lump back 1week after surgery

N/m wrote a huge long post and only half of it came up.

Aww that sucks, all that work and its gone check your keyboard language, that sometimes when its french canadian it only makes only part of it come up. Another trick is if you are doing a long post, is to do it up on Word and then copy/paste it here.

As for the lump, I shall assume it was a mammary tumour? The return of it might be an abscess, a seroma (although they are usually a lot earlier after the surgery)...

It was a abscess, grew to a smallish lump in 3-4months. Had it removed. Didnt take them back to their check-up appointment as there was no apparent need everything seemed fine. 2Days later i thought i saw a lump. And within 4 days after that it was a big as before she had the op. Taking her back to the vets tomorrow. But im really anoyed this has happened. I blame the vet. I suspect the stitches are not dissolvable in which case had i have known i would have taken her back to her check-up. I have spent over 300 and i cannot afford this! Just trying to do the best by my rat who i love more than anything. But im feeling like ive made things worse and upset i may have to put her through yet another surgery!

An abscess? Normally they burst or are lanced and drained, then must be flushed twice daily until it heals to the surface and can be allowed to scab over. If you don't flush bacteria can be trapped inside and it will recur. Can you take a pic of it and her?

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Yeah, i had thought it was a tumour also. Because of the way it felt and the slow growing of it. The other rat i had a lump removed from i thought was an abcess because of the shape and how quick it grew and it looked rather purple. It was the vet that told me that i had it the wrong way around. But in all honesty, ive lost faith in what he says after the things that have gone wrong.

The pics i attached is what it looks like now. I don't have any pics of before their surgeries though.

So say he was wrong and it was an abscess? He shouldn't of operated to remove it? He should of lanced it? And thsts reason it has come back? She was on antibiotics after the surgry but i had noticed the lump start to return about 2days before she finished them.

Sorry the pics arent great shes terrible for staying still. Tried to upload a video but it doesnt seem to want to load.

If this is also an abcess do i need to make clear it needs to be lanced and not surgically removed and stitched? Have vet appointment in 3 hours

Just been in to the vets. Had the vet i like and trust this time. They are going to drain the abscess. We agreed on lancing and keeping the wound open as even he said probably all the infection wasnt cleared before and has just been sealed back in. So all being well this should go much better this time. Apparently the stitches are dissolvable :redface: so thats ok. He is going to do it at a reduced rate, personally i didnt feel like i should pay at all but atleast thats something i suppose!

Glad to hear this result. Usually abscesses are not surgically removed unless they keep recurring, then the vet removes the abscess capsule so it cannot fill again. I remember this situation, I was sure your vet had it backwards as well!!