# Scabs On Back of Rat



## Sabatea (Aug 23, 2014)

I apologize, this is likely going to be a fairly long post but I want to be thorough with this. Last summer I adopted a rat, Saffy, which I had been told had some skin issues. They wound up being a lot worse than I expected, but I took the little one in anyway. Saffy has since undergone many different types of treatments, but none have shown any effect. I have done an at-home treatment of Ivermectin for mites, the vet has prescribed a Limesulfur dip and an antibiotic, and they have been given ivermectin injections for mites. None showed any real improvement in her condition.

The scabs have remained constant, they are itchy and very sensitive, but they have not grown in the time that I have had her. They look almost wet and open when you look at her, but they're actually hard scabs. Sometimes there is a little blood around them from her scratching, but she's never opened up the wound entirely. 

I did previously have a case of mites I believe, when Blossom, her cagemate, began showing signs of scabs on her back as well. That was when I treated with Ivermectin injections and I bleached their entire cage. Blossom had a full recovery and has not showed any symptoms of anything similar again. Saffy remained the same. I believe at that time I did have a case of mites, but I think Saffy's ailment is something different entirely. It does not appear to be contagious, as besides that incident it has never appeared to spread, even to a third rat in the cage. 

I previously used fleece, a litterbox of aspen, and a thicker Vetbed kennel liner in their cage. I have since moved on to using a thicker bottom pan and using aspen and fleece hammocks. They live in a critter nation cage and are fed Oxbow Regal Rat and a few veggies every now and then. Due to the sensitivity of her back, it is very hard to handle Saffy and it seems to stress her out more than it's worth, so she doesn't get much time out of the cage... She is very friendly though, she is just absolutely terrified of being touched. 

Does anyone have an ideas of what this could be, or any ideas of what might help her condition? I'm truly at a loss at this point and I really have no idea what to do to help her anymore... Thank you for reading!


----------



## Asiposea (Dec 16, 2016)

I don't have experience with the symptoms your poor girl is showing but I wondered if eczema/dermatitis has been ruled out? Perhaps ulcerative dermatitis? 

http://ratguide.com/health/integumentary_skin/dermatitis_eczema.php


----------



## Sabatea (Aug 23, 2014)

Thank you very much for the link! I haven't tried any sort of eczema medication but I think I'll give that hydrocortisone cream a try. Hopefully it'll at least relieve some itching...


----------



## rattylily (Jan 26, 2017)

One of my rats had this problem. I gave her regular coconut oil rubs and it eventually cleared up o.o maybe something to try.Possibly could be an allergy? Hard to tell allergies in rats sometimes though .W.


----------



## BlueDumbo (Nov 30, 2015)

Have you considered that it might be a fungul infection? You could try an over the counter cream such as Lotrimin and see if that helps clear it up. If that doesn't help then ask your vet about an oral fungicide, and that should get you improvements in 1-2 weeks if this is indeed fungul.


----------



## Sabatea (Aug 23, 2014)

I think I've already done some sort of medication that covered the fungal side. I apologize, I can't remember which one it was at this time.

However, I am overjoyed to announce that I am seeing definite improvement with the 1% hydrocortisone cream! Her scab is growing smaller, albeit slowly, but it is healing! There's even new fur growth on the skin that's healed :3 Thank you guys so, so much for your help


----------



## Asiposea (Dec 16, 2016)

That's wonderful! Thanks for the update. Maybe in a few weeks you can take another picture to show her progress.


----------

