More problems with Ennis

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RatsRGods

Well-Known Member
Joined
Mar 15, 2008
Messages
88
Location
Cleveland, Ohio
Okay, so if you saw my previous ER post about my poor boy Ennis, you know that he was injured by one of my baby rats during "introductions".
So that seemed to be healing up well.

Then, about 5 days ago I noticed what looked like two bite marks on his left side and they were hard and raised like mosquito bumps underneath his skin. (he has not had contact with the baby rats since the first injury. So I dont know if it is a bite wound that I failed to see initially or something else happened)

It didnt seem right to me & I wanted to get his previous injury checked out to make sure he was healing ok.
So, I took him to the vet yesterday.

My vet said that the wounds on his side were infected & could possibly turn into an abcess and she was glad I brought him in.
She prescribed 2 units of Sulfasalazine 2x a day for 14 days (it seems like a really really tiny amount to me, but I dont know).
I made a f/u appointment for next Saturday (& my vet emphasized that she was very concerned & wanted to see him soom- she even gave him a kiss:))
So this morning I was giving him his meds and I checked out his wound and it looks like this:

DSC02643.jpg


I did not look like that yesterday when I took him to the vet! There is a hole & it looks like green puss.
So, my question is:
Since he is already on meds and I have another appointment next Saturday, do you think I should call my vet tomorrow & try to get him in sooner? Is it just draining from the antibiotics he is taking?
Has anyone seen anything like this before?

Thank you
(I apologize for being sooo long winded in my posts but I like to give as many details as possible)
 
I would guess the lumps were small abscesses. Sometimes rat bites (deep puncture ones) can abscess. You just need to get that gunk out...is it cheesy or liquidy?

I have had to do nasty things like scrape out that nasty cheesy pus :puke: then flush with a saline solution to get it cleaned out. You would need to do twice a day (softening and removing any scabs that form). Abscesses need to heal from the inside out.

ETA: I looked up Sulfasalazine and am very confused. :scratch: Its an anti-inflammatory not an antibiotic to fight infection. You should probably go back to your vet for an antibiotic like baytril since there is definite infection.
 
Also, if you vet has email you could email her that picture just so it better describes it versus you trying to explain it over the phone...
 
I think he is doing good.
I did email my vet with a picture and they were very happy, they want me to send a pix everyday.
This is what they responded:

Jennifer,
Dr. Fegan asked that I pass along the following information, which confirms our telephone conversation.
1. The wound healing looks to be progressing as expected. It may get a little worse before improving.
2. You may lightly apply Betadine with a Q-tip around the wound. If you need Betadine call us.
3. Please send us periodic pictures at least by Wednesday. (The one you sent was great!)
4. The actual medicine used was sulfamethoxazole & trimethoprim. This is an anti-biotic.
5. There is a possibility that Dr. Fegan will need to suture Ennis to close up the wounds.


So I am a littlle more relieved! They didnt label his meds right. And I picked up the Betadine tonight.
 
I don't think my vet would close those types of wounds. They have to drain to make sure all the pus is out. Then it heals from the inside out.
 
Oh... it's Novotrimel!! One of the best meds for abscesses!!
Same here, I wouldn't have them closed up... besides, I bet it will heal real fast now.
 
if you want to flush the wound your vet hosp should be able to hook you up with some teat cannulas to help direct the stream into the wounds...either that or a 1cc syringe w/o a needle...the tips on those guys are usually small enough to facilitate a direct stream....

Have you fired off a new pic to your vet? (was just wondering if you wouldnt mind posting it on here too....just for reference purposes)

hopefully the little man is back to 100% soon!
 
Here is the first picture that I send to my vet:
DSC02655.jpg


This is the picture I took just a few minutes ago after I flushing it with betadine:
(it's a bit blurry but it basically looks the same as yesterday)
DSC02669.jpg


And here is picture of the front of his ear that has healed up nicely after the grusome slashing open pix from my previous post:

DSC02671.jpg

DSC02675.jpg


As you can see, it has closed up but it's sort of like a crusty knot of skin.
I do not want to mess with it, for fear that it will reopen. I figure it will probably fall off on it's own like a piece of dead skin?

I'm sure Ennis is starting to feel like Britney Spear's because I chase hom around like the paparazzi taking pictures everyday. :crazy3:
 
By the way, on a separate note (poor Ennis)

He has been breathing hard and doing a "hiccuping" breathing thing more frequently.
It looks like he gets little bouts of hiccups for about 10-15 seconds at a time.
He sneezes a couple of times when I have him out and they are wet (I can feel them when he is on my lap). Is that normal?
The vet listened to his lungs and said he has a bit of a respitory infection and Im assuming the meds she prescribed were for that as well.

I am taking Ennis back to the vet on Saturday for a follow-up appointment.
Does anyone have a specific questions/suggestions I should ask the vet?
It is so easy to forget important questions once I am there and not take more initiative b/c I assume the vet knows everything you know?

Thank you all so much again!
 
If the rumbling in the chest is still there, I'd ask for baytril. Baytril is also very good for abscesses/infections but it's much much better for chest congestion.
 

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