Yet another lump ¬_¬ things are getting bad... ((RIP Axel))

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Argent

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 27, 2008
Messages
1,036
Location
Liverpool, UK
Hey guys...remember how my Axel had that abcess on his belly? It cleared up great and he seemed like a new rat afterwards...only now, he has another lump where he'd had an abscess previously (that was lanced by the vet) this one is hard and somewhat loose under the skin and doesn't appear to hurt...I thought it might've been some kind of fatty deposit from the last one but recently it's really grown..it was pea-sized and it's probably doubled now...

It's just below his ear, and although I've seen him nibbling on things, I'm terrified he's losing weight at an alarming rate-you don't need scales to see it, it's almost the same size as his little brother now, who he used to swamp in size...

I'm so scared that this could be the end for Axel...as it'd probably be difficult to operate with it being possibly in his mouth...I'm also pretty upset about leaving Joey on his own if Axel does go....I'm not allowed any more rats and Joey's not the type who'd accept cuddles and reassurance from me anyway-Axel was his safety net...
 
Surgery may be possible, depending on your vet. If they're comfortable enough in removing it, it would be worth a shot. The sooner you get him in, the better it would be. If it is a tumor, the longer you wait, the worse it will get and eventually it will be inoperable.

If he previously had an abscess there, there is a chance that it's just reformed. I've noticed that alot with abscesses that have been lanced or worked on somehow by vets. They seem to form a bit deeper than before. Again, taking him in would allow your vet to really examine it, and hopefully be able to tell you which it is.
 
There is a member here with a rat that kept having recurring abscesses. It could very well be another one. What finally got rid of it was packing it in sugar once it was completely cleaned out.
 
hmm, we're gunna try and get him to the vets as soon as we can...I'm hoping it's a reoccuring abscess but the fact that it's hard and grown quite slowly makes me worry it's a tumor...let's just hope our vet can sort him out... >.<
 
jorats said:
There is a member here with a rat that kept having recurring abscesses. It could very well be another one. What finally got rid of it was packing it in sugar once it was completely cleaned out.
Click to expand...

That would be me! We had Luke to the vet many times for his abscess and then when he was neutered we had even more recurring abscesses! Nasty. Finally we had the vet put the rat under for sugery, lance the abscess and pull the capsule of the abscess out (lining of abscess internally). She then flushed it with saline I believe and packed it with table sugar. Did not close the area up. Once Luke got home I continued to pour sugar into the wound hole twice a day. THAT abscessed area is totally healed. We are still dealing with an old abscess he had, the problem is the area heals up so quick its hard to keep the sugar in there.

Here is the link to Luke's saga, around page 7 or 8 is where we try the sugar:

http://jorats.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=251
 
When Emma got her first abscess, it seemed quite firm, and I was terrified. It also grew very slowly, before becoming huge overnight and popping. Because it is in the same spot it was before, chances are very good that is just an abscess.
 
ooh so maybe if I take him to the vet and mention the sugar thing we might be able to give that a shot? I can just imagine his brother coming and eating it right off his face... >.<
 
Argent said:
ooh so maybe if I take him to the vet and mention the sugar thing we might be able to give that a shot? I can just imagine his brother coming and eating it right off his face... >.<
Click to expand...

Yah Luke was extremely interested in licking himself after we applied the sugar each time. I would hold him for a few minutes after putting the sugar on to let it get into the wound before the others would help him groom it off.
 
oookay, just got back from the vets and she doesn't think it's an abscess this time..there's aways the possibility but she thinks surgery is the most likely solution here...
my mum is fuming because she doesn't want to operate on a rat ((it's not worth it apparently ¬_¬))
So I've been given more Baytril to see if that'll help and if it gets any bigger, I'm just gunna have to beg my mum to have him go in...
 
I had a rat with a huge lump on the side of his face once... Surgery wasn't an option at the time. But we put him on Baytril and it totally went away.
So I would definitely give Baytril a good 2 weeks or more. You never know... and maybe if it is a tumour, your mom will come around in a couple of weeks. Let's hope it doesn't grow bigger.
 
hmm I hope not >.<
and that's given me new hope..he definately has two weeks worth of Baytril there..maybe even more-let's hope it just goes away like yours did...
 
*crosses fingers*

There has been mis-diagnosed abscesses before... didn't you have one of those Jo? The abscess with the stringy stuff?

Hopefully the baytril makes it go away.
 
moon said:
*crosses fingers*

There has been mis-diagnosed abscesses before... didn't you have one of those Jo? The abscess with the stringy stuff?

Hopefully the baytril makes it go away.
Click to expand...

That's right! It was a very weird abscess too, not typical, very hard and elastic type stuff inside.
 
three days of baytril and at least it's not got any bigger...maybe it will shrink... o_O *keeps fingers crossed* thanks for all the support everyone <3
 
okay weeks down the line, his lump is bigger and now has a big red sore spot on it-it looks so painful now and FINALLY my mum has agreed to take him back to the vets-he's going in later this afternooon...wish him luck... >.<
 

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