Big lump suddenly appears on rats shoulder? **emergency**

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DapperRat

Member
Joined
Mar 12, 2019
Messages
7
Location
Oregon, united states, earth.
Hey guys. My rat has a small cut on his shoulder inflicted by another rat about a week ago. And today I just discovered this big lump on his shoulder about the sise of a dime. He seems fine, but he groans when we touch it. Hes eating and drinking fine. A bit lethargic but hes usually lazy. He hasn't had the lump more that 24 hours. I've been giving him amoxysisillin for the infection since he got the cut.
The lump is firm and will not move under his skin. https://photos.app.goo.gl/2dA6mq8nG37vuFJR6

Link to thread describing what happpened( hes the docile rat)https://www.ratshackforum.com/threads/rat-likes-being-in-small-cage-alone.37278/

I think its an infection turned abscess.

Oh, goodness I feel horrible.

Please help.
 
Last edited:
Since you mention it's the spot where they've been bitten, I would suspect an abscess as well. I don't know of any cancer or benign growths that would grow that rapidly. Abscesses themselves aren't usually fatal, it's the infection underneath that is. Hopefully jorats or lilspaz68 can comment and give good medication recommendations. At least from what I know, abscesses typically aren't lethal.
 
Abscesses need to be flushed once they open up especially in a location like that where it would be difficult to drain. You can encourage them to open up with hot damp compresses or just let it open up on its own. After there is an opening make up an isotonic saline solution (same salinity as our body fluids) and flush it well twice a day.
 
Abscesses need to be flushed once they open up especially in a location like that where it would be difficult to drain. You can encourage them to open up with hot damp compresses or just let it open up on its own. After there is an opening make up an isotonic saline solution (same salinity as our body fluids) and flush it well twice a day.

Do you want to drain every abcess a rat may develop? I thought about suggesting that, but I wasn't sure.
 
Depending on the location I sometimes encourage them to open up, but afterwards I flush them out twice a day carefully. Facial abscesses can be tricky because they may go into the mouth so flushing could be dangerous for the rat. In those cases you just trickle a little saline in and watch the rat to make sure they don't swallow.
 
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