Jennas Abscess

Question
QUESTION: Thank you again Sandra, for the fast response. The site is having me start all over cause of too many questions.
I agree with you, if the infection was in her blood stream, she'd be dead by now.  My (hopefully) last question to you is, can you tell me again where the closest rat vet is. Im in Wildwood, Mo, 63038  I think it was Kirkwood but I don't have that info anymore.  Thank you for all your answers. Have a wonderful week!

ANSWER: The BEST place you can take your rat to is here:


Dr. Allen Weltig
Webster Groves Animal Hospital
8028 Big Bend Boulevard
Webster Groves MO 63119
Phone:    (314) 968-4310
Website: www.webstervets.com


A friend of mine up in Illinois is also going to be taking her rats there from now on.  They have everything needed to care for extotics. I did a check and from your zip code to this clinic it was around 35 minutes travel time, around 26 miles.  I drive over 45 minutes to my vet, not fun during an emergency, but thats the only choice I have if I want the best care for my rats.

Kirkwood Vet Clinic has no exotic vets there,unless it was not the right place I have here?  It is located in Kirkwood,MO?



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well, I'm taking your advice and made an appointment for tomorrow for Jenna at the Webster Groves Animal Hospital.  I feel better now.  At least I can get a second opinion and maybe even cure her abscess.  Thank you for all of your support through this ordeal.  Have a great week!

ANSWER: Awesome!  I think that after 4 months of this, both Jenna and you need to get this resolved.  Having an abscess for this long usually means there is more going on than is being diagnosed, at least as per my experience over the years.  I wish you and sweet Jenna luck and am anxious to hear from you tomorrow to let me know how things went.

If I am wrong about this being more going on than her current vet thinks, I will eat crow...well, kind of.  lol

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Well Sandra, you were right.  Jenna has a tumor under her abcsess.  I did like the vet.  Tuesday, he will take the abscess and the tumor behind it.  He will NOT take the other tumor under her arm.  He said it was to big and deep but, it shouldnt bother her.  Her meds he said, were right on..the Baytril and the Doxycycoline.  No more prednisone tho.  He said that made things worse with the abscess.  
Thank you for all your help with this.  If it wasn't for you, my more little Jenna would have died in the next month.  Have a wonderful week!

Answer
I am so glad you went to this vet and also glad things will be taken care of.  Its pretty hard to sit here and give my "cyber diagnosis" by way of looking at a photo, I have seen so many times before vets make this mistake thinking that they are dealing with an abscess when it reality , its a tumor that was internal that had abscessed externally. I did not earn a degree in Veterinary medicine and for that reason, many vets despise what I do on here and also as a rat care specialist, but because my main focus is on rat care and rat disease, I have the edge on many vets that have to learn about many species and not just focus intensely on just one, like I do.  I dont like to upstage ANY vet but sometimes I feel so right about something I just cant sit here and keep my trap zipped.  Thats why I am here, to help to the best of my ability. I am wrong in some cases and on the money in others. All I can do when I think I see a problem that the current vet is not really dealing with properly is suggest another vet and hope for the best. In this case, it worked out in a positive way.  Good luck with the surgery. She should be on the mend soon, after four months of this, she will be very happy as I am sure you will be too!