Section: Follow-up
Optimal treatment for your companion rodent requires a combination of home and professional veterinary care. Follow-up can be critical, especially if your rodent does not rapidly improve.
Make certain you administer all prescribed medications at the appropriate time intervals. Contact your veterinarian immediately if you are having difficulties treating your animal as prescribed. If you are having problems, it may be best to hospitalized your rodent to assure that a proper course of treatment is administered.
Rodents that are being treated for abscesses should be isolated from other animals to prevent transmission of infectious agents.
For skin abscesses, make certain that the abscess is staying open so it will heal from the inside to the outside. If a surgically opened abscess closes over, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Clinical changes associated with an abscess should begin to improve within 24 to 48 hours after the abscess has been surgically opened and antimicrobial therapy has been initiated. If your rodent does not respond within this time period, you should contact your veterinarian. As the abscess heals, it should begin to decrease in size, drainage should decrease, inflammation should decrease and the animal's general condition should improve.
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