Recurring abscesses

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RebeccaRP

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Aug 5, 2019
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Hello, my 2+ year old female started getting abscesses when she was approx 20 months. Lately, she's had three abscesses that keep refilling. My husband has worked in a lab and has experience draining abscesses, so he's been taking care of them. We've had her on a baytril/doxy antibiotic for a few weeks (for a URI, which cleared up), but it doesn't seem to be helping the abscesses. A large abscess is located in her right "armpit" area, on the chest. It's actually a few abscesses in the same area - you can feel distinct "sacs." One of them seems to be coming out of her nipple - the discharge actually looks like lactation. Another abscess location is on her right cheek. Sometimes the pus comes out of her right ear as well and smells really bad. The last location is on top of her head, between her ears, which we've popped but it's refilled. The liquid that comes out of her is usually cream or light brown colored, never green, with a consistency of a milk shake. It's never thick and pasty and rarely smells bad (except her ear). She's the only one with recurrent abscesses. Any other abscesses for her in the past or our other girls cleared up after they popped, whether by us or on its own. Any suggestions??
 
She's not a nakey, so unfortunately it's a little difficult to see. I tried my best. Please let me know if these are helpful. My husband was in the middle of popping the one on her cheek. In that pic, you can see the lump on her head. There's also a pic of the stuff that came out of her armpit/chest abscess.
 

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I messaged lilspaz68.

Lilspaz68 is the best person to answer your questions
but I wonder if she has one or more mammary tumours - has she been to see a good vet with the knowledge and experience to treat rats?
Hopefully the abscess under her ear is not associated with a zymbals gland tumour - but until lilspaz68 gets back to you, leave it alone
If the antibiotics are not working re abscesses, then she needs different antibiotics - Please see the info below, it is from a vet approved medical site for rat owners
please read all the articles including the one on abscesses in rats

http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/mammary_tumor.phphttp://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/zymbals_gland_tumor.phphttp://ratguide.com/health/integumentary_skin/abscess.php
I hope this helps
 
I messaged lilspaz68.

Lilspaz68 is the best person to answer your questions
but I wonder if she has one or more mammary tumours - has she been to see a good vet with the knowledge and experience to treat rats?
Hopefully the abscess under her ear is not associated with a zymbals gland tumour - but until lilspaz68 gets back to you, leave it alone
If the antibiotics are not working re abscesses, then she needs different antibiotics - Please see the info below, it is from a vet approved medical site for rat owners
please read all the articles including the one on abscesses in rats

http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/mammary_tumor.phphttp://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/zymbals_gland_tumor.phphttp://ratguide.com/health/integumentary_skin/abscess.php
I hope this helps

Yes we do see a vet that is experienced with rats. Lana was already on the antibiotic for a URI, so we were seeing if it would help with the abscesses. But it is not. And to clarify, we do not "pop" the abscesses. I was using the wrong terminology. We make a small incision and drain them. Thank you so much for this information! I learned a lot reading about the zymbal gland tumor. I will wait for lilspaz.
 
Hopefully not a Zymbals Gland tumor. So heartbreaking when there's nothing you can do but not touch it and watch it eat a hole in their head, so sad.
 
The milk filled ones are likely mammary gland tumours. Some will secrete milk but it's not common. Draining them won't work as they are a tumour.

The lesion under her ear looks like ZGT. The location is right unfortunately. Watch and wait and see if it gets bigger. Don't do any lancing of this one as they sometimes have an abscess form over the actual tumour. But interference with this tumour can actually make it speed up its growth. IF it's ZGT it's ultimately fatal. It's inoperable, very aggressive and you just try to keep the rat comfortable in the later stages. It often progresses too much in just a month. :(
 
Thank you both so much. Unfortunately, i do think it's a ZGT based on the pictures I've seen. I found this on her face yesterday. And the lump on top of her head is getting a little bigger. 😥
 

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I am so very sorry, I was hoping I was wrong.

Please take Lana in to see your vet for a third opinion.
There may be things your vet can do such as provide other antibiotics if the lump on the top of her head is an abscess.
Your vet can also provide pain meds while you provide a good quality of life until it is time to put Lana to sleep (Please see our Reference Thread REFERENCE Thread - Read Only)

{{hugs}} to Lana and to you … I am so sorry that this is happening to all of you
 
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