Fat ratty has bumblefoot - Ketoconazole topical treatment?

Question

Mocha's Green Jacket   Hi Sandra,

You've helped me in the past (My lovely rat Mocha just turned three, she's had four tumor surgeries and you really helped me get through the first one. She's got tumors again, but so many popped up and she'd need reconstructive surgery. Otherwise, she's a very happy and generally healthy old lady.)

Today I write about my fat female rat Kiwi, and her fat sister Coconut. About a week and a half ago, after a routine rat health inspection, I found red poofs on their feet. Coconut had one, it hadn't blistered or broken the skin. Kiwi on the other hand, had two small but popped and painful blisters. The next day I filled an existing prescription I had for Mocha (Enrofloxacin, banana flavored suspension) and dosed according to her fat size (Kiwi is about 1.75 lbs right now...but she's a huge rat too).

She's been improving since I've been giving her the meds, as I've also kept the cage clean and have been medicating her feet with neosporin. A cage mate does lick her feet afterward, though I try to chase her off. The cage is layered in fleece on all the plastic shelves, and they have lots of blankets to sleep in their igloo. Kiwi is more active now that she's losing weight, running in her wheel and escaping onto the carpet.

Recently, due to her new strict diet, she's able to reach her feet more easily and is chewing on one of the scabs. She bled all over my pants the other night when I went to medicate her and put on the neosporin.

Her feet are no longer red except where she's been chewing (immediately at the edges of the scabs), but I wonder if giving her a fungal treatment would help as well? Just in case, I suppose?

Is Ketoconazole safe for rats to lick at? It's cheap and I have spent thousands of dollars on rat vet bills over the few years I've had them, so I'm broke now. Mocha cost me over 1500$ since I've owned her, my spoiled hospital rat.

Also, should I have been medicating Coconut? I thought about it, as the prescription won't last me two rats for 21 days, and getting another filled is a pain. My good vet is an hour's drive, and costly if the rat hasn't been seen by her yet. My not so great vet is across the street, but doesn't really accept my own ratpertise or gut instincts. Plus she's not cheap either, and I don't think she particularly likes rats.

Coconut's foot is still a little pink and calussed where her bump was, but it's never broken the surface and theres no swelling or inflamation.

I'm watching my girls drop their ounces of chub, and making sure they get good care.

Over the four plus years I've had rats, I started with two, and upgraded to a total of ten now. I have four beautiful boys in a big ferret cage, and my 6 girls happily in their even bigger ferret cage.

I always read your advice, as it helps many of my split second rat decisions in times of need.

Perhaps someday I'll answer questions myself. I've given rat CPR and sucked out bread from a rat's throat, held together a giant opened wound (Mocha is the #1 rat for removing staples, stitches, and even the stitches under the skin!), and even made rat jackets for surgery recovery.

I'm happy at the great lengths you go to to help others with their rats.

I thought I'd show you an older Mocha picture. It's the little demon herself, dressed in a lovely green fleece peacoat sewn while she was ripping out staples with abandon. She was then cleaned up with saline spray, gauze and medical tape placed over the wound, and put in her nice jacket. The jacket left her mobile but she couldn't reach her staples or chew herself open. It worked for a day.

Answer
I LOVE the little fleece jacket! That is so much better than what some vets put on rats that is sheer torture.  Not long ago, I had someone find me via my website, sandyscrittercity.com and called my house. The vet put their rat in a compression bandage and this rat was going down hill fast. She died that night, probably from congestive heart failure, all because of some clueless vet.

As for your idea that treat the bumble foot as a fungus, thats not a shot in the dark since sometimes it is caused by a fungus, but it seems they are doing ok so I wouldnt push it. Anti fungals could be a bit nasty.   AND...as for you answering questions on here...we need another expert to be honest. I think I am the only one and as you see, it took me days to get to your question.  I can sure use the help.  I have myself on a limit to just one or two questions a day.  Just try it, and if there is something that you think is too hard to answer, send it to me.  PLEASE try it!!  I think you would do really good!!!!