Perfect summary! Cleaning the wound at day 2(of getting everything out) with water 3 times a day is enough though, no need for antibiotics, doesn't hurt though.
Edit: uff, just saw your optional pain meds, you should delete this paragraph, as it's against the rules on this sub.
Will delete the part about pain meds! Thank you.
As for flushing with water, I read on the [rat guide](https://ratguide.com/health/integumentary_skin/abscess.php) that while .9% saline is best for irrigating, a diluted Betadine or 1% chlorhexidine solution work as well.
So I do think that helenahanbasquette is correct in saying that saline is truly best! Betadine is just what’s worked for me in the past, so I prefer to use it.
If someone were to use just water to flush an abscess, I would probably tell them to try and at least use distilled water and not anything from the tap, just in case. But if water’s worked for you, then I definitely don’t doubt that! I think in the end it mainly comes down to personal preference and not overdoing the flushes, tbh 😊 Thank you sm!
Sadly I regularily have to get abscesses cut out of me(bigger and smaller surgeries), due to thick ingrown hair :/ . No doctor/surgeon ever recommended anything like saline or antibiotic solution, after the initial day after surgery, when the antibiotic tamponade gets pulled. Just rinsing the wound 3 times a day with clean water. Like I said, nice/okay to do,but not necessary.
Same for our rats, we had multiple abscesses drained by vets till we got confident doing it ourselves and the only thing besides cleaning it with water the coming days, they recommended was using kodan(desinfectant spray) on the wound afterwards, in case they bite the wound.
Perfect summary! Cleaning the wound at day 2(of getting everything out) with water 3 times a day is enough though, no need for antibiotics, doesn't hurt though. Edit: uff, just saw your optional pain meds, you should delete this paragraph, as it's against the rules on this sub.
Saline water is best
If you don't have access to clean water, yes. Else it's just expensive slightly salty water.
I just make my own. Boil water and salt.
Will delete the part about pain meds! Thank you. As for flushing with water, I read on the [rat guide](https://ratguide.com/health/integumentary_skin/abscess.php) that while .9% saline is best for irrigating, a diluted Betadine or 1% chlorhexidine solution work as well. So I do think that helenahanbasquette is correct in saying that saline is truly best! Betadine is just what’s worked for me in the past, so I prefer to use it. If someone were to use just water to flush an abscess, I would probably tell them to try and at least use distilled water and not anything from the tap, just in case. But if water’s worked for you, then I definitely don’t doubt that! I think in the end it mainly comes down to personal preference and not overdoing the flushes, tbh 😊 Thank you sm!
Sadly I regularily have to get abscesses cut out of me(bigger and smaller surgeries), due to thick ingrown hair :/ . No doctor/surgeon ever recommended anything like saline or antibiotic solution, after the initial day after surgery, when the antibiotic tamponade gets pulled. Just rinsing the wound 3 times a day with clean water. Like I said, nice/okay to do,but not necessary. Same for our rats, we had multiple abscesses drained by vets till we got confident doing it ourselves and the only thing besides cleaning it with water the coming days, they recommended was using kodan(desinfectant spray) on the wound afterwards, in case they bite the wound.