Burst abcess

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Tonz

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 2, 2012
Messages
132
Location
UK
Hi, I'm hoping one you lovely people can help me and give me some advice,

I posted about this time last week asking about my baby rats lump on his throat. I took him to the vets last Monday and the vet gave antibiotics (zithromicin I think) as well as taking a sample of the really thick puss that came out when he prodded it. The lump had been getting softer over the last few days and yesterday looked small. when I looked closer it had a head on it, like a scab on a spot. I left him be and carried on with the antibiotics.
Today I've got him out for playtime and the abcess burst (with barely any pressure the scab came off on my hand). I'v cleaned it out with warm water and get as much as the puss out as I can. It looks like a healthy wound...pink, a bit of blood, but it's quite a large opening. It's not bothering him, he wasn't even bothered about me cleaning it out (wriggling as a baby does).

I will be carrying on the antibiotics for tomorrow and of course calling my vet to see about the wound, but never having dealt with a burst abcess on a rat (or indeed any other animals) before I'm unsure about what i do next. will I need to take him to the vet ir is it normal for it to look like an open wound? I'd say the opening is about a cm long.

I can't get him to the vet until tomorrow obviously as it's 10pm here, so is there something I need to do tonight? His cage was only cleaned out yesterday, and I've put some kitchen towels/paper towels in his bed incase the abcess bleeds in the night.

Tonz
 
The abscess opening up in not a bad thing, they often need to open to heal. Keep flushing it 2-3 times per day with saline and keep his habitat clean so debris does not get lodged in there. Continue the antibiotics until it's healed and he should be good as new :)
 
Hey there, I had the same thing happen recently with one of my newest baby girls. She had an abcess (Or I assumed it was an abcess) on her neck, or under her neck. Scared me at first because I feared it was a tumor, but there was a scab on this thick lump on her neck. So I spoke to Jorats about it and was recommended I keep an eye on it or start doing gentle compressions to see what comes out. For the first two days I did this but she didn't like the rough handling, and the scab was really firm and stubborn so I decided to sit it out and see, only considering the vet if the scab or lump didn't go away within the week. Well on the third day of this occurrence, I noticed the scab had litterally caved in on itself within the mass! I assumed it bursted some or something, so I did a few more compressions, and thick heavy white puss came out (yuck). I couldn't squeeze much anymore as she was getting uncomfortable, so I've stopped to allow her to rest.

Currently today, she no longer has a lump, her scab is slowly residing away, and this is without antibiotics. From what I've learned here from the nice ladies here, rats are freakishly fast healers and sometimes abcesses just take care of themselves. But since you have antibiotics, keep at it with using them because they will help increase the healing process. Just keep an eye on it. Good luck!
 
Thanks guys.ou've put my mind at rest. I have some saline in a 1st aid kit so will use that in the morning. I don't want to stress him out anymore tonight so have put him to bed with shreddies ad a treat. I had a closer look while he was wriggling like crazy to get free and there looks to be a bit of puss left in, but it seems to be.in a seperate sac. I don't want to prod at it, as its in the wound....and it would mean me sticking something in there, which.I'm not about to do! It was thick yellow puss that came out with a bit of blood, but no where neat as thick.as what the vet got out last week! Iv heard these things can smell, so I am quite glad that I have a cold and a blocked nose.

I'm.still trying to get a pic to upload to show you how cute he is!

Thanks again, I'm not ad worried now.

Tons
 
Yellow puss? EEEk, that means infection, but at least its getting out that's what counts and you have antibiotics, just keep at it and keep it clean. Look forward to seeing those pics :D
 
EDK said:
Yellow puss? EEEk, that means infection, but at least its getting out that's what counts and you have antibiotics, just keep at it and keep it clean. Look forward to seeing those pics :D

An abscess IS an infection. You don't always need antibiotics to treat them but they do help and now that he's on them, he should continue the course to prevent antibiotic resistance.
 
Well, its healed over already. He's absoloutly fine, climbing my ironing board as I speak! Just one thing though....iv never kept boys before. He's a gorgeous little boy, really gentle, licks me, grooms me, sits on my shoulder and nuzzles me ear and neck but every now and again, in his cage and when.he's out he does this mad half hour thing where he runs and jumps and hops around like crazy. If I touch him when.he's like this he tries to bite me. He hasn't yet bitten, but his teeth have been on me, I just don't think he's strong enough to break skin. If he is out and like this, he likes to jump all over me, and grab my hands, feet, legs....but on his terms. Goes wild and snappy if I try and touch him. Is this a male thing? Hormonal? My girls never did it. It's likens weird twitch.

Tons
 
Ya he sounds like a playful little boy who is testing his boundaries. The supposed biting you're mentioning, sounds like he's just merely testing his teeth, chew biting like a puppy almost. Sometimes they bite down a little too hard though and don't realize it! The best way to get them to know you don't like the mouthing they are doing, make a loud SQUEAK and push him away. Keep doing that till he gets the message. This tactic worked so well for my boys and girls so far, that they NEVER bite me through their cage like some ratties do. Some ratties are territorial with their cage and will bite anything that goes through the bars or gets too close to their cage bars. My boys and girls never bite though :cheeky: the only time they are naughty with me is when my hair or clothes are sticking through the cage, to which they love to grab it and pull it inside lol!
 
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