Red spot and open sore

Question
QUESTION: I got a rat a few months ago from PETCO. The day after I bought him I noticed he was sneezing a lot and had some red discharge from his nose so I took him back to the store as soon as I could so he could get treatment. I wasn't told what medication he was put on but he cleared up in the next couple weeks. Towards the end of his time there he developed a red area on his neck behind his ear that turned into an open sore, so PETCO took him back to the vet. He was put on an oral medication and given a cream to put on the area (again I was not told what the medication was). The sore cleared up and he was taken off medication for a week to see how things went. All that was left was just a small red spot a few days before he was taken back to the vet for a follow up. Then the sore reopened. Now I'm being told he will need to be on medication for the rest of his life because when he's not on it he gets "red and patchy". They have no idea what's wrong with him. He has been tested for mites. It seems like all of this started after he was treated for the respiratory infection. Do you have any idea what could be causing this? The vet they use doesn't seem to know what he's doing. It's been 3 or 4 months and I really want to being him home.

ANSWER: This is ridiculous he is still at the petstore.  he needs a real exotic specialist not some fly by net vet that sees rats and makes some crazy diagnosis like that because he had no idea what to do for this poor rat!!

It sounds like he had an abscess that drained and filled up again in the same area.   Please bring him home and let me know your location. I will find a vet for you that has a clue and you can give the bill to PETCO.

If you can take a photo of the sore I would love to see it. Send it to sandyscrittercity@yahoo.com

The red discharge from his nose is called porphyrin and it is a secretion from the harderian gland. When a rat is stressed, they produce more than normal porphyrin and it can discharge from the eyes and nose and some people think its blood, but its not. If the rat sneezes, it comes out and leaves red spatter marks around the cage. Most rats sneeze when they first go to a new home and if they were kept on dusty litter at the pet store they often sneeze more once they are away from it to clear their airways.

I would go get him ASAP or he will be scared of you and be half grown by the time he comes home.  I never heard of a petstore doing this for so long....makes me wonder if they still have him.  When did you see him last?

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

QUESTION: I live in Gilbert, Arizona. Right now they won't let me bring him home because they don't want to be held responsible if anything happens to him. They said they would call the corporate office and find out what to do. I'll find out tomorrow if I can bring him home or not.

I call and check up on him a few times a week and go to visit him regularly, my last visit was on the 11th of this month. I'll try to take a picture of the sore with my camera phone soon and send you a picture.

I found out the medication they have him on right now. It's called Prednisone (I read up on it and to me it doesn't sound like something a rat should take, but what do I know).

Sadly he's already grown up so much since I first got him. He was about 10 weeks at the time, now he's around 5 or 6 months. I've waited so long for him to get better and I don't plan on giving up on him.

ANSWER: The prednisone is a steroid.  I am convinced the vet is clueless because you never give a rat a steroid without an antibiotic because it lowers the immune system and can cause him to get a seconary infection.
I am glad your not  going to give up on him...I would demand he come home and  you tell them you will find a vet for him that has a clue and send them the bill.


Arizona Exotic Animal Hospital    
744 N. Center St.
Mesa AZ 85201
Phone:    480-275-7017
Website: www.arizonaexoticanimalhospital.com

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

QUESTION: That's the vet they're using for him.

Answer
Well I will find you another one LOL!!

I would LOVE to call that vet and find out what is going on with your rat! Maybe once I talked to him I could better understand the condition he has...is it pyoderma or some form of dermatitis?

Here is another vet for a second opinon. I Dont know anything about the vet above or this vet here except their location.

Dr. Todd Driggers
Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic of Arizona    
86 West Juniper
Gilbert AZ 85233
Phone:    480-706-8478