Given her state situation, does this appear to be healing...

[Cads]

I rescued two rats from a girl around the start of Aug, not knowing the health issues I'd now be dealing with. One of the rats had a pea sized bump behind her left front leg, since the day I brought her home it has changed from a golf ball sized lump, to a bloody but manageable mess, to a ruptured abscess, to what I hope is a healing ruptured abscess. I've been cleaning their cage a needed; around two times a day, cleaning the wound with saline daily. Since it ruptured the size and shape of the lump has changed, one day it looks as though all the puss and fluids have mostly drained. The next it looks as if the passed few days of healing hasn't happened.

She appears to act like she did when I brought her home, just a tad bit more stressed. She doesn't appear to be showing pain from her current condition. She is eating and drinking as much as a young female should without any issues.

I know that taking advice and suggestions from the internet don't replace a vets care, but several pages and people implied that this is common and easy to take care of. I've done everything in my power aside from going to the vet, and I guess what I'm getting at is I would like opinions and suggestions from those who have dealt with this or similar issues. I haven't been able to determine if her current state is good. I would like to think that what I have been doing has prevented an infection, but the wound changes everyday; for the better? I only hope so. I've attached a photo of what it looked like on Aug 26th and what it looks like today the 28th. Today the wound did smell rather bad, I'd say the first time I've been able to smell anything. Sorry for the quality of the most current photo, I had no one around to take it for me.

[spoil:1rpnaxkr]On the 25th

On the 28th

I understand if I get very displeased comments, but I'm trying to help her the best I can.[/spoil:1rpnaxkr]

 

[jorats]

Hi, I put your pictures in a spoiler, some people are very sensitive to that sort of thing.
My concern with the wound, is that it's huge! Normally, we do treat abscesses at home, very easy to care for but it looks like yours might have something else going on like maybe a tumour behind it or perhaps a big cyst. If you can afford it, I'd say it's time to visit the vet. Baytril will help a great deal with the healing process. But more importantly, it looks like it might need surgical removal for a full and proper recovery.

 

[lilspaz68]

That looks like a heavily necrotic tumour,and the only way to save her is to have it removed surgically. Where are you in Canada?

 

[RKEM]

Rats heal tremendously fast, especially skin lesions (I've seen cuts close up in a day). However, this looks deep and from your description, was a very big abscess or like others have suggested, a ruptured tumour, especially given the location. Given that, I would definitely take her in to have the lesion cleaned and get some antibiotics. They will also be able to give you something to flush the wound with (hibitane for example). With that it will likely heal very fast. Just because your rat is acting normally doesn't mean she's not in pain. Rats are prey and will hide discomfort. A rat that looks in pain usually mean a rats that is in massive amounts of pain. And if you can smell something, then you've got infection in there. The last thing you want is for it to close with an infection trapped inside.

 

[crumbilina]

I'd get to a vet as soon as you can.

If you tell us your general area we could recommend a good vet for you to go to. Not all vets are good with rats.

 

[Cads]

Thank for the ideas and such, I have consulted a few vets in the Windsor area, only the min. it will cost to even get her in is $75. Putting the cost a side I do want her to get the help she needs. When it started to grow I did consider it to be a tumor, but the fact that she hadn't been picking at it and it opened up I thought perhaps it could be an abscess. Another worry I had was people say that abscesses are easy to care for and look like they never happened, this honestly doesn't look like it could go away after healing...

 

[crumbilina]

I personally don't think it is an abscess. It is likely a ruptured tumour as others have said. This means she will need surgery to have it removed.

I don't think you should wait to get her into the vet. That black tissue is dead. I'm surprised that she isn't showing signs of pain... but I know from looking at that dead tissue and wound that she is in some pain. My rats have shown signs of pain for much less.

 

[Cads]

Thank you for everyone's input, I'm lucky enough to be able to move things around enough to pay for the vet care. She's going today, lets hope she continues to be the strong little ratty she has been.

 

[crumbilina]

Good luck at the vet!

 

[temblabamomo]

Good luck, let us know how it goes. Some of that skin does look necrotic :/ I hope the vet can help without charging you an arm and a leg.

 

[lilspaz68]

Good luck with your poor little gal :cuddle:

 

[Joanne]

Wow, your poor girly! I hope the vet has helped you with her and she can start to heal up. How did the visit go?