*update* Neuter making him worse?! How's this possible

[TheRatQueen]

So...I got my boy Watson neutered on Weds. And ever since, it's been pure hell with him.

We got him neutered since he is very fiesty towards other rats. Instantly rat-balling when he would get near any other rat.

We were able to pick him up and hold him and the only time he would bit is if you tried putting food in his cage and he lunged for it.

Now...we can't even touch him. Bryan was getting him out of his cage the day after the surgery and he bit him so bad we though he had to get stitches. He has now bit him since then 4 more times. You cannot pet him or pick him up he lunges at you. I was just petting him nicely got about 2 strokes in and moved my hand away (very slowly) and he lunged and bit my hand and broke the skin.

How the world is he worse than when we started!!! I don't know what I'm going to do if I can't touch him! I can't even attempt to do any type of socialization of him since he lunges at you when you get near him. I'm at a loss!

 

[Tikus]

I would talk to your vet again. Some animals lash out when they are in pain...
Otherwise, i have no idea.

 

[hopefloats]

Does he have stitches or anything? is there extra swelling? It can take a few weeks for the hormones to leave his body.

 

[eagle]

How long did you give metecam for?

 

[jorats]

You need to use gloves now, I'm also thinking he might be in pain. Check out the incision site and see if there are any abscesses forming.

 

[SQ]

Some rats need pain meds for 4 or 5 days after surgery.
Abscesses are common with neuters and can develop from right after surgery until a month or more later.

Like others said, it sounds like he is in pain

 

[TheRatQueen]

He's still on Metacam, once a day. I'll start upping it. I was only able to pick him up for 10 seconds to check his 'junk' and there was only a few small scabs, nothing out of the ordinary. And it looks swollen a little but I've never had one neutered so I'm not really sure what it should look like after surgery. Does anyone have an post op photos I might be able to reference? It doesn't look lumpy at all just swollen. He just had the skin glue, not stitches (on the outside) I can attempt to get a photo but I really doubt it since I can't really get a hold of him with out him trying to attack me.

 

[Dahlas]

I would assume he is scared and hurting.....be patient...try to give him his personal space. Talk calmly and nicely to him....give him lots of good food, keep him warm, quiet and try to make him comfortable.....I would not expect much from him for a couple of weeks.

 

[trihkal]

I hope he's alright and things start to improve.

 

[TheRatQueen]

Not really an improvement yet.

http://youtu.be/QUCDbyDaoO8 - I am lifting up his tail in this video. Only a very small scab, and from what I remember a few nights ago the swelling has gone down a lot.

Here are a few still shots:

This was the best I could do without being able to lift him up

 

[jorats]

lol... sorry, I'm laughing, just funny to see you following the rat around trying to keep the tail up.
How is he doing now? Is he still trying to lunge and attack? His energy looks good, nice coat... he doesn't look in pain. Good for you for still taking him out and letting him run around.

 

[TheRatQueen]

I chased him around for about 30 mins sweating my butt off bc I was so nervous he would lunge at me. He is still rubbing himself on everything and getting puffy and stomping. I still cant touch him except for his tail and a stroke or two on his shoulders before he whips around to attack. I let him out for an hour by himself and I just don't sit on the couch.

His pain seems gone. I'm still going to metacam him until Friday just to be on the safe side. I hope he settles down soon.

 

[TheRatQueen]

The boy grabbed some oven mitts and we were able to stabilize him for 2 seconds. And he didn't nip or go at us. (Not sure if he was completely petrified of the gloves or what...but any who) Does this look bad? In my opinion I think it looks okay. A little swollen, but it isn't oozing, just a bit of scabs and a tiny yellow one, which honestly looks like glue residue. *shrugs* I've seen yellow scabs before with Mortimer's surgery when he was healing. But here it is:

(Put behind a spoiler just because, if you click the picture is larger when it pops up in a new window)
[spoil:3mv3du4r]

[/spoil:3mv3du4r]

What do you think?

 

[hopefloats]

it looks ok, Odd incision marks your vet did two. I usually see one in the middle.

 

[lilspaz68]

A little different but fine. It sounds like hormones and stress have set him off...sounds like you (and the gloves or mitts) are going to have to wait out the hormone dispersal. :lol:

 

[jorats]

Yep, that looks exactly like my two boys. So it's healing good.
I agree with Shelagh, he's just got to unwind and settle. It can take up to 3 months but usually sooner and you'll see progress.

 

[TheRatQueen]

Thanks for the reassurance! Now lets just hope we don't lose a limb from him in the meantime

 

[jorats]

How is he now?
I noticed the very same thing with my Butter Bean. He was neutered and the next day, wow. He was lunging and being a real jerk. I'm guessing it was pain perhaps or dealing with the stress of what happened.

 

[TheRatQueen]

Well, he has calmed down a bit. He is no longer lunging, but we still can't pick him up, he still tries to 'flip around' and snap if I try to pick him up I can give him a few gentle 'pets' with my finger and then he snaps around, not sure if he is trying to get me or if he's trying to smell me, but at this point I don't want to find out so I usually jerk my hand away.

On the bright side, he is no longer 'chattering' at us or at the rats that go by his cage and he is no longer rubbing himself all over everything. He's just very skittish and jumpy. So now... I think I just have to re-socialize him. But I have a feeling this is going to be a very long process.

 

[jorats]

That's really good news that he's no longer chattering. Chattering is extreme stress.
Ya, lots of socializing now and soon, I bet he'll be your sweetheart.