# Skin on tail slipped off!!! Help



## cassieb (Aug 6, 2013)

While holding the rats poor snowbell got his ta caught and the skin ripped off his tail fjfjdidhfudhd I have him separated, gave him Tylenol. I'm so afraid for him
I work tomorrow and I cannot not call in but luckily my amazing friend is taking him to the vet for me. I'm giving her 100. Is that enough? Will she need more? Is there anything else I can do for him? This poor baby has had such a hard life































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## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

Is all the skin off the tail? They may have to take it off to where the skin is. Some people I believe on here their rats tail came off to the point where the skin was. 

I hope they can do something for him good luck and I would send her with more just incase.


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## cassieb (Aug 6, 2013)

It isn't that far up, I posted pictures I just don't know what to do. I freaked outg daughter was cry hysterically because she loves him and thinks he's going to die. It's just a mess (((


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## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

Awe well I'm sure he will be ok just have a numby tail


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## Xerneas (Aug 6, 2013)

First calm down, he will not die from this. Yes, he is probably in very bad pain but it will be okay. Accidents happen.

You can wrap the tail in a cloth to help stop bleeding (if it is) and clean it with a saline solution for now.

If the damage is very minimal (hard to tell from pics) the degloved part of his tail may actually fall off and heal by itself, but if he is going to the vet they will probably amputate it and give him pain medication. Is he going today or tomorrow?


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## cassieb (Aug 6, 2013)

He will be going tomorrow am here's another one that may help?








The red and white is all the stuff under his skin 


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## Xerneas (Aug 6, 2013)

Poor baby. That amount will probably need to be amputated. In the cases that I've seen the portion dry and fall off itself it's usually just the very tip of it but that amount just looks even more terribly painful and may have more complications when healing and it will probably be better for it to get removed and stitched up.


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## cassieb (Aug 6, 2013)

That seriously break my heart. Do you think it'll cost more than 100? Will he be normal if it is amputated? I know the tail is a big part of their senses and balance 


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## Xerneas (Aug 6, 2013)

Cost depends on your individual vet. I can imagine it may be more than $100 but if they are open it may be wise to call and ask.

They are very important to their balance, yes. But he will adjust. They are built to adapt. I have seen three legged rats running incredibly fast and holding food with one paw and even grooming themselves with one paw. He'll be OK! They are tough little guys!


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## cassieb (Aug 6, 2013)

alright. she is going to keep my updated on everything and i will give her how ever much is needed to help this poor little babe. hes eating and drinking and being normal. im sleeping on the couch tonight with the travel cage right next to my head! i really appreciate your kind words<3


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

At the vets now, waiting on the Dr to see him. So far he's doing splendidly, I'll keep updating


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## cassieb (Aug 6, 2013)

It's almost 500 is that right?


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

Yes they wanted 500 which is daylight robbery if you ask me. We decided to go with antibiotics and pain meds and I'm going to watch him till he's healed, he's doing great so far. I've got him in my old cage and I've removed the shelves. He's curled up with an old shirt in my girl's igloo.


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## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

The cost is crazy and so many people with out pets wonder why some people don't take their pets to the vet when ever they aren't acting normal or are sick. 
Why is it that our animals health care is so much more then ours.


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## Grawrisher (Sep 10, 2013)

Mitsy said:


> The cost is crazy and so many people with out pets wonder why some people don't take their pets to the vet when ever they aren't acting normal or are sick.
> Why is it that our animals health care is so much more then ours.
> 
> 
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Probably just because it can be sadly  everyone gets up in arms about the cost of human health care if it goes up but pets are seen as a luxury (to some with severe depression they are more of a. Necessity though


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## cassieb (Aug 6, 2013)

Seriously I don't know. It really pisses me off. I want my babies to be healthy and safe. They make it **** near impossible. I will do what I have to do. If it doesn't heal on its own like the vet said it I will just have to take a mini loan out for my bank. I can't believe they dot even do payment plans anymore. Another thing, HOW IS IT CHEAPER TO TAKE MY CATS TO THE VET when they get shots and their ears cleaned and what not. The trip to the vet and pain meds costed 100 dollars. I know you should get animals if you can't afford them. I can afford them, however when they want as much as my rent is for maybe a half hour procedure that is just insane. 


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## Xerneas (Aug 6, 2013)

Jeez, sorry to hear it was so expensive. Hope everything heals up alright


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## Mitsy (Apr 8, 2013)

its crazy, I know that rodents and reptiles are extoics but it doesn't mean they should be able to charge you a lot more for them. I think if the vet is specialized in them they should have all procedures for all animals the same prices or some flexibility for payying them. Not everyone takes 500 dollars to the vets thinking that something so small will cost that much. even a check up here is almost 100 dollars its only a check up it's not like their doing surgery.


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## Kelsi (Sep 20, 2013)

Keep in mind they probably would use anesthetic, which is especially expensive. My poor pooch has a lump beneath her nipple and they want more than a thousand to remove it, and most of the cost is anesthetic. Maybe there are too little specialists for animals? Poor thing, I hope he heals up nicely and your daughter gets lots of rat kisses!


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## Poisoned (Nov 17, 2012)

That is insane. Geeze anesthetic or not - with his poor tail they could have done a local anesthetic and fixed him up. 


I hope he heals up fine for you. Hydrotherapy helps a lot in some of these instances, check it out. It'll help the blood flow and keep that tail alive and healing - been there, done that. It wasn't fun.

Are you keeping him on any bedding? I'd fine something with no material that can get stuck to his tail, not strings or fuzz etc. Did they give you anything topical or a e-collar? 


This is why so many people - not poor people! normal people with a job and extra income to support hobbies - cannot even afford most vets. It's insanity.


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## cassieb (Aug 6, 2013)

They didn't give topical cream, just pain killers for three days and some anti biotics. Is there anything I can get to put on his tail? Anything extra I can do to help him I will do 


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## Poisoned (Nov 17, 2012)

Triple antibiotic ointment (a tiny amount) is fine for rats, but then he might lick it off. And since he has oral(?) antibiotics, I doubt it's needed. But, just keeping it and his environment as clean as possible is about all you can really do. The tail will either heal, or possibly fall off on it's own. If it becomes necrotic and spreads, you should be able to tell, by looks alone, but it might start to look bad farther up his tail, high temperature, etc. 

De-gloved rat tails are not uncommon - the usual outcome is the tail will dry up and either be snipped off, fall off, or the rat will remove it himself when it is dead and dry, like trimming their own nails. 
http://ratguide.com/health/trauma/degloving_injury.php


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

I've got him in a large one level cage with a woven cotton rug as substrate, nothing in the cage can stick to the tail. I've got the first dose of antibiotics and pain meds in him, washed the tail gently with saline solution and put a very thin layer of neosporin CREAM not the petroleum based one, on his tail. The cream kind gets absorbed through the skin. He is doing awesome, being very sweet and working with me. Cass your boy is a trooper!


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## Daniel (Jun 24, 2013)

Yes, watch this carefully. My rat Pepper got degloved like this and he ended up getting an abcess where his tail connects to his behind that eventually caused him to have to be put down  But I also had a clueless vet who didn't give me anything the first time I got him to the vet with the injury.


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

The vet I took him too knew her stuff, just charged a ridiculas amount. I've got lots of experience with sick and injured animals, i do have to admit that I've never delt with this before but I know with proper care and some tlc he'll be just fine


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## Hamsterific (Jan 14, 2013)

I'm so sorry to hear about this  The same thing happened to one of my girls. It really depends on the vet how much they want to charge you. If you can find another one that works with small animals, give them a call and tell them about your situation. I know a lot of vets are money hungry but a lot are also very compassionate and willing to work with you. My vet quoted me over $300 but only ended up charging me $150. If your rat doesn't end up getting their tail amputated, I would keep him in a quarantine cage with just paper towels lining it. As long as it doesn't get infected then it'll probably be fine, I've heard this stuff happens often and usually the rat heals up okay - the tail kind of amputates itself. Good luck and I hope everything ends up okay


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

He's in a good sized one level cage with a woven cotton rug covering the bottom, nothing can stick to or snag the tail. He gets antibiotics every 12 hours and a dose of pain medication the vet gave him once every day, after its gone I will switch him to children's Tylenol or ibuprofen diluted with water. The tail gets cleaned with saline solution every couple of hours and I've switched to putting a thin layer of silver solution on the tail instead of neosporin cream. I've used silver solution in the past on wounded animals (and people, myself included) and it works wonders, also its safe if he ingestes it. It'll keep the tail from getting a cyst and prevent infection while boosting the healing process. He is Cassie's boy but I am watching him for her, bffs and all that <3, and once he is all better he will go back to his mummy and brothers.


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## Hamsterific (Jan 14, 2013)

Sounds like he's being well taken care of


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

I've put the silver solution on his tail about five times today and it already looks a hundred times better! There is no heat or infection in it and its not cold either, its a nice normal body temp. He is still being a wonderful little trooper and puts up with me ( begrudgingly) giving him his antibiotics. He has one last dose of pain meds that the vet gave us which he will get at 10am. He'll get his antibiotics at 8am. He has 8 more refills on his antibiotics and I will more than likely refill it once more when he is through with this batch if it looks like he may need it. I just thought I'd let everyone following this thread know how he's doing.


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## cassieb (Aug 6, 2013)

I am so excited to have him home!!! Come over Thursday?


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

A good portion of the dead part has fallen off! There is no infection, redness or necrosis either! The tail is healing nicely and he only has a couple more days (I'd say a week at the latest) left on the antibiotics and after that he should be good to go back to his mummy! I put the second level back in the cage along with a hanging basket, which he loves, a wooden ladder (he's chewing on that now lol) and more toys. Nothing can catch on the tail, I made sure of that, and he's happily playing and, now as I look over, napping in the basket. He can't wait to come home though! He misses his mummy and brothers so we're gonna get him all better so he can come home!


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## Xerneas (Aug 6, 2013)

So glad it's healed up well!


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## Hey-Fay (Jul 8, 2013)

Update!! Snowbell got to go home last night! He was so happy to see his mummy and be rid of me xD Cass is happy he's back home and so am I, he's so much happier with his family than he is with the mean ol' human who makes him take his meds The tail looks so much better than before and should continue to heal nicely. Just thought I'd let everyone know how he is :3


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## Gannyaan (Dec 7, 2012)

I'm glad everything turned out okay! Geeze, is be worried sick... And yeah 500$ is very steep.... Geeze... All the more reason I must start a rat fund... 


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