giant lump on forehead practically overnight

temblabamomo · Oct 31, 2012

This is Airabella. She is between 1 - 2 yrs (not sure exactly). She is my friend L's rat, and she calling the vet today for the soonest appointment. The lump was not there a week ago, and wasn't noticed until yesterday. Airabella was separated from her two cagemates a month ago. She has mild recurring respiratory problems, and Pearl the bully is reported to have been constantly picking at Airabella's head, so they were split. They've been apart a month, but any chance Pearl caused an open head wound and an abscess took this long to grow so large? I know it could be a lot of things. The owner is interested in input from the experts here. Any thoughts appreciated.

jorats · Oct 31, 2012

Facial lumps are the worst and never end well. My own experience with facial growth has been bone cancer or abscesses in the bone.
Your friend could try treating it as an abscess and do warm compresses. I would definitely ask the vet for some antibiotics just in case it's an infection. The vet may be able to do an aspiration of the lump and analyze the cells or may recognize it as an abscess.

If she was bitten there, yes, it can be an abscess and it can take that long for it to take hold.

temblabamomo · Nov 2, 2012

Good news! It opened up before the vet - pus! At the vet dr. P had a good looksie and said there's not mass, it all abscess. Hopefully only caused by a bite, but L is keeping a careful eye on Airabella for signs of something more.