# Abscess vs. pimple vs. skin tag



## Marz42 (Feb 7, 2014)

What are the differences between abscesses, pimples, and skin tags on rats? 
I came back from a trip and found that my older rat, Grizz, was injured by the younger one while I was gone. She has small pimple-like things around her stomach, sides, and in one armpit. 
The one in her armpit has a scab on it, or at least I think it does-- I'm having a heck of a time getting her to sit still long enough for me to look at it. The others are on her sides and stomach. There are about four of them, and they are not near each other. 
They look like little pimples-- some of them have what looks like white pus in the tip, while others seem to just be skin. She doesn't have them anywhere else on her body, and Lee doesn't have any at all.
My best guess is that she was injured by Lee's claws when she had Lee pinned and that these are the result of those wounds, but I don't know. I've been looking around online and I can't find anything like it-- all the abscesses that I've seen are bigger, and I can't find much regarding pimples/skin tags.

We've got a vet appointment in two weeks, so no matter what it'll be looked at, but I am completely at a loss as to what is going on and what these things are. I will try and get a picture but she's being so freaking wiggly that I can't promise anything.


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## Isamurat (Jul 27, 2012)

It would be of four her to get so many abcesses without something else going on. claws don't tend to cause abcesses but bites can and those are obvious. You can also get similar swellings from glandular abcesses but with this many a rat would seem unwell. It could be something odd is going on with the lymph system or she had a number of cysts. Either way as this is an odd one i would bring forward her vet visit to this week if possible


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## Marz42 (Feb 7, 2014)

Yeah, she has definitely not been bitten, and she doesn't seem at all unwell. I'll see if I can get her in earlier, but my vet is on vacation so I'm not sure if any of the others on staff know anything about rats.


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