So I have two males right now with abscesses. They are both older guys both turning 2 in September. Since they are older a younger male has been challenging everyone in the cage for alpha status lately. I didn't think too much of it except I did notice that these 2 older males seemed to just not be right. I thought maybe it was just old age not agreeing with them but they were both lethargic and seemed to look more and more sickly each day. Well Friday I discovered a very large abscess on one of the males belly very near the penis. I soaked it and was able to get it opened up and cleaned out. I immediately called my vet and he agreed to give me some Baytril for him as it was such a large abscess. This male is seemingly getting a tad better each day since Friday night. Well I kept looking over the other male rat trying to find anything that could be wrong. He actually is having a hard time holding himself up and lays on his side in the cage. Well I feel so unbelievably awful. My husband tonight discovered an abscess on him as well but down on his scrotum. This male is neutered so not too many concerns with anything being damaged. So I soaked him and his scab came right off almost without soaking. I got him cleaned out and rinsed with Saline and plan to start him on the Baytril too.
My question is can an abscess really cause this much symptomatically wrong with rats? To make them seem sick like this? Or do you think they could have something else wrong that is secondary to the abscess. Like for instance since they are trying to fight the abscess they can't fight other infections?
I have been one of the lucky few who really does not have much experience with abscesses. I actually have been thrown into abscesses just this year. I think I have had like 5 or 6 just this year and never had any before in the past 10 years I have had rats. Believe it or not. But then again I never kept them in such large numbers either.
In the past I would keep 2 females and 2 males at a time.
OK so school me here? Tell me all about what effects abscesses have on a rattie body?
Staci[/code]
My question is can an abscess really cause this much symptomatically wrong with rats? To make them seem sick like this? Or do you think they could have something else wrong that is secondary to the abscess. Like for instance since they are trying to fight the abscess they can't fight other infections?
I have been one of the lucky few who really does not have much experience with abscesses. I actually have been thrown into abscesses just this year. I think I have had like 5 or 6 just this year and never had any before in the past 10 years I have had rats. Believe it or not. But then again I never kept them in such large numbers either.
In the past I would keep 2 females and 2 males at a time.
OK so school me here? Tell me all about what effects abscesses have on a rattie body?
Staci[/code]