Scabby bloody shoulder blades.

[Smittenkittens]

Earlier today I picked up my girl Ivy and felt a bunch of scabs on her back.
I looked through her fur a little bit and noticed she is COVERED in medium sized scabs and dried blood.

I took her into the bathroom and washed her off with a gentle calming shampoo that was given to me for my dog's foot.
I rinsed her off really good with warm water, and then put her into my smaller cage with some newspaper shreddings and fleece and such.
I'm going to take her to the vet tomorrow to see what's going on.

I don't think it's mites because none of the other girls have even one scab on them. Ivy is the only one.

Any ideas?

(note: The reason it looks so goopy is because I have some antibiotic ointment on there. She can't reach it.)
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[jorats]

The first line of defense when scabs are involved is a mite treatment. Even if you think she doesn't have mites. It's also very possible for only one rat to show symptoms.
If after a Revolution treatment she continues to scab or becomes worse, then it's time to go to a vet and get antibiotics.

 

[Smittenkittens]

It's very possible that they could have mites.
It seems like I've treated them non-stop for mites this year. :gaah:

Do you think I should just take her to the vet tomorrow, just in case? Or just wait it out and give them the revolution first?

 

[Fidget]

I'm sure with Jo on this. I'd always buy a tube of Ivemectin and treat everyone before taking one kid to the vet with those symptoms (cause the treatment is so easy to give and is not harmful to healthy kids). Save the vet exam fee in an envelope marked 'Vet' cause something less common will come up one day.

 

[Fidget]

If they keep getting bugs tho then either you aren't cleaning all their space well enough or you are still using whatever bedding has the mites in it, I would think.

 

[Smittenkittens]

Hm.
Normally the only reason I've taken them to get treated for mites is because I notice lots of itching. When they treat them for mites I never usually notice a difference in their itching/amount of scabs.

I generally only use newspaper in their cage.
Of course, I did just use some bedding that I have had for a few months though. (I was out of newspaper.) I'm going to change it tonight.
I was just afraid of her getting an infection since most of the scabs seem like they've been opened.
How much Revolution should I put on each rat?

 

[Fidget]

Have to get Revolution dose from someone else, I always used Ivermectin & swear by it. But as far as newspaper that's what I use too and have for years and still had periodic mites afflictions, obviously mites can come in on newspaper.

 

[Smittenkittens]

Hm, is Ivermectin only available by a vet or can it be picked up at a store?

It seems a little less likely to get mites with newspaper. Still possible, obviously.
If I'm not mistaken you can actually buy bedding that has mites nesting in it? (Ew.)

 

[jorats]

If you have been having an ongoing issue with mites, perhaps it is wise to see a vet. Get their opinion on why you are constantly dealing with the same thing.

 

[Fidget]

I get Ivermectin at a farm supply place, no prescription. $20-25 but as I say, will last til the due date no matter how many kids or applications and has cured bug things here every time. Just a rice-sized bit on the end of a toothpick once a week for 3 weeks (after squirting the whole tube in a container and mixing it well)

 

[Smittenkittens]

If you have been having an ongoing issue with mites, perhaps it is wise to see a vet. Get their opinion on why you are constantly dealing with the same thing.

Every time I think they might possibly have mites I take them to the vet. They never give me a definite "yes, they have mites."
It's always "give them this, etc." I'm not sure if they have ever actually had mites or not. I've never had any of my girls have any extreme amounts of scratching or scabbing. This is the first time I've had a real issue with this.

I get Ivermectin at a farm supply place, no prescription. $20-25 but as I say, will last til the due date no matter how many kids or applications and has cured bug things here every time. Just a rice-sized bit on the end of a toothpick once a week for 3 weeks (after squirting the whole tube in a container and mixing it well)

I think I will have to see if I can find some. I have a few farm supply stores near me, so I will have to try those.


Also, I have Ivy in her own smaller cage as I mentioned earlier. When I put her back in the big cage with the other girls they all started cleaning her wounds. I could tell she was in a fair amount of discomfort.
I think the girls might have been cleaning her scabs to the point that they were bleeding, thus making it worse.
So, I put her back in her smaller cage. Should I keep her in the smaller cage until her scabs start to heal or should I put her back in the cage with her sisters?

 

[Fidget]

Just my opinion but I'd keep her with her cagemates unless she seemed to be in distress or they were obviously making things worse. You'll have to treat them all anyway. and clean all their space with disinfectant and rinse really well and if you have anything non-washable (like wood) throw it out or put it in the deepfreeze for a few months. If you're not doing that after treating the kids that's why the problem keeps recurring.

 

[lilspaz68]

I think she needs a vet. I think you need to say that it might be pyoderma not mites. Are these sores more than small scabs that she has scratched? She may have a skin infection instead.

How fast did it show up?

 

[Smittenkittens]

I think she needs a vet. I think you need to say that it might be pyoderma not mites. Are these sores more than small scabs that she has scratched? She may have a skin infection instead.

How fast did it show up?

I didn't notice it yesterday when I was holding her. I noticed it as soon as I picked her up today, though. Edit: Didn't notice all of this post. The scabs seem more like sores then scabs, really.

Just my opinion but I'd keep her with her cagemates unless she seemed to be in distress or they were obviously making things worse. You'll have to treat them all anyway. and clean all their space with disinfectant and rinse really well and if you have anything non-washable (like wood) throw it out or put it in the deepfreeze for a few months. If you're not doing that after treating the kids that's why the problem keeps recurring.

I think they are making things worse. They irritate the scabs and make them bleed. I'm afraid that she might get an infection since they keep bugging at it.
There's nothing really that can't be thrown in the washer or scrubbed down.
I guess I will do all that as soon as I start treating them.

Hopefully it's only mites.

 

[Smittenkittens]

So, I found this on ebay. Is this what I need? http://cgi.ebay.com/Ivermectin-Past...442?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb043f90a
I read that it needs to be 1.87% Ivermectin. (If I'm not mistaken.)

 

[jorats]

In the past, when you brought them to the vet, were the sores that bad? If not, I'd get her to a vet for a proper check up like lilspaz mentioned, it could be some type of infection.

And I would keep her with her buddies.

 

[allycat]

could there be something irritating her skin like an allergic reaction of something. Have you recenlty changed anything in the immediate enviro or diet?

 

[Smittenkittens]

In the past, when you brought them to the vet, were the sores that bad? If not, I'd get her to a vet for a proper check up like lilspaz mentioned, it could be some type of infection.

And I would keep her with her buddies.

I don't think I've ever noticed them being THAT bad. Maybe a few scabs but never like this. I'm keeping a super close eye on her. If anything gets worse I'm rushing her to the vet.
I have been doing some sea-salt soaks. Making sure the salt isn't too high otherwise it will totally dry out her skin and make it worse. (I love sss. Since I'm all pierced and stretched I'm always using sea salt soaks.)

Right now Ivy is in a separate cage. She doesn't really seem to mind too much..
When she's been back in the other cage the other girls really hurt her wounds. I don't want them getting infected.

could there be something irritating her skin like an allergic reaction of something. Have you recenlty changed anything in the immediate enviro or diet?

Not completely sure. I mean, I haven't done anything drastically different with their food or cage or anything.
I did use a bedding that I normally don't use, but I have used it before. :gaah:

I'm going to take them off of the food that they're currently on soon. It's wayyyyy to high in protein. I've heard that can sometimes cause irritation in their skin.

 

[Moon]

What mite treatment has the vet been using if it's not Revolution or Ivermectin?

 

[Smittenkittens]

What mite treatment has the vet been using if it's not Revolution or Ivermectin?

I called and they said that they use Revolution.