# Brux And Boggling In Pain?



## KarlyKorpse (Oct 1, 2009)

I was checking over my rat today for lumps and bumps and I noticed he's got a lot of yellow/orange what looks like scars on his fur, I also noticed he had some cuts.

Can he cut himself when grooming? His teeth aren't too long as I've checked and his teeth can close to his gums like it said on a website that was linked somewhere on this forum, but his nails are a pain! Could he cut himself with his own nails?
Currently there's no other rats in with him, I just wondered because I've heard rats also brux and boggle when they're in pain and he used to only boggle when I was tickling him or scratching behind his ears but recently he can be sitting on the bed, in my jacket or on the sofa and I won't have to touch him, he'll just be sitting there boggling away! ???


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## KarlyKorpse (Oct 1, 2009)

He's eating and drinking fine, still taking his treats and snuggling up with me.
No change in his behavior.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

They sound like old scratches which he could've done anywhere. My rats don't have to be touched to brux and boggle. Btw bruxxing is the way they grind their teeth down, just worry about them being straight and even, this means they are all aligning properly and there is no malocclusion.

He sounds fine to me.


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## KarlyKorpse (Oct 1, 2009)

I know, I've checked his teeth, they're fine.

It's just these little cuts he's got on his back, they're new because he's got the dried blood scabbed on his fur.
He's due in the vets 14th because that's the earliest I could get it.

Thanks for your help though! ;D


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

KarlyKorpse said:


> I know, I've checked his teeth, they're fine.
> 
> It's just these little cuts he's got on his back, they're new because he's got the dried blood scabbed on his fur.
> He's due in the vets 14th because that's the earliest I could get it.
> ...


Ahh they are new? Sounds like ectoparasites then. If they were old scabs with no new it would be different, but new means buggies most likely. Don't let your vet do a skin scraping for mites (false negatives are normal) or give him ivermectin injections, they hurt, are expensive and often don't work.
The best thing is to treat him with Ivermectin oral paste or my preference of Revolution (selamectin)...one tiny drop and you're done


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## KarlyKorpse (Oct 1, 2009)

He's been treated with Spot-On not a month ago, or is it parasites inside his body?
Should I give him an extra pipette of Beaphar Spot-On?


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Although the box says one dose lasts for a month, 3 doses can actually be given 7-10 days apart. I didn't know this until Gizmo's mites were no better (even slightly worse) after his first dose. 3 doses cleared it up just fine and I've also treated with 3 doses for lice. I found this out on fancy rats forum, which is UK based. If treated at the vets 3 doses would be given to kill all life stages.


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## lilspaz68 (Feb 24, 2007)

KarlyKorpse said:


> He's been treated with Spot-On not a month ago, or is it parasites inside his body?
> Should I give him an extra pipette of Beaphar Spot-On?


Yes. As Stacey said, you need to dose 3 times at 7-10 days apart with Ivermectin. Has anyone contacted Bearphar about their faulty directions?

Ivermectin ONLY kills the emerging adults and that is the 3rd stage of their life. Dose 1 kills the adults, leaving the nits(eggs) and larvae intact. Then the larvae become adults infesting your rat again, hence the 2nd dose, and then the last dose catches the adults who were originally eggs when you started treatment. 

IF you only used the Spot-on for the one dose, then you just left 2 generations of mites to grow up and continue "bugging" your rats.


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

lilspaz68 said:


> Has anyone contacted Bearphar about their faulty directions?


I read on FR that people had, but beaphar didn't agree :-\


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## KarlyKorpse (Oct 1, 2009)

Before I got him he was with my sister, and I read on the internet that rats very rarely get fleas, so we thought it was mites, but then I read that you can't see mites, and my sister said you could see these ones crawling on him.

She bought a treatment, but a week later she said it was worse, and then she got the Beaphar Spot-On, and she noticed that they'd gone, I haven't seen anything crawling on him, but I'll treat him now, just incase.

So, what I should do is give him a quick bath and then pour the pipette onto his neck, then wait 7-10 days to do it agian?

Just confirming before I wake him up to give him a quick wipe over. :-X


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## Stace87 (Jun 24, 2008)

Yes, but without the bath.


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## KarlyKorpse (Oct 1, 2009)

Can I wipe him down with a clean, damp cloth then?
He's a bit stinky, he has this thing about rolling in his urine.


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## Kinsey (Jun 14, 2009)

just wiping down is fine, just not too often, but if they get too stinky, there's not much else ot do. mine sometimes gets in pee too, though do double check the cage to be sure it is clean enough. it also might me buck grease on a male.


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