Rat Scabs.help?

[user 78]

And please, don't feel badly that money is an issue! We would all love to be able to drop $100 every month on visits, meds, and procedures, but it's just not an option. You're doing very good by poor little Scabavieve.

 

[benzin.fox]

Thank you javakittie for reassuring me about the money issue. the rats and their many illnesses always get me down,always,always and i'm sure everyone on this forum knows that feeling!!

i've been scouring ratguide.com for all kinds of clues.

so far i've come up with a bit of a plan, let me know what you think :


1. remove all wood from cage and replace with new materials (too big to freeze and gets rid of the hassle for future troubles)

2.clean,sanitise,bleach and rinse cage/accessories

3.freeze newspapers/foods which may contain mites (seed or lab-blocks?) for at least 48 hours before using

4.redose all rats with revolution and keep nails trimmed

5.start an elimination diet for genevieve to make sure the skin irritation isnt due to food alergies (ratguide suggestion)

6.add ecnaecia (spelling?) to water to assist with immune system

7.have vet test for fungal or bacterial problems.

i was going through the ratguide and checking through the lists of skin problems and it seems to come down to either parasites,food alergies or another skin alergy like dermatitis or fungal infection. so i think trying to eliminate things as the cause might be a good idea. i'll add the childrens benadryl to that list.if in the end i really can't find the cause i may invest in the hydrocortisone cream/ointment for her because the most important thing is that she is comfortable and happy.

also i didnt mention this because i didnt think it would be connected but i've noticed for a little while that genevieve has been drinking more water from the bottle than usual for the last few months. -not so much that i am really worried but i have definitely noticed and have noticed that she drinks more and more frequently than the other two girls. I mention this because i found this article in ratguide http://ratguide.com/health/figures/pyod ... gure_5.php
the rat here looks much,much worse than genevieve but the increased thirst in that case made me wonder if genevieve's is related to her skin condition.

 

[user 78]

Pyoderma is really quite rare in the scheme of things. Also, I would think you would have noticed other symptoms by now, as far as her skin is concerned. Such as large crusty bits of skin, generalized rash, extreme thinning of the fur, large crusty scabs, etc... Plus the Cortisone seemed to help her scabs, which it doesn't really do for pyoderma. It relieves the itchiness/inflammation, but it doesn't cause the scabs to lessen. Make sense?

Food allergies are also not that common, which is why I asked if you had changed their food or added something new recently. Protein sensitivity is also very uncommon. If you've been more or less feeding them the same diet since you first got them, she should have shown signs of a reaction before now. That's not to say it's completely ruled out, though.

Your list sounds good, overall. Just make sure you space things out enough that you know what exactly caused the difference. If you do 3 things at once, you don't know which one solved the problem, so there's a potential for a problem again later on.

 

[benzin.fox]

definitely.i will make sure to space it all out.

i will concentrate on the mites and if that doesnt releive her i'll move to the next thing on the list. just to be sure. -ohhh i didnt think she had the same thing as the rat on ratguide -but it did make me wonder if the thirst was related to whatever skin condition the scabaveive has.

i just want to make her feel better

 

[user 78]

Ah, I get ya now. It may be related, but I don't know if it would be in the same way as something like pyoderma.

 

[jorats]

Looking at those scabs, I'd say it's more of fighting rather than buggies. The one on the face looks deep.
Where the other rats treated as well or only Genevieve?

 

[user 78]

The other girls were treated with Revolution, only Genevieve was treated with the Ivermectin after that, I believe.

 

[benzin.fox]

yes,that is correct

 

[jorats]

So really, all the rats have been treated. My bet is in cage fighting. So now the question... why?

 

[user 78]

There's been no evidence of fighting, though. She said that there's the odd squabble at night, but no real fights. I don't see injuries as random as that, along with thinning fur, and bald patches coming from a couple of squabbles over who gets the chew toy.

 

[jorats]

Maybe dermatitis? it's really odd though, I wouldn't say those scabs are typical mite/lice scabs, they seem too deep and long.
I don't know... But you're right, she would see the fighting.

 

[user 78]

Tully had scratches similar to poor Genevieve when I brought her home. Her mites were so awful, it took a course of Ivermectin, trying Advantage, and then finally getting Revolution.

 

[benzin.fox]

jorats & javakittie - i have been trying to look more closely at their behaviour when in the cage (when out of the cage it's just running all over me and everyone is jusy dandy) I have to admit that I don't really know what I am looking for. These girls are the first rats i've ever owned. They seem to get on well. I have seen them pin each other down and what not but it never looks like 'fighting'.Now i'm thinking perhaps they could be? or is fighting really violent stuff in rats? Would I know it is i saw it? The only times I hear the definitely squabling is at night and it's a few times a week and doesnt last for very long. They all sleep together,always, if that counts for anything.

I've stopped using the newspaper for the moment- there is some in the freezer The levels will be replaced next week/the one after at the latest. Then revolution again..

thanks for putting so much thought into this

 

[mamarat]

Any of the other two girls have scratches? If it was fighting, at least one other rat would show signs as well.

 

[user 78]

Fighting is fairly obvious to me. You can just look at them and see that something's not quite right. They hold their bodies really stiff, poof their fur, chatter angrily at each other.. Sometimes there's boxing, where both rats raise up on their hind legs and bat at each other with their front feet. Staring at each other with their mouths open.. Crab walking each other, shoving their butts at each other..

Even if it's not all that violent, the one getting the brunt of it usually makes quite a fuss, squeaking and squealing. I've only seen a few fights that were mostly silent, but even then you could hear bodies thrashing about and such.

As mamarat said, if it was really fighting, someone else would be showing some scabs/scratches, or atleast pulled fur.

 

[jorats]

From what you describe, that's not fighting, just normal rat behaviour.

 

[benzin.fox]

-javakittie-thanks for that, it is definitely NOT fighting then! -but Genevieve is an EXCELLENT boxer through the cage wires at the cats or the dog. She's amazing! The other animals arent around the cage usually so on the rare occassion it is pretty funny.

-mamarat- both other girls are completely free of all scratches,scabs and all have nice fur.(especially audrey,her fur is slightly longer,shinier and silky)

jorats- it's pretty cute rat behaviour ehehe

 

[mamarat]

Can the dog or the cat get to her with their claws through the bars?

 

[user 78]

The other animals arent around the cage usually so on the rare occassion it is pretty funny.

I don't think that's an issue, mamarat.

 

[benzin.fox]

mamarat- the dog definitely can't as she's too small and the cage is high up off the ground. the cats COULD but they're not allowed near the cage and the door is kept closed to keep them safe. i have seen them try it -and genevieve puts them in their place.they jump off and run. ehhe

good thought but i know that's not the cause of her scabbiness.(if it was that would be great and easily fixed!)

i'm off to bleach the cage now as it's really sunny and hot. such a beautiful day!!