![how to get an abscess to burst how to get an abscess to burst](https://cdn.britannica.com/93/130193-004-303C62CA/Abscess-skin-redness-inflammation-characteristic.jpg)
If the skin over an abscess heals too soon, bacteria will become trapped inside and reactivate, and the whole cycle will begin again. Even scrupulous debridement is bound to leave some bugs behind, so the importance of good wound care cannot be stressed enough. Dead (necrotic) tissue often sticks to the base of the cavity and must be removed (debrided). The abscess cavity must be opened and drained, and the abscess wall removed. The subsequent treatment may also cause significant discomfort, so the bunny will need prolonged and adequate analgesia. If an abscess is anything other than small and superficial skin abscess, the rabbit will need sedation or general anaesthesia so the abscess can be thoroughly probed and cleaned out.
![how to get an abscess to burst how to get an abscess to burst](https://www.miamiperio.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/dental-abscess-graphic-example-2.png)
Treatment will vary depending on the site and underlying cause of the abscess, but there are certain basic principles which apply to them all. Foreign bodies include grass seeds, splinters or wood and sutures left in after surgery – which is why it is important to remove non-dissolving sutures once a wound has healed, and to check that the dissolving type break down and disappear correctly over time. “Foreign bodies” can help bugs hitch a ride through the skin and initiate formation of an abscess. It’s not just trauma (eg bites and scratches) that can cause abscesses to form. Sadly, the only humane option if this occurs is palliative care and euthanasia when deemed necessary. This is called “seeding” and the doses of antibiotics required to penetrate multiple abscesses that cannot be removed surgically would cause the rabbit major side effects without much hope of success. One particularly unpleasant scenario that sometimes occurs is when the bacteria that have escaped settle in different locations around the body and cause new abscesses to form. Sometimes the remaining bacteria continue to multiply slowly with an increase in abscess size, but any deterioration in the rabbit’s health or nutritional status may allow large numbers of bacteria to build up and eventually overpower the local defence mechanisms and escape to cause widespread infection. For example, if an abscess in the gut wall bursts into the abdominal cavity, the consequences can be devastating: bacteria may escape and multiply causing overwhelming infection before the immune system has a chance to contain it.Ībscesses that don’t burst can remain in status quo for many months or years with no ill effects to the rabbit. Under certain circumstances, however, this can go disastrously wrong. This is usually the best option for the rabbit: indeed “letting out the pus” forms the basis for successful treatment. Over time, fluid build-up inside the abscess cavity increases the pressure within until the abscess bursts, expelling pus and bacteria out of the body where it can do no harm. These bugs are than able to lie dormant until an opportunity arises for them to reactivate. Unfortunately, a few bacteria usually manage to adapt and survive cocooned in the thick wall of the abscess where the immune system cannot get to them. Meanwhile, the surrounding tissue and remaining immune cells band together to form a wall, or capsule – a highly effective blockade, which prevents further spread of any remaining infection. The point is eventually reached where the centre of the battlefield consists of dead bacteria, immune cells and neighboring tissue, which disintegrates to form the creamy liquid which we know and love as pus! The bravest of the immune cells invade the area in a kamikaze act and the majority of bugs will be killed off in the ensuing battle. The bacteria may continue to multiply and cause damage up to a point, but most of their food and oxygen supply will be cut off. Cells of the immune system respond like the cavalry, approaching the infected area from all directions and surrounding it. The presence of bacteria multiplying in the wound sends signals to the body’s immune system. Imagine a rabbit with a small bite wound. To understand the process better, let’s take a look at how a typical abscess is formed.
![how to get an abscess to burst how to get an abscess to burst](https://i.pinimg.com/736x/86/46/40/864640cba869fe670bce99a723510608.jpg)
Common sites include the skin (after injury, bite wound or surgery) or in the head and neck, frequently secondary to dental or nasolacrimal duct (tear duct) disease.
![how to get an abscess to burst how to get an abscess to burst](https://ssl.adam.com/graphics/images/en/18085.jpg)
They are fairly common in pet rabbits and can occur anywhere in the body. An abscess is a walled-off pocket of infection, which contains infective bacteria, in order to stop them spreading throughout the body – a potentially lethal situation.