[Vixie]

Oh, I am just so worried, it's on her lady parts...

I didn't get a good look at it but it was fairly soft and kind of "L" shaped, does that sound more like a tumor or a abscess? It's also slightly red on the peak of the lump(may be irritation from rubbing on the towels).

I'll try to take come pictures tomorrow but no matter what I'm taking her to the vet next week, I just need some assurance.

 

[mopydream44]

Re: Acid may have a tumor!

sounds more like an abscess. I hope everything turns out ok! Can you take her to a vet?

 

[JulesMichy]

Re: Acid may have a tumor!

My vote goes to abscess. They typically get a red, irritated area on the top that will darken until it's black and necrotic, and then start to dimple in. You may have a week, you may not. If it starts turning black, you need to talk to your vet about having it removed as soon as possible.

 

[Vixie]

Re: Acid may have a tumor!

Alright, well it's an abscess; it's already ruptured and begun to ooze that nasty junk. I'm going to go through the treatment listed in that sticky on this forum so hopefully that will work out just fine(my bank account with greatly appreciate it! lol).

(edit)Ew! Just after she licked at the pus and nasty junk she licked my hand! ewwwww! -dives for hand sanitizer-

 

[Vixie]

The abscess has ruptured and it's opened to be quite a large sore, and I'm worried about gunk getting in it so I check it often, but Acid seems to be keeping it extremely clean. Each time I put her down from having a look she instantly goes to work cleaning it.

Should I let her keep doing this and keep an eye out or should I take her to the vet? There is a flap of skin that's just kind of hanging there and I've seen Acid tug at it a little.

Here is the flap of skin:

and here is the sore

The sore is pretty clean, there's a bit of green ick in the corner but other than that every time I check her it's clean. What I'm afraid of is the Hydrogen peroxide may hurt her if she licks it up from me putting it in her sore.

Advice?

 

[OnlyOno]

people use hydrogen peroxide to bleach their teeth and for mouth pain, so i don't think that technically it's bad to get it in your mouth. i would let her clean it herself for the most part, but if she starts obsessing about it won't leave it alone, you may have to consider some type of a ratty cone or collar to prevent her from bothering it *all* the time, as that can actually become a problem.

 

[lilspaz68]

And now begins the day or days of flushing 2-3 times a day (I use saline solution rather than hydrogen peroxide). You are diluting the peroxide right? Straight can actually damage the tissue.

Let her clean it as much as she wants, it won't hurt and she'll keep it clean between flushing by you.

 

[ration1802]

If you're using hydrogen peroxide (diluted of course) to flush it, give her lots of treats after - that stuff stings, especially open wounds.

Keep an eye on her cleaning (although it's good for them to keep it clean) constant cleaning will stop it scabbing over and healing - and we all know that scabs are the most effective infection barrier that we can get. Once it starts drying up, she might stop licking so much because it's not as sore.

Is it causing her pain do you know? If it is, maybe it would be worthwhile investing in some mild pain meds to get her to leave it alone for a while, if she really goes at it?

I'd keep the cage clean too - depending on what litter you use, it might even be worthwhile switching to towels or fleece while the wound is open? Depending on how many rats you have in the cage, I'd suggest changing it every other day if need be

 

[JulesMichy]

Don't use peroxide. It can actually slow down the healing process. As lilspaz said, go to Walgreens or CVS and buy yourself a bottle of sterile saline solution to flush the wound.

 

[Vixie]

I'd just give it a single drop for the whole sore, but I'll do the solution from now on.

and Ration, the only way I can get Acid to sit still is giving her treats. Acid is going on two years but is as active and hyper as the day I watched her LEAP out of the tank to explore in the store. She got at least two yoggies and a baby carrot, once I stuck her paws in a spoonful of cream cheese to keep her busy...xD


Also, I checked on it today after school and tadaaa! Scabbing!

 

[lilspaz68]

Scabbing is not a good thing with an abscess

The skin will heal on the outside, trapping any infection inside the cavity and the abscess will just recur over and over again. Now you need to soften the scab and continue flushing until the cavity heals from the inside out. Once its almost flush with the skin you can let it stay scabbed over then.

 

[ration1802]

Scabbing is not a good thing with an abscess

The skin will heal on the outside, trapping any infection inside the cavity and the abscess will just recur over and over again. Now you need to soften the scab and continue flushing until the cavity heals from the inside out. Once its almost flush with the skin you can let it stay scabbed over then.

Even if, in this case, it's not 'bubbled' in? It looks more like an open wound (with the skin flap) than an absess that can build up behind a scab?

Educate me please

- edit - sorry, I wrote that running out of the door. What I mean is that, in this case, hasn't the top layer of the abscess already been removed so there's no 'pocket' in which fluid can build up? Effectively, what we are seeing is the inside of the abscess?

 

[lilspaz68]

If there's any infection at all under the scab, then it will reform. That green stuff is not a promising colour. I only let it scab over when its right up to the surface and very obviously a nice healthy flesh colour. That one still needs treatment. I would say a day or more only though

Rats have very efficient bodies with any infection, they wall it off from the rest of the body, no matter how tiny it is, then an abscess occurs.

 

[Vixie]

EEp!

I was giving the area a little squeeze just now to see if it's still lumpy and green gunk came from her urethra(and it REEKED)! I'm definitely calling the vet now...>_<

But what's going on, is it a bladder infection or...?

(edit) Acid has an appointment tomorrow at 3:00. High hopes! Hehe...

 

[lilspaz68]

green gunk coming from anywhere is an infection. Are you sure it was her urethra? Not her vagina?

This is my sweet Portia who had stopped cleaning herself due to a tumour...she ended up with a vaginal infection.

 

[lilspaz68]

green gunk coming from anywhere is an infection. Are you sure it was her urethra? Not her vagina?

This is my sweet Portia who had stopped cleaning herself due to a tumour...she ended up with a vaginal infection.

 

[Vixie]

Re: Acid may have a tumor!--After the vet visit!

Well, assuming the urethra is at the front/top as it is on humans, yes, it was her urethra. But looking at your picture it may have been her vagina. I'm not quite sure. But I have that appointment tomorrow right after school so things should be put in the right by then and Acid will be on the way back to her original health.

 

[Vixie]

Alright, back from the vet. He cleaned her sore and closed it up with skin glue and prescribed .1 mL of doxycycline(vibramycin) twice a day for a week or so.

 

[mopydream44]

oh i'm happy it's working out for you..........btw these pictures were completely gross!

 

[ration1802]

btw these pictures were completely gross!

Just the 'lovely', graphic, side of rat ownership

I used to be squeamish - now, thanks to my furballs, I've overcome that. lol