Years ago my guinea pig had a throat abscess and vet reckoned the pig needed a GA operation. I was worried about the cost and said surely not. Vet muttered about pig not staying still. I said to her if she did the stabbing I’d pin it down. So we got it wrapped up in a towel, she sliced it open and squeezed all the gunk out.
Vet was so impressed with my piggy handling skills she told me to keep opening the abscess every day for the next five days. Squeeze gunk out and then flush out with a syringe of saline. Happy memories.