Ringtail? 1/7/11 update: Self-created injury.

[DadRat]

Our old man, Dominic age 30 months, has a wound or something on his tail. For many months he had what looked like scales at the base of his tail, a few months ago these disappeared. Where one scale was turned a little red, like a small bruise several weeks ago. It has now opened into a small wound, which was originally wet looking but has now dried up.

For the past week I have been dabbing olive oil on this area(which one of his cagemates, Quilt, grooms off as soon as he gets anywhere near Dom) and have put a pan of water on the radiator in the room with their CN to try and bring the humidity up. It is not getting better and appears to be getting larger and worse perhaps spreading as well. Below is a picture of the original wound, with new red places near it that have appeared in the last 48 hours.

What to do? Anti-biotic, anti-inflammatory, run around in circles? I getting worried about my old man.

 

[SQ]

It looks infected to me.
I would suggest antibiotics.

 

[DadRat]

We have Baytril and Doxy on hand. Would these be appropriate, or do we need to take him to the vet for something else?

 

[DadRat]

Pardon my forum faux pass of bumping my own thread, but an answer to the above question would be awesome please.

 

[jorats]

Definitely a bumping is sure worth it in this case. I have never seen ringtail so I did a search on the forum and found this: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=20502&hilit=ringtail
Maybe you could PM lilspaz to come take a look at this thread. Sometimes we need a little nudge when there's an issue.
I would probably start him on baytril if regular cleaning is not doing it. If you don't seen any improvements with Baytril in about a week, then I'd bring him to the vet.

 

[DadRat]

Just started him on Baytril and Doxy, he's been trying to fight off another URI (they are kind of chronic for him, his first myco flare up left him permanently a little "off" sounding in the lungs, maybe a little scarring?) for a few days, so I'm trying to head it off before he starts those all too familiar monkey sounds, hopefully this will help on the tail as well.

 

[MomRat]

We bought a humidifier this afternoon and now have it running on high in the room where the cage is. It's kinda frustrating that even on ratguide, the only suggestions for ringtail are improving diet, improving bedding, and increasing ambient humidity. There's no other treatment listed - no mention of ABS, no mention of anything, particularly for adult rats. We're already feeding HT2014(totally complete nutrition) + veggies, our heating system is steam radiator(so in theory, not drying out the apt) and our bedding is fleece(not something 'highly absorbent' like corn cob litter). We've added the olive oil to his diet(and on the sore spot) over the last few weeks, and we just bought some grapes and watermelon to supplement his liquid intake with, in case he's not drinking enough to stay hydrated. Gr.

 

[jorats]

Do you have an over the counter antibiotic ointment you could use on it like neosporin?
I think I would try that on the sore.

 

[DadRat]

Is Neosporin ok when cage mates are enthusiastic groomers?

 

[jorats]

Ugh.. I keep forgetting about them. Spread it on and keep rattie out with you for some time before giving him back to the groomers.

 

[Rissa]

I had a rat that was older that kept getting sores on his tail, but his tail was always really dirty where as Dominics looks clean. I would keep with the other suggestions and your original thought of putting olive oil on it to keep it moisturized. I hope you find a resolution.

 

[smmmiley]

Interesting... I was noticing dry scales on one of our rat's tails also and was wondering if I should be concerned. I will try some olive oil.

 

[MomRat]

Actually, Dominic's tail is absolutely filthy, compared to his cagemates. His advancing HED means he hasn't held the poor thing off the ground in many, many months, and it often has a red patch covering the bottom third where he has slept on it and left porph all over it. We wipe it with a damp washcloth every couple of weeks, no soap. His cagemates were both neutered at varying points in their lives, and both abscessed/required saline soaks - and since a week or so occasionally being dipped in salt water, their tails have been amazingly crisply white. =)

The overlarge scales were there for 6 months or more, I would guess. I suppose their falling off could be either a cause or effect of the ringtail/current sore.

 

[DadRat]

Well, still fighting this.

Humidifier in cage room.
He remains eating and drinking well. Harlan 2014 and "wet" veggies to increase hydration, grapes, watermelon.
Bedding is the same fleece as ever.
He is now on Baytril and Doxy for another mild URI.
Getting Neosporin put on his tail sores 2x day.

And it's getting worse. The original wound is getting bigger and two new places below it look like they are about to open up.
What do you do when you're doing everything RatGuide says to do and it isn't helping?

 

[jorats]

Have you been to the vet, maybe they have another idea? Or a second opinion with a different vet? This could be scary.

 

[Fidget]

Of course the vet is the best thing to do but barring that or in the meantime do have a newer pic you can post of his owie?
Have you been continuing the neosporin daily? Antibiotics can take time to work. If neosporin isn't working I wonder if Polysporin would be any better? (maybe the same, I dunno, maybe someone else knows more). If both the oral & external antibiotics don't work I wonder if it could be a fungal infection instead? You could try athlete's foot cream, or vaginal yeast infection cream - of course you should still make sure nobody's licking it off after you apply it, can you have him with you for a few hours after?

 

[Rissa]

Neosporin Original
Active Ingredients:
Polymyxin B Sulfate
Bacitracin Zinc
Neomycin

Polysporin Ointment
Active Ingredients:
Polymyxin B Sulfate
Bacitracin Zinc

 

[Fidget]

Thanks for that digitalangel! I guess I've been buying the wrong thing.. 'poly' just sounded more inclusive than 'neo'.. a little latin-knowledge can be a little less knowledge apparently, lol.

 

[DadRat]

Keeping an eye on him right now. Earliest non E-vet appointment could be Tuesday, although I can chat with our vet Monday for advice.

He's been on the Baytril/Doxy for 3 days, but started the Neosporin last night, as I had been using olive oil on it until then. Will be trying to keep him out by himself for a little while to make sure it soaks in though. Not all that hard, he's a daddy's boy, just have to take him into the bedroom with something to burrow into and he'll curl up and go to sleep for a while. But he's 30 months, he spends most of the days asleep now.

Still eating and drinking fine, doesn't squeak or jerk his tail away when I'm applying the Neo. Will try for new pics, he is a notorious camera = wiggles rat.

 

[Fidget]

Oh, sorry, I thought you'd started Neosporin on the 6th.. give it time to work then, can't see a reason to go to the vet yet then unless it doesn't get better in the next few days or you need more baytril/doxy. Hope your elderly hotyoungguy gets all better in every way! pass him kisses!