Solutions for Itching?

[LittleCritters]

One of my girls is being treated for mites (with revolution). She has sores all over her body from scratching resulting in scabs that only encourage more scratching. While I wait to see if the mite medication works (I have not been entirely convinced that it is mites), is there anything I can do to make her more comfortable? I've heard olive oil baths might help to relieve itching... any suggestions?

Your help is greatly appreciated. The sores won't heal because she keeps picking at them and she is constantly scratching.

EDIT TO ADD: would antibiotics help prevent infection/heal the current sores?

 

[jorats]

Yes, antibiotics would help as well as perhaps prednisone. Hopefully she'll heal fast enough. If you don't see an improvement in a couple a weeks you could always ask your vet for a biopsy of one of the sores.

You could try soothing baths, maybe even an oatmeal type of body cream?

 

[xxchelle]

I wonder if it's something like pyoderma and not mites?

 

[LittleCritters]

Thank you for the suggestion, jorats, I'll try that.

xxchelle, she is experiencing hair loss in the affected area and has been treated unsuccessfully for mites once already (this is the second attempt with a new vet) but I'm giving her antibiotics now so maybe it will help regardless... I'll give it a couple weeks and then maybe I'll bring it up when she meets back with the vet.

Thank you for your help.

 

[lilspaz68]

If its pyoderma you would need antibiotics to kill an infection and pain meds to stop the vicious cycle of pain/discomfort/scratching themselves raw. Can you post a pic? I and a few others have been through a few cases now.

 

[LittleCritters]

Sorry for the delayed response, I'll be sure to post pictures as soon as I get home tonight.

I gave her an oatmeal bath last week and it did seem to relieve her itching although I might try the lotion suggestion as I don't want to stress her out more than she is. Despite the apparent relief from the bath, I noticed yesterday she had once again re-opened a scab. Although, the itching certainly isn't as bad. Again, I'll post pictures.

Thanks again for the advice.

 

[Marylou Mader]

There are hydrocortozone sprays (not the aerosole) that may help I believe benadryl makes one. But I agree about the pred/antibiotics as well. The Vet should help with that...

 

[LA]

It is possible it could also be a neuro thing. My Lily had either allergies or neuro problems with itchiness. Prednisone helps with both of these so I am not sure which one it was.

 

[LittleCritters]

Still trying to figure this out. :wallbang:

Unfortunately, it turns out I can't get any good pictures as I do not have the cord that allows me to transfer photos from my camera to my computer but I did manage to get a picture using my computer webcam. It's not perfect but it gives you an idea. It's much, much worse than the picture makes it seem...

http://www.ratfanclub.org/skin.html <---- the very first rat image on this site has wounds that look like Cage's (described as being a result of fur mites). Except her's are much worse and everywhere. Very definitely self inflicted and she continues to re-open them and make them worse. No sign of pus or infection, but definitely very red and mean looking (a result of constant picking). No hair loss except as a result of over-grooming. Eat, drinking, moving regularly. Sometimes she looks a little uncomfortable when she's walking but I wouldn't blame her. She seems to be slowing down a bit, but she's somewhere between 2 and 2.5 years old so I'm not sure what is a result of aging and what could be attributed to illness.

It really looks like mites, I guess, but she is currently going through a second round of mite treatment with still no improvement (Revolution this time around) and allergies to bedding/food seem to have been ruled out (I've changed her diet and her bedding with no change). None of her cagemates are showing any symptoms.

I'm going to keep trying some of the remedies suggested here for now. I'm being careful about what touches her skin because of the open sores. I'll look into the suggested medications as well. Thank you in advance for any insights the pictures might inspire. I just want her to get better

 

[xxchelle]

It REALLY seems like pyoderma to me... I've never personally dealt with pyoderma but I've been through it with Shelagh and that's pretty much exactly what it looked like...

 

[LittleCritters]

I looked "pyoderma pet rat" up on google images and the nasty wounds that came up don't look anything like what she has (they look terrible!!), but if her current wounds are a going to turn into what was displayed... :sad3:

Right now the vet has prescribed 0.5 mL of Enrofloxacin twice a day. I haven't had much luck getting it into her system (she hates it, even when its hidden in baby food or apple sauce) but would that help to address pyoderma if that was in fact what it was?

Thank you for all your help and advice, I just lost my rat Chloe to a brain tumour so I'm getting really desperate about Cage

I just moved to Ottawa so I'm still looking for a new vet. There's an exotic animal clinic here in Ottawa... Bells Corner Animal Hospital... is there anyone from the area who has experience with the vets there? They're expensive but they say they're very knowledgeable on rats. I went to see a Dr. Liston first, but I wasn't as impressed, although he was recommended here. I can ask in a more appropriate section, but since I'm already typing, figured I'd ask.

Thanks again. Hoping I'll see improvements soon.

 

[jorats]

Looking at that pic, I would think mites first. It looks like she's scratching herself hard maybe even using her teeth which would explain some of the hair loss. Is she being treated for mites?

 

[Silverbutterfly]

Well, if it is mites, I can tell you what NOT to do.

My Magoo started scratching like crazy one day and I noticed tiny little sores all over her skin. I looked up her symptoms online and mites came up. The site suggested putting a dab of olive oil on the rat's back to soothe the itching. Well, I put a drop on her back. Still itching. So I decided to put more oil on her back. Well she didn't like that. She went crazy liking at it and trying to get if off of her. The next thing I knew she was COVERED in oil. Poor thing, she looked awful. So, then I had to give her a bath, which she liked even less.

Anyways, to make a long story short, we had to take her to the vet and the vet puts a dab of medicine on her back. With in a few days Magoo was fine.

 

[LA]

Olive Oil I believe is good for lice not mites.
Lice are nice, mites suck!

 

[xxchelle]

Jo, she's been treated multiple times, with both Revo and Ivermectin.

Enrofloxacin is also known as baytril which is an antibiotic, so I believe it would help if it was pyoderma, yes.

 

[PitLuvs]

Poor wee thing My boys were suffering with mites, and they looked like a million bucks compared to your Cage I hope you figure out what it is, so you and your poor girl can get some relief!