# Hairless rat blackhead?



## Braptherat (May 4, 2009)

Hey there.

I have a hairless male rat, he's about 8 months old now. About 7 weeks ago he developed a bump on his side, toward the end of his tummy/ribcage, near his thigh. It has a blackish peak on top. I felt it and squeezed the skin gently to see if he reacted, but he doesn't seem to be in any pain. It was hard, and round. I have heard about hairless rats getting blackheads? But I'm unsure as to wether it should last 7 weeks or will it need "popping" in order for it to go away? Has anyone had any similar problems or seen anything like this before? Should it go away, or will it grow?

Any help will be greatly appreciated, I took him to the vet and he said it could be a blackhead but they don't usually last so long, but surely it would need squeezed in order for it to go away? thanks... ???


----------



## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Can you post a photo? It sounds like it could be an abscess from your description - going on the dark mark formed.


----------



## Braptherat (May 4, 2009)

Hi
I've just tried to upload a photo and its saying upload folder full, contact admin, any help?
thanks


----------



## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Braptherat said:


> Hi
> I've just tried to upload a photo and its saying upload folder full, contact admin, any help?
> thanks


Here is a sticky on how to post photos.


----------



## Braptherat (May 4, 2009)

Hi, you can't see too well in the pictures but the lump is a blackish coulour in the middle, thanks for your help

http://www.glowfoto.com/static_image/09-114934L/6179/jpg/04/2010/img6/glowfoto

http://www.glowfoto.com/static_image/09-115131L/7787/jpg/04/2010/img6/glowfoto


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

abscess or cyst but with the dark being under the skin I would guess an abscess...cysts can be treated the same way as abscesses and there's a sticky in here how to care for them


----------



## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Here is the sticky on how to treat abscesses at home. 

Ratguide.com is a great website for rat health issues - it has pretty much everything on there! This is the link to the abscess information on ratguide - the treatment section especially may be of use to you.


----------



## hshelton (Feb 23, 2010)

Hairless dogs, like chinese cresteds, can get black heads but I'm not sure about hairless rats. However, blackheads do not get raised up like that. They are just black dots on the skin. I would have to agree that its probably a cyst or abcess.


----------



## Braptherat (May 4, 2009)

thanks for your help, i took him to the vets and they said to get it cut out, and it's a very costly operation. I'm just unsure as to wether or not he really needs it cutting out, or wether it is just and abscess and i could treat him myself. I've had operations on my rats before and they were never that expensive, so I don't know if they're just trying to lul me into something unnecessary, if I was 100% sure he needed surgery I would do it in an instant, maybe I should have another vet consult him...


----------



## clarry (May 19, 2008)

Have you taken pets there before? specifically have you taken rats there before?
if they seem like they have been knowledgable and reasonable always i would go for it, I have a pretty good vet and i usually trust their judgement, although theres NOWHERE else I know of that could be so helpful with rats, if you can find a vet that knows about them Id go for a second opinion. I had an absess treated at the vets, they literally put a needle into the lump and drain a little of the fluid, they should be able to tell straight away if its an absess because the substance will clearly be puss, and then the treatment to get that done at the vet wasnt very much, they just gave him a tiny whiff of anesthetic and flushed it out whilst he was dopey. Cost around £18 I think, including anti biotics. 
I have also nearly had to pay for a lumpectomy, which is pretty expensive, I was quoted £70-£100. I have also paid £70 to find out what a lump was and if it could be treated (as it was in an inopperable place), so if they are charging you for a lumpectomy it REALLY shouldnt actually be an absess, as the cost is very different. I think you would be able to tell if it was an absess, it wouldnt take long to flush, they would do it while you were there and I dont think (in my experience) there would have to be any stitching up or anything of a wound as it is a very small incision made, however if they did opperate and do a lumpectomy it would be a deeper wound which would have to be sewn up or glued together (again, i think this is right, at least it is in my opinion.) Hope this helps 
There are probably people who can help more, This is just to let you know my experiences with lumps and absesses.


----------



## Braptherat (May 4, 2009)

thanks for your reply, yes I've taken atleast two rats there before, but that was quite a while ago now and there are new people who work there, they just couldn't tell me what the actual problem was with him, which concerned me, as I felt they were trying to push me into getting the surgery for him on the spot, without even telling me what the actual problem was. Can you describe your rats lump if you can recall? did it have a black dot in the centre? I am going to ring round a few more vets to try and find someplace more familar with rats.


----------



## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

make sure they explain what it is and what they want to do- first sign of a good vet. 

I had a rat with a cyst, it was a raised lump that was dark in the center, and it was able to move slightly. It ended up being cut out, as there was tissue around the Sebum [waxy substance inside cysts]. He showed it to me after surgery, and it needed removal- had I attempted to lance it, it would have been very dangerous. 

You need to make sure they explain EVERYTHING they are doing and offer accurate information and judgement. I would remove it, but not without knowing what they are calling it and what they want to do and how they're gonna do it.


----------



## Alexc844 (Sep 8, 2008)

I agree, that is an abscess. Try putting a warm rag over it to bring it to a head, and if you're lucky, it will open up and drain by itself. But if not, it is a very easy procedure to do at home, and my rat, Higgins, doesn't seem to mind it at all when we have to lance his.


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

An owner lancing at home is not recommended. Encouraging the abscess or cyst to burst at home with damp heat applications to bring the infection to the surface IS recommended. Try that at home first before anything else. could be solved quite easily.


----------



## Alexc844 (Sep 8, 2008)

lilspaz68 said:


> An owner lancing at home is not recommended. Encouraging the abscess or cyst to burst at home with damp heat applications to bring the infection to the surface IS recommended. Try that at home first before anything else. could be solved quite easily.


Well, yeah. I had baytril and the vet showed me how to do it. So, I agree, I wouldn't recommend doing it at home. but in my case, it wasn't that I just decided to poke a hole in it to see what comes out, or that I was being careless.


----------



## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Alexc844 said:


> lilspaz68 said:
> 
> 
> > An owner lancing at home is not recommended. Encouraging the abscess or cyst to burst at home with damp heat applications to bring the infection to the surface IS recommended. Try that at home first before anything else. could be solved quite easily.
> ...


You always have to remember that unless you tell people this (not recommended but your vet taught you, etc), they will assume they can do it, and this post is up forever, so that info could be taken wrongly forever.


----------



## Alexc844 (Sep 8, 2008)

lilspaz68 said:


> Alexc844 said:
> 
> 
> > lilspaz68 said:
> ...


You are very right.


----------



## Braptherat (May 4, 2009)

thanks for all your help, i will try putting a warm cloth over it today and hope that helps some. I am also trying to find a vet that specializes in rats just to make sure I will be getting the right information and understanding about what the actual problem is. Hopefully it will turn out to be a cyst though...


----------

