Rat wound appropriate care

[Keren Kennedy]

Snowy, our rat, has some sores on her. She is missing some fur but seems okay. Will she scratch herself when she tries to clean or should we cover the wounds?
Would it heal properly if we did so? I have put some saline solution on as a preventive for infection.

 

[Kye]

Can you post pictures by any chance..? And where are the sores, belly, side, ect. Do you know what caused them.? Does she seem in pain.? All of these questions should help us figure out how to help you~

 

[lilspaz68]

If she has a bunch of small scabs on her shoulders, neck and head you are probably looking at mites and will need to treat with Revolution.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/l04nps9uwywyonp/classicmiteinfestation.jpg?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/wwtr0l2w9ltr6zv/nov19Livvymites2.jpg?dl=0

If you are looking at angry pink looking lesions, you might be looking at a bacterial skin infection (antibiotics and pain relief needed)
https://www.dropbox.com/s/waam49pp591a77m/Faith-wowowowjul12.jpg?dl=0

 

[Keren Kennedy]

She has some near her hind legs and one on her back. She

 

[lilspaz68]

That looks like pyoderma or a bacterial infection of the skin (most likely staph or strep). You will need appropriate antibiotics and pain/inflammation relief like Metacam (meloxicam). The antibiotics will need to be given for about a month, and the Metacam for almost as long. The lesions usually start off angry and orangey pink, then once the infection is being cured will turn to a cooler pink colour (I'll link pics below showing the difference). Then the healing really begins but slowly. The lesion could be dryer and pull and become itchy. You can use an ointment at that time and keep up the Metacam so they don't scratch the healing skin raw.

Faith's back angry and painful on July 13
https://www.dropbox.com/s/n9ym1g1wzunev8t/Faithspyoonbackclosejul13.jpg?dl=0

Faith's back starting to really heal, cooler and pink on July 28
https://www.dropbox.com/s/3n76axwh3mazdxq/Faithsbackjul28.jpg?dl=0