# Abscess? Infected bite? Dead Skin? New to rats, HELP!



## Callisto (May 12, 2012)

The only vet around in my small town that handles rats is on vacation until next week. I rescued a feeder rat who turned out to be pregnant. The babies were born, and all but one has survived. they are now about 2 weeks old. about a week ago my little Hepheastus got a bite on his hip, from one of his rough housing siblings I presume. At first, the wound seemed to be healing very well, and Very quickly. then just a few days ago, it seemed to have ompletely changed. The wound went from being a small few mm to about a 1/2 inch of dark firm skin. almost like scar tissue? It smells too. Like rotting flesh. Ive been trying a compress with no luck so far, and a saline solution to keep it clean. Around this weird black skin is a ring of white. I don't know what im dealing with here, but if i can get some input prior to the vet getting back, id appreciate it. The wound is on his hip and seems to occasionally cause him to drag his back leg. this was the best pic i could get of a squirmy 2 week old. It doesnt seem to hurt him if i touch it from the top, but if i try to squeeze it after a compress (lightly!) He will sqeak Anyone seen this before? Its like a scab but seems to be totally attatched to the skin, and isnt dry or flaky.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

It looks more like an infected bite wound on your baby. I doubt that was from a sibling thought. Wet that baby down and take another pic so we can see better what you are dealing with. Do you have metacam on hand or infant ibuprofen liquid? It hurts a lot and he needs pain relief.


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## Callisto (May 12, 2012)

no,  I don't have either of these. as I said this kind of happened almost overnight. I tried cleaning it with some hydrogen peroxide a few days ago, and then rinsed it off with water but i think this actually made it worse. I can pick uop some ibprofen tomorrow. Should it be infant or childrens? My poor baby  Here is a piture wet down. As you can see there is the major bump, and then it seems to sort of be...spreading, down to his tail. i purchased neosporin last night but have been afraid to put it on in case he or his siblings lick it off. Because of the smell, and the scar like tissue, i almost feel like the infection is UNDER the skin, and I just don't know what i can do to help it while im waiting for the vet to return. Then I read about dead skin, and it having to be cut off and now im all freaked out my poor baby isnt oing to make it before the vet gets back


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Still hard to tell but it most likely is a very bad abscess...is mom the only adult in the cage with him? Keep compressing or even use warm water under a flowing tap.

Pick up infant ibu, its 40 mg/ml (Advil grape flavoured pedia0-drops is much liked by rats).

If baby is 2 weeks we'll say he's about 40 grams or so...

a low dose for pain/swelling would be .01 cc. 

That looks like a big nasty scab over that mess right? Try to soften and get it to slide off or be easily removed. If its an abscess be prepared for the funkiest smell *gag* and a cavity full of pus and bacteria. Flush this with isotonic saline (I used a medicating syringe)...if you have infected muscle underneath it, give him the ibu, wait an hour and use a hydrotherapy approach...

i will link 2 nasty pics so you can tell the difference. I am going to be out today so I am trying to give you as much info as I can.

Dusty got bitten badly during intro's...a huge lump, scab and abscess on his rump/back.

the scab
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/rattiluv/Sage and Dusty Oct 16 11/feb8Dustysscabbottom.jpg

the wound
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/rattiluv/Sage and Dusty Oct 16 11/feb8dustysbutt.jpg

Another bite wound abscess on a nakie boy

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/rattiluv/RTR Rescue Jun 2 2010/Miltonskeratincystjun5.jpg

Most abscesses are more of a cavity...I mostly have pics of neuter abscesses but it will give you an idea

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/rattiluv/medical/Abscesses/Tuckersscabonhisneuterabscess.jpg

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/rattiluv/medical/Abscesses/Timmysabscessmay11.jpg

and here is a bite wound that became infected from the filthy conditions these rats were rescued from

I started him on hydrotherapy but he ended up needing to go to the vet to have the skin debrided and glued up.

http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h...un 2 2010/beigedumbowithinfectedwoundjun2.jpg


http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h75/rattiluv/medical/Injuries/Gilbertswoundjun6.jpg


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## Callisto (May 12, 2012)

I am continuing the compresses, have administered some infants advil, etc. Whatever this weird scab/scar tissue/absess thing is doesnt appear to be softening, nor can i find an end to it. it seems very fused to the rest of the skin. :/ Im calling the vet tomorrow and hoping he is back in town. But i would think if it were a scab it would be fairly easy to locate the edges of it???? He is still eating some solid foods, and still nursing as well. But he is definately the runt of the litter.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Did baby arrive like this or did it develop while you had him/her?


Can you take a pic of the whole baby? He/she seems very big for 2 weeks of age. Are his eyes open?


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## Callisto (May 12, 2012)

Im sorry, he isn't 2 weeks, he is about 3 1/2. ive got 2 baby batches here. so ive been a bit frazzled. See, I rescued some feeder rats and lo and behold they were both pregnant. anyway, this is from the first litter. so he is 24 days od. Yes, eyes open and all that. He got the bite when he was young, probably at about 1-2 weeks. like i said, it looked like it was healing really well, and then almost overnight...this. He's very active so its kind of hard to get him still for a photo, This is one i took of hepheastus about 5 days ago.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Callisto said:


> Im sorry, he isn't 2 weeks, he is about 3 1/2. ive got 2 baby batches here. so ive been a bit frazzled. See, I rescued some feeder rats and lo and behold they were both pregnant. anyway, this is from the first litter. so he is 24 days od. Yes, eyes open and all that. He got the bite when he was young, probably at about 1-2 weeks. like i said, it looked like it was healing really well, and then almost overnight...this. He's very active so its kind of hard to get him still for a photo, This is one i took of hepheastus about 5 days ago.
> View attachment 6050



he probably should have double the dose of ibu then, for his weight. Probably about 70 grams now?


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## 021414 (Aug 30, 2010)

I would use warm saline solution, or make saline on your own that contains a high salt content to bring the infection out of the tissue. I would also use Bactine spray on the wound because it has a pain releiver in it as well as an antibiotic. My vet recommended it for one of my rats' sebaceous cysts that I removed. Does the "abscess" feel like its attached to the rest of the rat, or can you sort of grab it and feel that its free from muscle and bone?


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## Callisto (May 12, 2012)

Okay, The vet returned today and I made an appointment for first thing this morning. when i went to take him out of his cage i noticed the scab was comin off and inside was cheese like pus. I took him to his appt. It was indeed a very infected abscess. And very deep. deeper than either me or the vet thought. She had to remove alot of skin, and there was significant damage to the muscle.  She wasn't very positive about his survival due to the amount removed and the the amount of bacteria his little body has been harboring. I was given some baytril and some wound wash. I was also told to seperate him from the other rats, with only limited supervised visits with momma and siblings allowed. Im trying to stay positive and keep the wound clean and dry. I appreciate the help and support ive received.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

Callisto said:


> Okay, The vet returned today and I made an appointment for first thing this morning. when i went to take him out of his cage i noticed the scab was comin off and inside was cheese like pus. I took him to his appt. It was indeed a very infected abscess. And very deep. deeper than either me or the vet thought. She had to remove alot of skin, and there was significant damage to the muscle.  She wasn't very positive about his survival due to the amount removed and the the amount of bacteria his little body has been harboring. I was given some baytril and some wound wash. I was also told to seperate him from the other rats, with only limited supervised visits with momma and siblings allowed. Im trying to stay positive and keep the wound clean and dry. I appreciate the help and support ive received.


He's too young to be away from mom, I wouldn't separate him, just keep the environment they all live in very clean. I was worried it would be like Benny's.  If he doesn't make it at least he's not alone and away from his family.

Is it an actual hole/cavity or is it just a spread out necrosis?


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