Sore spot on Quinn - need dosing information 2/20

[Kimber]

I noticed the other day that Quinn had a sore spot on his neck behind his ears. It seems to have cropped up over night and looks kind of sore. It doesn't seem to be bothering him and it looks like he may have scratched himself raw. He doesn't have any other spots on him that I can see (but I can't handle him yet); however, he does have a wavy (almost like rippled) coat especially noticable on his belly. His coat was quite thin when I got him and is growing in a little sleeker now....you can see his skin through his hair though especially on his sides in some places and it can tend to have a yellow dry look to it.

He's eating fine and was dosed with revolution when MRRG first got him. I still can't handle him (aslong as I don't smell like Percy I can put my hand in the cage with him, but he does test nip still). I don't know exactly what it is, what I should be trying to do (because I can't handle him), etc. He's going in for a neuter hopefully next week....will they still do it with an open wound and if they will atleast they can clean it when he's under.

Here are the pictures that I was able to take....sorry of the quality, but 1 - they're taken with my phone and 2 - I can't hold him to take them.









This last picture shows you the crinklyness of his belly hair.

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

That's such a strange spot. As much as he is going to hate it you should probably put on gloves and/or use a towel to hold him down and make sure it isn't abscessed underneath.

 

[Kimber]

There isn't any swelling, no smell, no gunk (only blood)....and no exit hole. I really doubt it being a abcess

 

[jorats]

I'd probably wait till the vet looks at it. They'll probably be able to fully look at it and clean it out while he's under for the neuter. If it is just a scratch, it will be healed by then. If it spreads then it's more serious and will need antibiotics asap.

 

[Kimber]

Well, Quinn's sore hasn't gotten any better; infact, it's gotten a heck of a lot worse :wallbang:

It's now about the size of a dime and looks very sore and oozy. It's still all clean ooze though and definitely looks like it is sense induced (for any of you who has ever gotten rub spots from jean seams while horseback riding...that's what it looks like). I tried to put some polysporin on it tonight with q-tips, but he was having NONE of that.

His neuter is schedule for Wednesday so while he's under I guess he'll be getting a debriding job at the same time...sigh. Hoping his attitude won't get in the way of us healing him up.

 

[Dazzle87]

Could he have scratched himself a lot from mites of something and given himself an infection? Throwing it out there.

 

[jorats]

Sounds like it could be pyoderma. He'll need antibiotics and may not be able to go under for the surgery.

 

[victoria]

Sounds like it could be pyoderma. He'll need antibiotics and may not be able to go under for the surgery.

I was wondering the same thing. I think that's what happened with my mice but they were never able to fully recover unfortunately.

 

[Kimber]

I really hope he can go under for his neuter, because his life is a mixture of puffed up chattering and nerves. Also, if he's not neutered that means that his temperament is the same resulting with a rat that I can't really clean the sore.....or handle at all, or allow to have friends. This poor guy just seems to be having a rough go.

I'll try to take some pictures today, but he doesn't trust the camera too much.

I know it looks horrible, etc. but why wouldn't he be able to be put under? It doesn't look that bad and quite honestly to clean it up he'd have to be put under....hopefully they can take the torpedoes at the same time.

 

[lilspaz68]

Its small right now, but its likely a staph infection. He will need baytril and pain meds...the pain/soreness could also be contributing to his uneven behaviour.

http://ratguide.com/health/integumentar ... oderma.php

I have been through it twice now...with Faith (surface) and Selene (deep).

 

[Dazzle87]

If it is an infection,

Surgery is a traumatic event for the body, and it will need all available resources to ensure a speedy and uneventful recovery. An infection can interfere with your body's ability to recover properly after surgery because your body's resources are stretched thin trying to simultaneously heal from the surgery while also battling the infection. In addition, the presence of an infection in your body may increase the chances of an infection occurring at the surgery site.

. The benefits may outweigh the risks, or they would want him on antibiotics for at least a few days first.

 

[Kimber]

I looked at the pictures and if it looked like any of them, it would be the almost healed picture of Selene....if it looked like any of them. Hers was related to stress? Ugh, I hope his isn't stress because then he definitely needs the neuter. I will call the vets on Monday and see if they would want him on atbs instead of neutering....maybe i'll bring him down so they can see it and decide themselves (I'll bring Baxter too incase they don't want to neuter Quinn and they can do him instead).

Is there anything that I can do so far for him? How do you towel a rat so you can clean/apply topical cream to a screaming biting rat? lol

 

[lilspaz68]

I looked at the pictures and if it looked like any of them, it would be the almost healed picture of Selene....if it looked like any of them. Hers was related to stress? Ugh, I hope his isn't stress because then he definitely needs the neuter. I will call the vets on Monday and see if they would want him on atbs instead of neutering....maybe i'll bring him down so they can see it and decide themselves (I'll bring Baxter too incase they don't want to neuter Quinn and they can do him instead).

Is there anything that I can do so far for him? How do you towel a rat so you can clean/apply topical cream to a screaming biting rat? lol

I didn't do any topical ointments at all until much later. If I were you I would get the surgery done, then treat the pyoderma. He's going to need both. I just used baytril and pain meds (that will be the hard part for you) since it can stop them eating, etc. The fire-y look to it should fade to a less angry pink with the infection starting to come under control.

 

[Kimber]

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... 94&theater

I am working with a primitive computer, lol so I think this will work. Above should be the newest picture of his injury. sigh....looks more inflamed when you can get close up to see it....(I have 20/100 vision so detail is lost on me most of the time)

 

[lilspaz68]

I don't have FB so I cannot view anything.

 

[Dazzle87]

Here, I put it on my PB.

Ouch!

 

[lilspaz68]

Here, I put it on my PB.

Oh crap, its growing fast. He needs baytril NOW and metacam or Ibuprofen (metacam ideally). That's not surface pyo.

Here's Selene's entire story on Goosemoose...with all the ups and downs, etc

http://www.goosemoose.com/component/opt ... ,4007562.0

 

[Kimber]

Can it wait until tomorrow for me to make an appointment? Ideally I would prefer not the spend emergency appointment prices if it can wait. I assume this means his neuter is pushed off until we can get this under control?

If it can wait, how much ibuprofen does he need? I can pick that up today and start him on that. Is it infant or childrens? He weighs about 650g. Should I be doing anything for it topically?

What should I be asking the vet for when I do bring him in?

 

[Kimber]

btw: thanks for putting the pic up for me Dazzle I appreciate it.

also, just a note, I checked him all over and nowhere else on his body even has so much as a scratch or bumpy skin, etc.

 

[lilspaz68]

Can it wait until tomorrow for me to make an appointment? Ideally I would prefer not the spend emergency appointment prices if it can wait. I assume this means his neuter is pushed off until we can get this under control?

If it can wait, how much ibuprofen does he need? I can pick that up today and start him on that. Is it infant or childrens? He weighs about 650g. Should I be doing anything for it topically?

What should I be asking the vet for when I do bring him in?

It can wait, leave the E-funds for now. Ibu infant is best, its twice as strong as childrens' which means less to get in them.

Don't put anything on it yet...just control the pain for now.

Tell the vet that you are pretty sure your boy has pyoderma (tell them its becoming much more prevalent with rats) and you need metacam and baytril long term.