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rat abcess could be tumour

21 17:46:27

Question
Hi,  my daughters 18month old female dumbo has a abscess just under her eye.  it is about 1cm in diameter and extends right to her ear.  She has had this for about a month, been on baytrill and another antibiotic for this time and had an anti inflammatory drug, but nothing has worked.  I keep cleaning the dried white/creamy puss out daily and there is a big crater now.

The vet said there is probably a tumor underneath and this will effect her so she will need to be put down when she shows signs of losing her balance etc.

At the moment she is a lively happy rat, eating well, climbing well with no other symptoms. Could the vet have been wrong about the tumor?   Is there anything else I can do to help her heal?  Is it worth continuing with the anti-biotics.  My daughter is distraught and is trying to detach herself from the rat, as it could die at any time.  This is distressing for all of us, so any advice would be gratefully received.

many thanks

Answer
Sounds like a nasty abscess to me. Does it extend down to her jaw?

When did it begin draining the pus? I would put neosporin oinment in the crater.

Can you tell me if the vet you saw is an exotics vet?
If so, you would find the vets name listed on this site. If their name doesnt appear here, they are NOT certified exotic vets:

http://www.aemv.org/vetlist.cfm

Is there a way you can take a photo of this? If so, send it to:
Sandyscrittercity@yahoo.com

I would also like to tell other people that may want to write to me directly through my email that I would appreciate they reach me either through here or at: Askcritterkeeper@yahoo.com.   The address above is to be used when I request info etc...only.  Otherwise I end up with so much mail I get lost and cannot find the mail/photos I requested someone to send.  Elaine this is NOT directed toward you, btw. :)

ANyhow, hang in there and let me know again how long it has been draining. THe tumor has been around for a month and it drains pus but when did it start draining the pus and does it appear smaller after it began to drain?

Also, I would try NOT to detach from the rat because if the little sweetie is indeed terminal, she will want to be comforted by her loving care takers.  Its hard on everyone when they face possibly losing a beloved pet but the important thing is to make them feel loved and as special as they are to you until the end.

As long as she is feeling ok and eating and drinking well, this is a good sign. I would not say she could die at any moment. In fact the vet doesnt seem to offer many options here. Surgery would be one thing, inserting a drain to really help rid the area of all the funky stuff and steroids for inflammation as well as the right antibiotics for this which is NOT baytril.  She should be on a medication that penetrates the tissues better, especially when infection is involved. This drug would be Trimethoprim Sulfa, also known as other names such as BACTRIM, Tribrissen or Septra.  Was the other medication used for inflammation METACAM? If so, metacam is simply a glorified form of Advil. I cant stand it when vets use this for severe pain etc...but it  is ok for inflammation in some cases. In cases such as inner ear infection where the inflammation causes pressure on the 8th cranial nerve, metacam is not strong enough to help and steroids should be used. Vets will tap dance around its use stating that the rat could develop a compromised immune system which, yes, with long term use this can occur, but we are talking RATS here with a fast metabolic rate and the fact their life is so short, when you look at side effects with long term use, chances are the rat wont even be around. Does that make sense?  ALso as long as the rat is on antibiotics, if the rat does develop a weaker immune system, the antibioitcs are there to cover any secondary infection that may want to develop.
The over all benefits outweigh the risks.


Please let me know about the vets credentials, the other meds tried and also when it started to drain (the abscess/tumor) also what color is the pus? Green? Yellow? White?    Any foul odor to it?

One thing that can be done is have the surgeon go in and clean out the tumor and add antibiotic beads, which are small beads that are impregnated with antibiotics and it is time released, sending the medication right to the source of infection) The vet can take a patch of skin from the rats thigh or backside for closure if needed.
I would really look for another vet that was more aggressive in treating this rat rather than just wait for things to get worse.
I am, of course, not there to see the rat and to get the full diagnosis etc...but just from the things that can be done in cases like this and seeing that none of this has been offered to you...it makes me wonder just had broad this Vets experiences with rats extends.