESSES  
Some owners insist on bringing the hamster home on the same day but do NOT know how to provide the prescribed nursing care for at least 3 DAYS. 

It costs money to treat a recurring abscess. Some owners dispute that they had been advised on the post-operation care as they just applied eye drops onto the wound.  The residual pus inside the fast-healing wound regroups to form a recurrent abscess.  

WRITTEN POST-OP CARE INSTRUCTION TO PREVENT RECURRENT ABSCESSES
To prevent misunderstanding, the vet should get the owner to sign a written instruction to the owner on the post-op care and record this in the medical record.

MORE INFORMATION AT:
https://2010vets.blogspot.com/2020/11/3438-eyelid-abscesses-in-2-hamsters.html