Leonardo goes under the knife

[Spider]

 Next Tuesday morning Leonardo is going to have 4 Cysts removed at the same time. I trust the Vet and she thinks even though 3 are small they could develop into something. L is 2 years old and in pretty good health, he's a lone free ranger who explores at night.
 I believe he'll come through OK , the Vet is doing some kind of suture where the stiches are in the inside, and she might give me something to turn away his gnawing(bitter apple I think?)
 Anyways has anyone been through this and able to advise? help head off complications?
 Any imput appreciated.
 I told Leonardo when he was fussing during the Vet visit when this is all over I'd get him a Female(spayed) and he immediatlely settled down. So I'm looking and if I don't find a female spayed then I'll just find him an unspayed and the Vet said she'll fix her.
                                Spider

[lilspaz68]

Where are the cysts exactly? 

My vet uses internal dissolvable stitches and glues the incision closed.

[Spider]

 The large Cyst is between his shoulder blades, it was a huge abcess like thing with an ugly plug sticking out, I pulled it out and no blood just that hard dried crusty stuff I thought was dried pus.
 He's got one the size of a pencil eraser behind his left foreleg, a small yellow brown nipple thing on his left side, a smooth large bump where I pulled out another plug and it healed over with all the crap still inside on his left hip.
 The Vet thinks their caused by ingrown hairs, and the fact that 3 are on the left side he sleeps on lends credence to it.
                                                                   Spider
 If I can make myself camera savy things would be easier.

[lilspaz68]

His side and hip may be places he will be able to curl and pick at.  The others aren't particularly reachable.

You could ask your vet to use internal dissolvable sutures and glue to close the skin for all of them, make sure he has metacam for 1-3 days, which should keep him comfortable and less likely to pick.  These cysts all sound like they are cutaneous so even if he opens one up, it should heal just fine.

Make sure your vet is removing the abscess capsule not just lancing and debriding.

[Spider]

 These are going to be completely removed, I don't even think you can lance them, the inside is something like completely dried orange pulp, hard and crusty.
 The internal disolvable  stitches you described are possibly what the Vet indicated she was going to use.
 What is Metacam? and are there any substitudes?
                                                                                   Spider

[lilspaz68]

metacam is meloxicam...its a prescription pain med. 
I prefer metacam because some of the opiates cause a bit of a hyperactivity and pica behaviours...metacam can make them comfortable and a bit sleepy.

My vet does injectable metacam during the surgery.  Make sure your vet uses pain meds as well.  Some vets do not believe they feel pain and don't do meds, others believe that the injectable med that lasts up to 24 hours is all they need...often they need a little more.  A sore, unhappy rat is not a good thing for anyone. 

[dkirschling]

My favorite thing to use is therapeutic grade clove oil. It's edible, slightly antibacterial, feels soothing (not stingy), and you can use as much as you need. I buy mine at the natural food store or use Young Living brand. I just drip it right on any incisions and it's always worked great! Good luck!

D