my rat has an open sore or something

Question
QUESTION: I have only had this rat for about a month now, i have no idea how old she is, i think around a year.  But yesterday she developed an open wound that looks like is was a boil or something underneath her back hind leg.  I never really noticed it accually she went to the vet 2 weeks prior to this and she was suposeabley healthy.  I dont think the vet looked her over properly.  She is not in a cage with another rat and it is pretty big you could stick a pencil in the wound i cant get an appointment till thursday

ANSWER: Sounds like an abscess that broke open and drained.
What to do is clean it for her with saline solution or plain warm water NO peroxide though  and apply a glob of neosporin ointment or any generic antibiotic ointment and rub it in well.  It should heal just  fine.   Is there an odor or any pus in it?

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QUESTION: No there isn't an odor, nor did i see any pus or blood in her bedding.  It looks like there is some sort of white tissue down inside it.  Other then her limping she dosen't seem sick.  It's so big tho, i couldn't imagine how much it would hurt haveing something like that. I got saline soultion, how often should i clean it?  How long should i squirt it in the hole?

ANSWER: Just put the saline solution on a cotton ball and dab it a bit and after that, add some antibiotic ointment. This will really help it if its infected. I would not squirt the saline in the hole or it may burn.

It sounds like an abscess or if it is a tumor, the tumor has become infected.  Lets hope its an abscess though because it should heal well with treatment rather than need removed surgically.

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QUESTION: my rat has gotten really sick... I came home this morning and She looks like she is having trouble breathing and I think the cut may be infected... i got another appointment for monday but she just lays there and she wont stay in her cage she keeps excaping i had to put a twist tie on it she jumped out twice. i have had her out all day and all she dose is lay in my lap

Answer
She may need oral antibiotics in case this has become systemic. Even an ER vet can give her that if you can get in today which with an emergency visit.  I would bring her in and simply tell them she needs oral antibiotics, bactrim would be good...and if they know what they are doing they would even consider giving her IV antibiotics. That may even need her to be put under anesthesia, have beads that are full of antibiotics that are time released placed directly into the would and close her up again. The beads release the meds slowly into the cavity and helps it heal that way.

DO You have a good exotics vet?