Crap, Odin has an abscess. Am I treating this right?

[rhapsody]

A couple of weeks ago, Odin got nipped in the groin area during intros. It was just enough to break the skin and barely bleed, so I didn't do anything but keep an eye on it. I thought it healed up nicely, but when I came home today, I noticed a small marble-sized lump in that area. After poking around, I could feel the scab where the nip had been, and that it was all swollen around it. Crud, I'm an idiot.

I just spent 5 minutes using a warm compress in that area before Odin decided that it was enough. How long/often do I do the warm compresses for? The Rat Health Guide wasn't very clear on that ...

I've got saline solution all set to go if I'm able to get the abscess to come to a head. I've also got Amoxicillin, Doxycycline, and Baytril on hand. Would any of those be useful?

And at what point do I call it quits and bring him to the vet? He was full of energy last night but he didn't seem quite as peppy tonight.

 

[MomRat]

We have had better luck, with abscesses in that area, with starting the sitz baths before it opens, to get it to open. Compresses cool really fast and are difficult to keep on the spot. A bath-warm soak once or twice a day goes a lot farther to get it open, and then you can syringe it to keep it cleaned out while it heals. If it goes on for too long or gets scary big, go in for ABS.

 

[jorats]

It can take a week for the abscess to come to a head and pop. If you want it faster, then you could give the baytril, but if he were mine, I'd do it without abs for now.

 

[lilspaz68]

Yes I would just do the sitz bath for now, until it opens up, then the flushing begins :sick2:

 

[Moon]

Post pictures when it pops!