Rat wound

Question
My rat Blossom has an operation last Thursday (4/8/11) to remove 2 lumps, one on the right side of her chest and one lower down by the leg. She was wearing a collar so did not manage to get the higher one but could reach the bottom one. She did not bother it too much in the first few days but the other day (8/8/11) she started nibbling at the edge, and then opened it up nearly completely. The wound was on her inside leg and the bottom wasn't stitched properly (I have come to the conclusion the vet who did itis useless) so it started to open slightly with her movement, and that gave her the idea to start picking at it. I took her to another vet immediately who said the tissue around the edge was dead and that it was infected so she had to go on antibiotics for a few days before they would consider stitching it again. The vet also said that it may breakdown again anyway.

I have taken her collar off now (as she can reach the wound anyway) and I am just letting her lick it as she wants. I am cleaning it with iodine and giving her antibiotics. The wound is still open and I can see tissue and/or muscle and it is draining fluid on its own, but I can now see slough and it is starting to smell slightly. I have ordered some dermagel as I hear that does well on wounds. She is back with her cage mates as she was so depressed on her own, and she does seem to have perked up despite the trauma. I am keeping the bedding clean and other rats seem to be leaving the wound alone.

I really am desperate as I am so reluctant to take her back to the vet and have it stitched as they are so incompetent (and it also seems she can reach it whatever I do!) but I dont want her put to sleep or leave it how it is!

Please, any advice you can give me would be great! Blossom would appreciate it! xx

Answer
Please see my site, sandyscrittercity.com and refer to the topic on rat surgery and complications. There is a rat that I have featured that would just not leave her incision alone every time she had surgery!  The owner was so worried she would open and and her insides would be exposed but I assured her that these tumors are more or less subcutaneous and the most you will see is exposed tissue.  The reason stuff like this occurs is that the vet may make the stitches too tight which prompts the rat to mess with it because it hurts, or they use lousy material to stitch the rat and she has a reaction to the sutures.  I would not let the vet stitch her up again. It will heal even if its a slow process.  She needs to continue antibiotics.  I prefer to use trimeth sulfa for this, but something tells me she was probably given baytril? If so, its ok too but I do like to reserve baytril for other infections so they dont build a tolerance to it.  
Also, if the vet said to keep Blossom from the other rats, thats also a crock. If anything, the rat becomes not only bored (which leads to chewing the incision as well) but they become depressed like you have found out, and of course, this causes stress, stress hinders healing.  The vet better brush up on how to care for rats. Those collars are ridiculous and dont work anyhow due to the odd way a rats neck is built. They also stress the rat out too, keeping them from eating and drinking properly.  I would be happy to find you a better vet. If you want, let me know your location and I will see what I can find.  I would also rinse her with hibiclens (Hope I spelled that right) its even good for MRSA. You can find it at any pharmacy, including Walmart.