Ace is sick

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Dahlas

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2007
Messages
9,308
Location
Nova Scotia, Canada
I have been crying since last night. Ace has a mass in his mouth, lower jaw on the right hand side.
I noticed his rubbing his face last evening...I looked and saw "something" in his mouth....Through the night I got up and it was actually bigger......I called the vet and I have given him some metacam for discomfort....soft food, baby formula........I just looked at it and it is actually bigger.......It is holding his mouth open......
At first I thought his mouth was cut, bitten....but now I see this mass......I have an appointment for tomorrow morning.....I feel terrible. I know I haven't had these guys long but I love them already......My poor licky little boy......
 
If it's growing at that rate, I would think something like an abscess or something like that. Something treatable. I've never seen a tumor or something like it grow right before your very eyes. The metacam has some anti inflammatory properties, so if it's irritated and swelling, it'll most definitely help. Just keep pushing the soft foods and water.

Poor Ace, he's such a sweetheart. Lots of healing vibes and that everything goes well at the vet's!
 
Can you smell his mouth? If its smelly its likely an abscess especially if its growing fast like that.
Which is treatable but a bit of a fight. He may have an infected tooth...

Wait until you get to the vet. He will probably need a whiff of gas to be put out before she can examine him properly.

I am sorry sweetie. :(
 
Oh thank you guys....It looks awful...I tried to take pictures but they didn't come out good.....No smell....At first it looked like his lip was bitten off....Closer inspection it looks like they are swollen.......
 


He is so good....never made any attempt to bite when I was trying to look.....I wish I could see it better it looks awful...swollen....He is eating soft food......I have to try and get him to drink......
 
If the metacam doesn't seem to be working very well, you can get some Infant Ibuprofen. It has more anti inflammatory properties and still has the pain reliever. Just wait until his next Metacam dosing, when you're sure it's effects have worn off.
 
Thanks...he just ate some scrambled egg....I will get some Infant Ibuprofen.......might work better...does seem to be very swollen

Besides it looks awful he really isn't acting to bad besides rubbing his poor face some



 
I can't see where exactly the lump is originating, but it could be an infected tooth. it looks like it's the whole lower front section of his jaw, so it's very possible.
 
Pick up some Ensure as well...strawberry and vanilla are the rat choices here. You might be able to syringe it into him. He will lick it off the end, less work for him. Or mix it with baby cereal too.
 
I got ensure last night.....he loves it but has a hard time licking......I haven't seen him drink so I am trying to give him some with a syringe....it looks awful...doesn't it....It is hard to really see what is going on but I can see a bumpy tissue but that could be because everything is so swollen.....
 
Has he started new meds lately? I wonder if it could be an allergic reaction?
In the pic, we see his top teeth, is that his tongue or the mass that we see on the bottom?
 
Dahlas said:
Oh thank you guys....It looks awful...I tried to take pictures but they didn't come out good.....No smell....At first it looked like his lip was bitten off....Closer inspection it looks like they are swollen.......

Looks like swelling Jo...
 
Your poor sweetie.

I had a rat have an allergic reaction to meds and his tongue was badly swollen. It filled his whole mouth and he couldn't close it.
 
No nothing....I put revolution on him the first night I got him.....nothing else. I can see his tongue....that is his bottom lip....at first I thought it was bitten off.....I really don't know what I am looking at but there is something bigger in the right lower side but it could be swollen inside his lip....I don't know it is a mess......I haven't seen any blood in the cage, no fightening,
I am so upset....maybe I should call the vet in today?
Ace is sleeping right now...still is friendly, interested, eating, drank some water of the syringe for me.....
 
If he's still acting okay, and is able to eat and drink, just keep doing what you're doing. If he wasn't eating/drinking, then it would be a much bigger concern. Hopefully the metacam or ibuprofen will help decrease the swelling so he can be a bit more comfortable.
 
oh dear. i can't really offer any advice that's different then what has already been offered, but you and little ace are in our thoughts. i hope the vet gives a good prognosis and he'll pull through.
 
Oh twitch I hope you aren't upset with me...I have been trying to look after these little boys as good as possible. I feel just awful that his poor little mouth is so sore looking......

I gave him a dose of metacam this morning so he can't have anything else untill tomorrow right?

He doesn't look to uncomfortable...I mean you can tell his mouth is bothering him but he is still loving having his head rubbed and he is sleeping, cuddled up with Tory..........
He actually seems a bit more comfortable then he did last night.....It does kinds look like it is infection...I think I can see whitish looking stuff....no smell but I have this terrible cold so can't smell very good...will ask hubby to smell.....
At least he isn't rubbing at it anymore......
Just took a few more pictures....
 
If he's not showing any outward signs of pain or discomfort of any real kind, then don't worry about dosing him with metacam or ibuprofen. If he does start to get really agitated with it, you can try giving him a lower dose with one or the other later this evening. Otherwise, he should be fine until the morning.
 
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