Facial Abscess

[dburton]

Hello, new on this board Have had several rats growing up and not once have any had an abscess (from all I have read seems I was very lucky).

But now family and I have a rat, 'Rap Squirrel' (our 3 year old named him lol)...which we got at pet store about a year ago. Last few months he has had two abscesses. One on his lower belly. We did fine with that, it scabbed and we could remove the scab so was easy to clean.

THIS time it's just under his ear on side of face/neck. It opened on its own today, has two small holes on top. We were able to squeeze most of the pus out but can feel some 'clots' or hardened pus in bottom of it. Flushed with warm water and Betadine. I would feel better if was like other one and was opened up. But on this one the skin is very attached and no black/dead parts to pull off. Although the skin is very loose and when pinched together it sticks to self...so will this die off so I can remove it? If not what can we use to flush out the hardened pus?

I also noticed a smaller lump under his chin next to the abscess. It hasn't opened and wonder why he'd be getting so many at once?

Poor guy, he's such a sweet rat and whole family loves him dearly, feel so bad for the guy.

Pics attached are before it opened.

 

[hopefloats]

That seems a bit far back to be a facial abscess. That seems more back behind the ear or on his neck even. Does he live with anyone? Or is he lone rat? He most likely will need abs I am not sure I like the placement of this one. We have had them on the face and they are ugly to deal with. Compresses help bring the stuff out but if it is hard in there that stuff is harder to get out usually. Can it be a tumor gone bad on there?

 

[dburton]

That seems a bit far back to be a facial abscess. That seems more back behind the ear or on his neck even. Does he live with anyone? Or is he lone rat? He most likely will need abs I am not sure I like the placement of this one. We have had them on the face and they are ugly to deal with. Compresses help bring the stuff out but if it is hard in there that stuff is harder to get out usually. Can it be a tumor gone bad on there?

He is alone. This was before it opened. But today it did open and green pus came out but still feels like some harder ones are at bottom of it. Problem is it only has two small holes skin is still very much attached and wanted to know if the skin will die and scab over like other abscesses do? Also why he keeps getting them and look like two at same time??

 

[lilspaz68]

Can you get us better pics? Did the swelling come up really fast? Then the abscess formed and the pus came out but there's still a hard lump there? If so the location is sadly correct (directly under the ear) but you might be looking at Zymbal's Gland tumour Its inoperable and very nasty.

Can you get more pics for us, from the side?

 

[dburton]

Can you get us better pics? Did the swelling come up really fast? Then the abscess formed and the pus came out but there's still a hard lump there? If so the location is sadly correct (directly under the ear) but you might be looking at Zymbal's Gland tumour Its inoperable and very nasty.

Can you get more pics for us, from the side?

Let me know if these pics help. Again these are all before it opened up...Would a tumor open up and pus then 'deflate'? Yes swelling formed out of no where and then few days later opened up with pus and now still has a small 'lump' in it. I think is clots or hard pus, as we did get some thick/hard pus with the liquid stuff, but we just can't get all of it. The two small openings where pus came out is right under his ear..

Will be doing his 'flush' for the day here soon so will update you and get pics.

 

[lilspaz68]

Is the lump directly under the ear?

or slightly behind the ear like this one?

Do you have a pic of it now that its opened up?

 

[dburton]

Is the lump directly under the ear?

or slightly behind the ear like this one?

Do you have a pic of it now that its opened up?

The skin is coming loose now...here it is part way off. Sorry very bad pictures...will post more once have skin all the way off. There is one tiny white piece that looked like pus but when I touched it with cotton swab it hurt him really bad, no other spot did this. And that tiny white growth did not come off with gentle rub with swab

 

[Sonja]

Ouch! Poor baby x.x Our Primrose had an abscess on her cheek... thankfully it cleared up with abs and drained on its own, we never had to flush it. That looks painful x.x

 

[Joanne]

I think this deserves a trip to the vet; if for no other reason, to gas him down and shave the area and trim off that piece of skin.
Unfortunately, I too would be worried about a Zymbal's Gland tumor. For some reason the tumor seems to present as an abscess, but unlike an abscess it never clears up. Sometimes you can have many more months though - one of Lilspaz's boys did well for a while with his.
There may be something going on with your boy. If there are no cagemates to bite or scratch him, then where are the abscesses coming from?

 

[Rattastic]

I once decided to keep a lone rat and he developed recurring abscess under his chin, basically on his throat. It didn't matter what sort of antibiotics, special diets, or ointments were applied; with the consultation of my vet, his abbesses would just keep coming back. My Vet said it was the fact that when Rats are kept in pairs, they groom each other constantly and are able to clean every part of them. A lone rat his unable to properly clean his face and neck area and therefore will develop more bacteria or dirt around that area. This makes the surface itchy and makes the rat more prone to scratch this area. Over scratching will irritate the skin & possibly leave the skin raw/scratched enough for bacteria to enter, infecting the area, and creating an abscess.
Your rat will more in likely live his entire lifetime with abscesses. My male rat lived for a happy three years. He passed away peacefully in his sleep. He could function and eat just like any rat. His throat abscess did worsen as the years went by and it came to a point where it didn't even reclose and just stayed open. It was my responsibility to keep it clean and him as pain free as possible.
I would definitely get another opinion from your Vet and get him on some antibiotics. This did help lessen how many times it closed and reopened. But it will probably not stop it from happening.

 

[dburton]

Here are the pics with skin gone and mostly cleaned out (some really thick 'cheesy' pus deep inside). There is a skin tab looking growth and many other small bumps. :cry: Is this how the ZG tumors look? We are putting him on abs.

 

[Sheldon]

Oh wow I don't know but I'm sure someone will. Are you flushing it out daily as well? That looks pretty rough. I would get him on some pain meds if you haven't already. Poor baby.

 

[dburton]

Oh wow I don't know but I'm sure someone will. Are you flushing it out daily as well? That looks pretty rough. I would get him on some pain meds if you haven't already. Poor baby.

Yeah we flush it daily, sometimes twice a day if needed, with warm water, cotton swabs and when done flush with Betadine. But haven't been able to flush out the really cheesy stuff down deep. Going to try to suction it out gentle with syringe. Also, I wrapped it with some gauze and vet wrap to keep him from starching at it. Will be giving him pain meds when he wakes up.

We will sooo bad for the guy. He's such a sweetie, through all this he hasn't bit us and squirms a little but nothing major, such a trooper.

 

[Joanne]

Wow, great pics! I really doubt it's just a simple abscess but I'm glad he is on antibiotics.
Make sure you keep an eye on his teeth. That is close to his jaw joint so his bite may end up off leading to uneven wear and overgrowth of his incisors.