Does this look like an abscess to you?

[Vanessa]

I don't want to start fiddling around with anything that might not be an abscess or cyst of some sort.
It has grown very quickly over the last couple of days, I have been keeping an eye on it. It just developed the scab on it today.

 

[jorats]

Looks like an abscess to me. If you can get that scab to soften up and see what's inside, you'll get a better idea. Abscesses can also have very thick, almost solid gunk inside that would need a fair amount of squeezing to get it out.

Edit: is this one of your double rexes? It could also be a keratin cyst. If it is, then it would be best to leave it alone. I'll get mamarat to look at the pic, she's had quite a bit of experience with keratin cysts.

 

[lilspaz68]

It does look more like a cyst to me its soo uniform in appearance. I thought you could treat cysts like you would an abscess (warm compresses or a warm sitz bath)?

 

[mamarat]

That almost looks like an advanced keratin cyst my double rexes got. It would start as a lump, turn a dirty yellow then black. The vet told me to just leave it alone. At first she made me flush it but it only got bigger and uglier and stunk. When left alone they basically stay small and not stinky.

 

[Vanessa]

Normally when you squeeze on a cyst, it retains the shape that you have squeezed it into. That is my experience with them. I (always very gently) squeezed this at the sides and it did not move and retain the squeezed shaped so I thought it might not be a cyst after all.
It also seems 'harder' than a cyst does.

 

[mamarat]

The keratin cyst is hard, and nothing comes out easily. She (vet) had me rub it with a loofah glove but it only aggravated the cyst and the rat developed more cysts. If the cyst gets too big or bothers the rat, she removed them surgically, but they just came back.

 

[Fidget]

My MacKenzie had recurring cysts that looked just like that.
I would do warm compresses for a while and then gently but firmly put my fingers right at the base and slowly and gently try to work it upwards. If it doesn't come up easily try pulling out some from the top with tweezers first, then push from the base, too much squeezing could be uncomfortable.).
They were hard and usually came out surprisingly easily in 1 or 2pieces. I flushed with saline and he was fine til the next one.
But it's not necessary to remove them unless they get too big or obstructive (his kept growing large so I would remove them)
He was very calm and agreeable actually (with a treat in his hands)

So I know that while it was uncomfortable to have done it was not painful to him.

It'll be harder for you that it as for me as Mac's was on his back. If you remove it you might want to try propping him up against you rather than putting him on his back to do it.

 

[Vanessa]

I don't know if I irritated it yesterday when I was taking a look, but it looks as though it has been emptied. Little guy took care of it himself.

 

[mamarat]

Wow that looks a lot better. Good rattie!!

 

[jorats]

:shock:

Holy smokes, that was fast!
Was he on meds? Wow... I just can't get over how small it is now. It must have been an abscess he cleaned it out.
Good boy!!

 

[lilspaz68]

That looks wonderful now!

 

[Fidget]

Geez, can you afford to send him to med school? :shock:
I hope that's the end of it for you both.

I guess I understand if the little guy prefers to remain anonymous, I'll just aim kisses in the general direction of your place.

 

[Vanessa]

It looks even better today. The scab is about half the size as the last photo.

 

[LA]

YAY Good Boy...