my rat has abscesses

Question
hello my rat has been getting multiple abscesses all over her body lately. she is an older rat and has had a few prior to the ones she now has, but now she has quiet a few. The ones now have all surfaced or have been punctured by a needle and the pus is hard and yellow, it is hard to extract and the abscesses don't seem to be healing. she has been on antibiotics for seven days and no improvement has occurred. if you have any suggestions on what i could do to help the abscesses heal i would be very grateful. i just can't think of what else i can do. any help would be wonderful

Answer
Hi Pagye


A few things first before I get started with my "virtual diagnosis"

What type of bedding/litter do you use for her?
Does she live alone or have a cagemate and if so, how many?

What kind of antibiotics is she on, how much, and how much does she weigh?

When did the first abscess appear? Does she pick at them herself?

Did the vet lance it?  Who used a pin to puncture it?

Is your vet an exotic vet that has gone on for continuing education and passed his state boards for exotic mammal medicine or is he just a traditional vet that sees exotics as a special interest?

Have you used anything topical to clean it out?

Take a warm compress (a nice soft warm wet rag OR fill a sock with rice, tie it in a knot and put it in the microwave for a few seconds to warm the rice up to make a nice warm pack that way.  Try to hold this on the rat for as long as she will tolerate it.  Do this and try to see if the lumps feel softer.  You can get this pus inside to get softer and more or less thinner so it can be extracted easier.
Let me know if this can be done and please also write and let me know the answers to the few things I asked, and we can go from there. This will help me be able to understand what may be going on with your rat.
Its diffcult to really be able to diagnose without seeing the rat in person, or knowing more details so I can get a visual on it. ALso, if you can take a photo of the lumps and send it to  me at this address:

Sandyscrittercity@yahoo.com