Very itchy rat

Question
QUESTION: I have 4 pet female rats. A little while ago, one of them, Peach, started to
develop little red sores from scratching so we took her to the vet. The vet
didn't know what was wrong but prescribed some antibiotics.

Two weeks later and Peach was still scratching and had even more sores. We
took her to a different vet who also didn't know what was wrong but said that
it could be mites under the skin. We were given a spot-on Ivermectin
treatment.

We have tried the treatment for a month now and Peach is still scratching like
mad. None of the other rats have any symptoms and none of the vets in our
area seem to know anything about rats. Advice please? I know that diet can
be a problem. I feed my rats a variety of rat blocks, vegetables, pasta and
reggie rat. Have I done anything wrong?

ANSWER: Hi Steph

It could very well be protein allergies or it could be dry skin too.

You can put neosporin ointment on the sores and this will help heal them and prevent infection. Also  you can add olive oil to the diet by adding a bit to a salt free cracker.  Do this every day for a week and every other day after that.

Please check out my website. I have a page devoted to skin problems and also about parasites and diet too.  

http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/skinproblems.htm

Let me know if you have any more questions after reading it over and I will be happy to help!


Sandra

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

QUESTION: Hi Sandra,

Thanks for the advice. I've been doing what you said and a lot of Peach's
sores are beginning to heal, though very slowly.

Unfortunately, Peach is still scratching lots - recently she's been
concentrating on her face. One of the other rats (which are still fine and
showing no symptoms) keeps bathing her head and neck for her as well. She
looks such a mess and she seems to have lost weight recently. I think she's
unhappy because she's so itchy, though she still acts herself when she's out
playing. Is there anything else I can do?

ANSWER: Have you lowered the amount of protein in her diet?

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

QUESTION: Yes - she's mostly eating vegetables and pasta now. I've cut way back on the
seeds and I check all the levels of protein in every food i give her. Going vet's
again at the weekend. Could it be something like pyoderma? Or an infection
from a wound? I've checked out your website and I've tried everything i can think
of! I need to go to the vet's armed with as much info as possible because my vet
doesn't know much about rats!

Answer
Unfortunately we have to do that if our vets are not up to par with rats and as long as the vet welcomes the info, thats cool, but some get really mad and offended which is beyond me when before that, all they knew to give was baytril for 5 days and that was all they knew.

Pyoderma is a pretty nasty skin infection usually caused by staph.  Is she flaking and peeling?

What about cortisone cream (over the counter) I cant recall if I said to try that.....or benadryl cream, rub in thin layer....

I feel bad I cant help.....