Bot or abscess?

[TubeDriver]

Mia had what appears to be a bot or an injury/abscess. I have watched her scratching it fiercely with her hind foot. There might be a breathing hole or a drainage hole towards the top of the swelling. I am not sure what it is? Any thoughts? Thanks.

This is from a couple days ago, I thought it looked like an injury.
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-wCW63RZ/0/c5313e1f/X2/i-wCW63RZ-X2.jpg (https://peteralexander.smugmug.com/Mick-and-Mia/n-69TvWH/i-wCW63RZ/A)


This is from today.
https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-HhvB8fm/0/b9b0f3db/X2/i-HhvB8fm-X2.jpg (https://peteralexander.smugmug.com/Mick-and-Mia/n-69TvWH/i-HhvB8fm/A)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-RSFGvTG/0/db9699f2/X2/i-RSFGvTG-X2.jpg (https://peteralexander.smugmug.com/Mick-and-Mia/n-69TvWH/i-RSFGvTG/A)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-6RdtvKg/0/216c1982/X2/i-6RdtvKg-X2.jpg (https://peteralexander.smugmug.com/Mick-and-Mia/n-69TvWH/i-6RdtvKg/A)

[HRT4SQRLS]

It’s hard to say Pete. It’s getting a little late in the season for ‘new’ bots but can’t rule it out 100%.
I think only time will tell. I’ve seen a lot of chasing around here so it might be a wound.

[TubeDriver]

Thanks. Yea, I guess I'll know for sure in a week or so. Mia has been very protective with her 3 babies just starting to make it to the ground, so I am sure she has been in lots of fights.

There is a younger, mom squirrel who visits daily (Mia hates her). I have been cutting back on giving her treats since Mia's babies are around. This younger female is very persistent though, she keeps peering in at me and makes it hard to ignore her.



It’s hard to say Pete. It’s getting a little late in the season for ‘new’ bots but can’t rule it out 100%.
I think only time will tell. I’ve seen a lot of chasing around here so it might be a wound.

[Spanky]

I'd tilt towards abscess, maybe 65%.... at that size the warble hole should be more obvious IMO.

[redwuff]

Ok, just to be obstinate, I m voting for a bot/warble. :grin2 Let us know Pete, what it turns out to be.

[TubeDriver]

Saw some pus draining this morning, looks like it is an abscess. Will keep a close eye on it. If I start treating her, it will likely be outside since she has 3 babies. The babies are probably weaned at this point so at least I won't have to worry about ABs with a nursing mother.

[HRT4SQRLS]

Draining is a very good thing. It might even heal without intervention. We can hope. :grin2

[stepnstone]

Saw some pus draining this morning, looks like it is an abscess. Will keep a close eye on it. If I start treating her, it will likely be outside since she has 3 babies.
The babies are probably weaned at this point so at least I won't have to worry about ABs with a nursing mother.

According to doc Bricker, clavamox does not go into mother's milk and is safe to use for nursing mothers.

[TubeDriver]

That is what I will use. I think the size and location lends itself to a natural recovery but will start treatment immediately if it gets any worse.

At least Clavamox tastes good so a treated pecan usually works.



According to doc Bricker, clavamox does not go into mother's milk and is safe to use for nursing mothers.

[TubeDriver]

Just feed Mia some almonds and the swelling/abscess has drained and looks virtually flat now. I hope this kickstarts the healing process. Will continue to closely monitor her condition.

[TubeDriver]

No real change at this point. The abscess drains, maybe fills a bit and then drains. It is not bigger and Mia seems fine. But I'm still watching closely.

[Charley Chuckles]

I hope Mia heals fast! Kinda looked like a bot🤔 then again unless the bot died you would have seen it so guessing a bite maybe causing an abscess.


Just wanted to add this here...
My Irma couple weeks ago got a bot even though I have treated her monthly with a nut laced with Revolution.
I'm able to pet her daily so I decided to try something. I used a 1cc syringe and just dropped a small amount of colidol silver into the white larvae stage. It imideatly killed the larvae 👍
However I had to squeeze it out and daily continue squeezing the puss out and flushing with colidol silver.
At one point when it scabbed over I had to remove the scab and continue squeezing. A couple times I used neosporin on a qtip.
Long story is she healed fast and her fur is almost all grown back.
Best part is she didn't have that beast growing inside her for a month or more 👏
319476319477

[stepnstone]

No real change at this point. The abscess drains, maybe fills a bit and then drains. It is not bigger and Mia seems fine. But I'm still watching closely.
I hope your area is like ours that has surprisingly not had a lot of flies this year, that could be a concern if there would be fly strike.
She really seems to be a resilient little girl. :Love_Icon

[TubeDriver]

Well, I decided to start treating her with Clavamox BID, so got her evening dose tonight and she also got a dose of capstar. I saw some pus draining and later she had dried leaves from her nestbox sticking to the abscess. I almost wonder if it was a bot that died? In any case, I want to head this off from becoming any worse.

[TubeDriver]

Thanks for that info. Mia will put her paws on my open hand and take treats but she does not let me touch her much. I touched the injury and she turned and swatted at me. :eek She was like "no touchie or you get the claw!". :tap:grin2



I hope Mia heals fast! Kinda looked like a bot🤔 then again unless the bot died you would have seen it so guessing a bite maybe causing an abscess.


Just wanted to add this here...
My Irma couple weeks ago got a bot even though I have treated her monthly with a nut laced with Revolution.
I'm able to pet her daily so I decided to try something. I used a 1cc syringe and just dropped a small amount of colidol silver into the white larvae stage. It imideatly killed the larvae 👍
However I had to squeeze it out and daily continue squeezing the puss out and flushing with colidol silver.
At one point when it scabbed over I had to remove the scab and continue squeezing. A couple times I used neosporin on a qtip.
Long story is she healed fast and her fur is almost all grown back.
Best part is she didn't have that beast growing inside her for a month or more 👏
319476319477

[TubeDriver]

Mia's injury is no better and she has lost more hair around the site. I would say it looks worse overall. Under the leaves that are stuck to her is a hole that I have seen liquid oozing in and out, almost like something is breathing inside? I think this is an infected bot? The photos don't show how round the abscess/bot is. At least the skin surrounding the site is mostly white and not infected red. She has been getting clavamox 2x/day since Wed evening. She moves around fine but I have seen her furiously scratching the area with her hind foot. :(

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-mdmRdwX/0/e1ebdce1/X2/i-mdmRdwX-X2.jpg (https://peteralexander.smugmug.com/Mick-and-Mia/n-69TvWH/i-mdmRdwX/A)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-zwdBVwg/0/b9a26859/X2/i-zwdBVwg-X2.jpg (https://peteralexander.smugmug.com/Mick-and-Mia/n-69TvWH/i-zwdBVwg/A)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-KWbRxrp/0/70fe5b57/X2/i-KWbRxrp-X2.jpg (https://peteralexander.smugmug.com/Mick-and-Mia/n-69TvWH/i-KWbRxrp/A)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-crqxxfD/0/76f400ad/X2/i-crqxxfD-X2.jpg (https://peteralexander.smugmug.com/Mick-and-Mia/n-69TvWH/i-crqxxfD/A)

[HRT4SQRLS]

You might be right. The first time I ever saw a warble, the ooze was bubbling like it was breathing. :eek
I was appalled. :grin2 Sounds similar to what you are seeing.

[TubeDriver]

Yea, I saw some fluid bubble out, then stop, then start bubbling out. At one point a bunch of watery fluid ran out which is why her fur is all matted down. But if those leaves are stuck over the hole, maybe the bot died?

On the plus side, she moves effortlessly and seems a 100% normal in every other way.



PS, she was just here with her 4 babies. That's right, four not three. We thought she had 3 babies but every once in a while it looked like 4. Today, all four were playing with Mia in our yard.:Love_Icon


You might be right. The first time I ever saw a warble, the ooze was bubbling like it was breathing. :eek
I was appalled. :grin2 Sounds similar to what you are seeing.

[TubeDriver]

Day 5 of Clavamox. The liquid discharge has stopped, most of the surrounding skin is a healthy white and the hole is capped with a brownish scab. I think Clavamox has stopped the infection. But I am worried about the large, round mass that remains. Is this viable bot or dead bot?

Here are photos from yesterday evening. This morning, the brown scab at the top was gone and there was a visable hole with what looked like some pus seeping out.

My options seem to be 1) continue clavamox and see if the bot exits under it's own power or if the bot or pus pocket is absorbed or drains or 2) capture Mia and open up the mass.

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-6dTj2dw/0/43e6336e/O/i-6dTj2dw.jpg (https://peteralexander.smugmug.com/Mick-and-Mia/n-69TvWH/i-6dTj2dw/A)

https://photos.smugmug.com/photos/i-qdcnsfH/0/04e820a0/O/i-qdcnsfH.jpg (https://peteralexander.smugmug.com/Mick-and-Mia/n-69TvWH/i-qdcnsfH/A)

[TubeDriver]

Just saw Mia again and it looks more like a bot is getting ready to exit. I saw more of a defined, round exit hole. So I think I will continue the Clavamox for a few more days and see if bot exits before going forward with hands-on intervention.

[Charley Chuckles]

Just saw Mia again and it looks more like a bot is getting ready to exit. I saw more of a defined, round exit hole. So I think I will continue the Clavamox for a few more days and see if bot exits before going forward with hands-on intervention.

Looks blackish like a bot, if it is it should leave on it's own. They have barbs they attach so would be hard to remove now. However I know Patti did that with her Susie one year. Have to unscrew counterclockwise.
I wouldn't be that brave😲
Patti would have to give you instructions 👍

[Diggie's Friend]

The very first photo I saw you post sure looked like the area had the typical grape shape bots take.
Hair loss around around the area is typical of bot infestation.

[TubeDriver]

Day 7 of Clavamox and probiotics. Mia is such a good girl, she has taken her med 2x/day for 7 days without missing a dose. The infection look gone, it is more recognizable as a normal nasty bot. I hope it pops out soon.

[TubeDriver]

Yea, it appears to be a bot but it also seemed infected, probably due to Mia's frequent and aggressive scratching of the area.



The very first photo I saw you post sure looked like the area had the typical grape shape bots take.
Hair loss around around the area is typical of bot infestation.