Cyst or Abcess? *graphic pics* Update 11/19

[Chevalrose]

So Onyx has had what I thought was a small abscess by his penis for a while, it opened up on it's own and I've been trying to keep it clean and rinsing it with saline. It seemed to have been getting better. Then today we came home from a weekend away and found a large gaping hole on the other side of his penis that had a kind of hard lumpy, cheese-like gunk it in (that was more yellow than green, like what I would consider an abscess). It didn't look like an abscess so I'm assuming it is a cyst, do they open up on their own? I think I'm going to make a vet appointment for it anyways, but I wanted to get an opinion about it.

The left is the first smaller one and the right is the new gaping one:

If it is an abscess though, I've dealt with them before...so I feel confident in dealing with it, but this one's the biggest one I've seen. If it is, is the gunk inside pus that needs to be removed? It doesn't look like body fat.

 

[Rachael]

For some reason, I can't see your full post, but the picture is showing and I'd say it's an abscess. Looks exactly like Lilys does right now.

 

[lilspaz68]

It looks like an abscess to me, especially if you can smell the infection. The cheesy pus needs to be removed

 

[Chevalrose]

Is there a way I can remove it myself? It's kind of hard and it doesn't "squeeze" out. I tried a q-tip, but it didn't seem to do much.

 

[lilspaz68]

Is there a way I can remove it myself? It's kind of hard and it doesn't "squeeze" out. I tried a q-tip, but it didn't seem to do much.

sterilize some tweezers or some such tool, then try to scrape or even grip some and pull it out. If you keep flushing with saline this cheesy consistency will break down.

 

[jorats]

Ya, looks like abscesses. Was he neutered recently?
Is he on antibiotics?
How are you doing the flushing? What would be best is use a needless syringe, draw up the warm saline water and direct it into the hole. Do this several times.

 

[Chevalrose]

He was neutered back in November. The first abscesses started (or at least became apparent) a few weeks ago. He's not on any antibiotics. I separated him from the younger boys (closed off the top and bottom of the R-965) so they wouldn't bother him and so I can keep his half extra clean (those young nakkies are the messiest rats ever!).

I was flushing the area using a saline wound wash spray that jets out kind of like a syringe would.

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

I think he needs abs to help clear up the infection.

 

[mamarat]

I think so too, I would have him on meds.

 

[Chevalrose]

Well I got all the gross out of the big one. Came out in one big chunk. Was able to really get in there and rinse it with saline. I've had good luck with abscesses before so I'm going to be vigilant and give it a few days to see if it starts healing fine on it's own. If not then a vet trip is in order.

 

[Chevalrose]

Well, it's been a rough couple months with this darn thing. It spread and basically opened up his whole lower half. It spread basically 360degrees around his penis. His penis got VERY swollen and eventually scabby...we're surprised he was/is able to urinate!

This is a photo the vet took after cleaning him out somewhere in the beginning of it all...

So we went to the vet, and tried a few different abs that didn't seem to work. Finally we did a culture and found 4 (or 5) different strains of bacteria reeking havoc on the poor guy. Luckily Clavamox covered all strains. After a little while on that with only SLIGHT, if any, improvement...my vet decided to try a different route. She suggested putting anti-biotic beads into the area and stapling him up. I think this is what helped him the most. We even made a little collar so he wouldn't get at the area and pull the staples out (he hates it, but it works great).

So, fast forward to right now. It's FINALLY closing slowly but surely. No more beads are needed, but he's still in the collar so he doesn't over groom. My vet and I are VERY surprised he's alive still. He's a few months over 2 and the whole time never lost his appetite or energy...it was like nothing was wrong. He went under the knife 3 times to get it all cleaned out and re-stapled. Our guy certainly is a fighter...hopefully it'll continue to shrink and heal. Unfortunately for him, he did lose the tip of his penis, but our vet said as long as he is urinating still, it's fine.

 

[jorats]

I can't see the second pic.

But... that's great news. Good to know there was another option and it worked. Poor little guy.

 

[Chevalrose]

Here's a picture of what it looks like now...and this is it looking BETTER!

 

[jorats]

That looks exactly what my bunny had once. She had been bitten by another bunny and in that area, I never noticed so it got like what your little guy looks like now. My vet closed it up with sutures but that's with a bunny, I don't think it's wise to close up wounds in rats. It will take some time but hopefully that will heal and close up.