12 Abscess Management Cow
ab·scess
/ˈabˌses/
noun
noun: abscess; plural noun: abscesses
-
a swollen area within body tissue, containing an accumulation of pus.Most common cause in small animals are abscesses secondary to bite wounds which inoculate SQ tissue with bacteria, the body responds to this infection by creating pus, left unchecked can produce quite large abscesses.One must carefully consider the location of the abscess when making a drainage hole, being sure to pick a dependent area when the animal is awake to allow gravity to drain the wound passively, next is there is enough dead space to warrant placement of a drain to allow for continued drainage while the wound heals from the inside out. Special consideration needs to be made when abscess is found on the neck or near other delicate structures or large blood vessels.Note how the attending veterinarian provides sedation, clips and scrubs abscessed area, applies local block, and where he chooses to make a drainage incision.