Abcesses and Operations

[Catibrie]

Teal'c, one of our boys had an abcess on the lower right side of his belly about two months ago. We took him into the vet, where they operated to open and clean it out. It was a very tiny incision that was supposed to stay open for week, or atleast a few days to drain. Well he healed shut in a day and a half, and then one day later it exploded on its own, before we could get him back in. I was a little mad that this happened and I had to deal with cleaning and flushing my poor babys abcess, after the $115.00 usless operation. OK so jump ahead two months and he has another abcess same spot but on the other side of his belly. I went to the vet he gave me some Baytril, hopefully so that Teal'c would clear up without needing more drastic measures. No go. So back we go for another operation (because I really have to rely on the vets expertise in this matter, having none of my own) This time they tell me they are going to put a little drainage pipe in there to keep it open so he will clear up. When I picked my baby up Monday evening, his belly had 3 staples in it and a piece of rubber rolled up into a tubelike shape at the end of an almost one inch incesion and the whole area is hard, like old scar tissue.... I don't know if I should be ok with the way he looks or not. And the scar he will have, makes me mad to think about (the last time when we dealt with it, he ended up with an all but invisable scar)

To top it off last night he chewed the tube up so there is only a little bit of it sticking out of his belly, and I don't know how deeply it is in there, if I should leave it or pull it out. I have called the vets, asked to talk to the vet. All I ever get is a technitian to talk to no matter if I am there or on the phone, and they are of little, if any, help.

So now I am worried about Teal'c. should I take out the staples and rubber thing and flush it myself? or leave it?? Or should I take him back to the vet, and and... Oh I don't know

 

[Catibrie]

anyone?? suggestions???

 

[ryelle]

O.O I think you need to change Vet

I think it's a little blatant that a rat would chew a little tube coming out of its side and I THINK ( i could be so wrong here) that you should have been advised to.. or the vet should have.. put a cone collar thing on the rat. Im not so sure if Staples are normally used on a rat?? Do you have any pics?

Call back the vet surgery and tell them to have the vet call you back a.s.a.p. You should be able to speak to your vet, instead of a tech!

 

[Alicemcmallis]

The vet should probably have advised you about flushing the abscesses in the first place, after the initial operation. However, sometimes it can be difficult to anticipate that this will be needed. I've had a couple of abscesses removed and they never required this.

A drainage tube on a rat seems like a bad idea, for the exact reason you're experiencing - they'll chew it up or mess with it in other ways.

Are the vet techs communicating your concerns with the vet and then getting back to you with the vet's comments?

 

[Catibrie]

No, when I call or ask to speak with a vet, I have to wait fora call back, the tech tells me they discussed it with the vet... but I have yet to get anything from them other than "well keep doing what you are doing" or " I don't know what to tell you"

 

[SQ]

I would tell the vet techs that I was bringing him in for a recheck as things are not going well, and do so.

 

[jorats]

Do they know if the abscess is very deep? If so then that would be the reason for the tubing. Leave the tube in for now, it doesn't matter if it's long or shorten, it's there to keep the abscess open so it doesn't heal and close too fast trapping the infection inside.
Was this rat neutered? It's a concern that he keeps getting abscesses in the same area or close to it.
Baytril should do the trick unless it's way too deep and a culture would be needed.

 

[Catibrie]

They did not say anything about it being very deep, but yes he was neutered and the abcesses are just a smige above where his boy parts were. I suggested to the vet that may be the reason for his abcesses, he told me that one had nothing to do with the other ( I still have my doubts on that). As for the tubing, we decided to leave it in and he is beginning to look pretty good at his incision site, and Teal'c has not chewed on the tube any more - although I woke up this morning to find that he pulled one of the staples out.

 

[jorats]

Some vets are just not up to date on rats.
It's most definitely due to the neuter. Keep him on baytril for quite some time, this will help him fight the abscesses.