[spysquid]

I just got a new baby girl Saturday from an accidental litter I found on CL and noticed two days ago she has a lump on her throat under her chin (like a big Adam's apple) it seemed to pop up pretty quickly and is bigger than it was the first day I noticed it.
One of my older girls had an abcess in the same spot and I'm hoping that's what it is, I find it odd such a young girl would get an abcess but maybe it's from a tooth or something?
I'm not sure if I should wait it out or take her to the vet or not. My older girl took care of it herself and popped and drained it while we cleaned it with saline after and she was fine. Not sure with such a young one though. I don't really have an exotic vet to go to so in a tiny bit weary of getting a less knowledgable vet plus my new baby is still skittish of me so I don't feel confidant taking her anywhere and don't want to scar her and undo the 5 days of trust training...
(I would add photos but the forum won't let me and says its too big for my quota??)
Suggestions?

 

[erikablanchettexo]

If you're sure it's an abscess, wet a cloth with warm water and just dab it. Hopefully then it will help it drain quicker and you can just do what you did for your other rat who had one

 

[spysquid]

Well I'm not 100% sure, I'm just hoping and haven't found anything else it might be but a tumor, which is hard to imagine at such a young age & I read it's a common place for abscesses.
I *would* use a warm compress, but that was near impossible to do with my other rat that was already attached to me and I just got this little thing less than a week ago and she will hardly let me touch her still... It's super hard to put a cloth against a female rat's throat under their chin and somehow get around those little ninja arms & I don't think I could do it with her

 

[erinsweeney]

q-tips might increase your reach somewhat? that's how i drained an abscess on one of my skittish girls

 

[spysquid]

That's a good idea! Thanks ^_^

 

[Sabatea]

My girl, Neera, got one in the exact same place. She still has some scar tissue there from it that hasn't ever gone away either... She's squirmy and hand shy, so it was difficult for me to reach it as well, but I had barely put the warm compress on her for 10 seconds before it popped. Cleaning it started out being a hassle, but oddly enough Neera figured out she had gunk on herself and she cleaned out her own abcess! XD

 

[spysquid]

That's good to know. It isn't very big yet, and still not discolored or anything, is there a certain point/size where you start with the compress?