Rat Losing Hair and Has an Abscess

[DyslexicRat]

I'm really sorry if there's another topic like this but it's kind of urgent.

My remaining rat has taken a turn for the worse. I picked him up just a second ago and when I petted him, I got a handful of hair. The hair just keeps coming off of him. To top it all off, he's got an abscess right under his groin.

He just lost his second of two brothers and is the only one left. I don't know if he's depressed and grieving and that's compromised his immune system or what.

Please help me.

 

[OceanEyes117]

I've never experienced rapid hair loss before with any of my kids, but hopefully someone more experienced here has and can help you. Making sure he's getting plenty of good food, veggies etc is important of course. Is he older? Adding some ensure might help him. As for the abscess, keeping it clean so it can heal from the inside is important. You can find a recipe for making saline solution, used to flush it out and keep it clean, here viewtopic.php?f=26&t=14562. Kisses to the poor guy!

 

[lilspaz68]

How old is he? Can you take a pic and post it of his hair loss? Is he just shedding, or is the hair coming off in hunks and there's bare skin underneath?

 

[Spork]

How old is he? Can you take a pic and post it of his hair loss? Is he just shedding, or is the hair coming off in hunks and there's bare skin underneath?

DR was in chat yesterday, so I'll fill in what I can remember... The hair loss seemed to be excessive shedding with no obvious bald patches or scabbing. As far as age, I don't remember exactly, but he was definitely older ( I wanna say past 2, but like I said, I'm not certain).

 

[jorats]

Is he on antibiotics for his abscess?

 

[lilspaz68]

Some rats shed, others don't as much. I have a boy who sheds when I scratch him, and that's just him. He's relatively young too...must have loose follicles LOL

 

[DyslexicRat]

He's an older boy, yes.

No he's no on antibiotics because my mother will not permit me to purchase them or take him to the vet. I put a hot compress on his abscess for a few minutes periodically today when I got home and then I gently pinched it and luckily the puss is starting to drain. His hair isn't going as rapidly as it was, thankfully. But it was just coming out every time I petted him, which was new. I brushed his hair back to see if there was any evidence of mites or anything on his skin and it was just normal skin. So until I find something indicative of a problem, I'll hack it up to old age. He's an old man rat and all.

 

[DyslexicRat]

Okay so the abscess opened up and has drained, and it's getting better quite quickly. I read that abscesses around the groin will heal fast, thankfully. He's still losing hair though, but I think that's just old age.

Thanks for all of the help and advice!

 

[jorats]

Keep flushing that abscess as many times a day as you can. It should heal quite fast.