# Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (kind



## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

Hi! So, I don't know what Jack did, but about a month ago, overnight, he developed a pretty gnarly dime sized, almost perfectly round wound on his neck. The thing is pretty gruesome, but it's just a skin wound. I took him to the vet, and she told me to just keep it clean, put some neosporin on it, and it'll heal. I called her today, and she told me to keep doing what I was doin. Because it seems to just be a scrape, she can't do stitches and the like.

Well, it's been a month, and I've been tending to it every day, but it's not getting any better because SOMEONE keeps pulling the scab off!! I seperated Jack a few days ago to keep the other boys from grooming the scab off - but Jack keeps scratching at it and pulls it off himself. I don't know what to do I clean it every day with a warm, damp washcloth and put a little neosporin on it. I can always tell when it's opened up again because it bleeds a little bit onto the white part of his fur.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

Here's a pic....it's pretty gruesome.










Edited to add: it doesn't seem like it bugs him at all, and he hasn't given me any indication of any pain. It seems like it's just one thing after another in my mischief, between him hurting his foot a few months ago, and then me losing all four of my girls within 6 weeks...thank heavens all the other boys seem fine today...


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## OnlyOno (Apr 4, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

that looks like an open abcess to me, but i'm no real expert.

however, i got a cone for my little ratty from the vet hospital for $10, i think that would be a great investment for you. it might rub a little bit on the wound, but maybe you can wrap some sock around it?


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

It isn't swollen though, there was never any lump. I thought it looked like one, too, but my vet didn't say that it was. 

I think I'm gonna try to get him back in next week, if I have a busy weekend at work this weekend and make decent tips.


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## kaylaface (Sep 6, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

Looks like pictures of abscess I've seen. Hopefully some else can help you out better, but maybe treat it like it's an abscess, since it seems so similar? Get it to heal from the inside out, and flush it with a saline solution? You should probably wait for other responses, thats just my shot in the dark.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

Eh, could be a bite. I've got one of my boys suffering two of these at the moment (his pyoderma has left his skin in a terrible condition and it splits like paper). The area that it's in probably doesn't help the fact as it's constantly being moved etc. And part of it looks like it's flapping open? That's not gonna heal easily on it's own.

If it's clean enough, can't you see if your vet will use surgical glue to close it?

I would also stop using neosporin and switch to something like saline or hibiscrub (an anti-bac wash). The neosporin is going to stay on the cut longer, therefore keeping it moist. You want that sucker to dry out, and things like saline evaporate quite quickly. I'd also suggest not cleaning it more than twice a day, with long periods in between to allow it to dry and heal.

Another good thing to try and use (and it's really helped Ritchie) is Intrasite Gel. It can be applied to open wounds and encourages new skin growth and scabbing. Again though, you should be wary with it as it doesn't aid in the 'drying out' process


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## A1APassion (Jul 29, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

please have this vet checked to have it diagnosed as an abscess before you would attempt to close the wound because closing it without knowing for sure it is safe to do so could make matters worse

an abscess is a bacterial infection & a bacterial infection has to be treated by a full round of antibiotics (no skipping doses & no stopping meds early)... the round will that last long enough to kill all the bacteria (maybe 14 days). If you do not successfully kill all the bacteria then the cycle will just repeat. If you stop & start meds you could help the bacteria to mutate thus causing the medication to be ineffective in treatment. If you close the wound without treating it or effectively killing the bacteria then you just made perfect conditions for the infection to get much worse & possibly spread. 

If the abscess does not respond to antibiotics thus meaning the wound does not heal (which you say it is not healing) then they will need to surgically cut out the infected area... remove as much of the affected area & active bacteria as possible & then surgically close the wound.

If the vet is confident that this is not an abscess & it is free of infection they may close the wound or show you how to wrap it so no one can scratch off the scab or re-open the wound.

Good luck!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

Sigh, I don't like the location or the description 

http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/squamous_cell_carcinoma.php

Check out the figures (case histories)...I have seen this.


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## Ophelia (May 25, 2008)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

I don't see, personally, how it could be a "scrape". It's perfectly round. I don't know about you guys, but I have never scraped myself in a circle.
Maybe you should think about getting a second opinion from another vet? A lot of vets will accept animals they don't really know anything about for the money. Rodents, reptiles, birds, some dogs that need special vets like greyhounds.
I would think that something else has to be going on here. Either the abscess like others have posted or what lilspaz posted.


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

I'm gonna take him back on Wednesday (it's the soonest I can get him in) and let you guys know. I've been kind of worried about it being an abcess myself. 

You guys would be amazed at the number of vets in the area that are cat/dog only within a 2 hour busride of me...I thught I was real lucky because my small animal vet was only a 20 minute ride away, heh (even though they're closed 3-4 days a week, and close at 4. Grr.)

Will keep you updated!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

Honestly Chivahn it sounds like a tumour.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*



Ophelia said:


> I don't see, personally, how it could be a "scrape". It's perfectly round. I don't know about you guys, but I have never scraped myself in a circle.


Skin tension - if you break the skin deep enough on the rat, then it will open wide because the skin pulls the sides apart. Depending on the nature of the gash, it can indeed be circular shaped

Eg Ritchie's shoulder

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b384/befferoo/Medical bits/Ritchiecutshoulder300508.jpg

Plus if you consider the neck area is full of lose skin, I wouldn't assume that it's uncommon for it to form a circular shape.

Just fyi


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## Ophelia (May 25, 2008)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

That wound that you posted a photo of is an oblong, quite average looking wound...very unlike the one posted by the OP.
I believe, as does just about everyone else who replied to this thread, that something else is going on with this wound.
Just because we didn't agree once on wild rats doesn't mean you have to argue with anything I say from that point on.
The OP's photo does not look like a normal wound. The photo you posted does.


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## ration1802 (Sep 25, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

......

I have seen many circular wounds caused by bites. I believe I also said that it will depend on the location, a neck wound would have different skin tension to that of a shoulder wound. Ritchie's is healing somewhat (thankfully) but it has taken it's time to do so.

Don't make this personal because I have a differing opinion.

Edit: Anyway, the point of this is to give the OP ideas and suggestions, at the end of the day it's up to her to sift through the info and present to the vet. 

Good luck with Jack, Chivahn


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## Ophelia (May 25, 2008)

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Ration1802 said:


> Don't make this personal because I have a differing opinion.


Oh, for god's sake...


Chivahn, I agree with Ration on wishing you good luck! Please keep us posted!


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## beanieboo-rattles (Jan 3, 2008)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

Looks like a nasty bite. Probably from being pinned and bitten by a cage mate. If the vet says its too shallow to sticth then it is. 

But seeing as its been a month take it back and see what else you can do for it.


If it was an abcess she would have noticed it growing. Unless she ignores her rats for days on end...doubtfull.


Dont be so closed minded simply because its not a text book bite. 


As for the tumour idea from lilspaz. Again there would have been more notice of atleast a small lump before this happend. She hasnt mentioned that so we have to put it to the side..

Good luck


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## Skitza (May 18, 2008)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

take your rat to the vet! asap!


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

I know of at least 2 rats that everyone thought they had bite abcesses (below their ear)...and they were abscessed but the abscess was on top. The tumour is a special one and doesn't heal and is usually very round. Its just an option, we aren't vets, we really cannot tell but its good to have ideas when you go to your vet.

For eg. I suggested deep pyoderma for my rat and convinced my vet to do a skin culture...turned out to be.

I hate lumps and abscesses on rat heads, they often turn out badly


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## Chivahn (Mar 30, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

There hasn't been any sort of a lump, and it's not swollen at ALL.....but he's going back to the vet on Wednesday and we'll find out for sure.


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## kaylaface (Sep 6, 2007)

*Re: Jack's neck-wound won't heal....pic included (*

Keep us updated. I'm really curious to see what's going on with your baby. Hopefully it can be patched up easily and not cause any other issues.


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