Hugh: when it rains, it pours!

[adoptaratcanada]

A couple of days ago I discoverd a small lump on Hugh's back, which I assume is an abscess (or cyst) since Chopin had one like it. Of course the vet's on holiday so I'm doing compresses to see if it helps bring it to a head. It seemed to get bigger (by coincidence, or otherwise) after I started the compresses.

Yesterday I picked up Hugh to see how the lump is doing (I think it's getting smaller! -- have a vet appt on Mon. to have it looked at).

I got this GAWD-AWFUL smell, which I thought odd since it's a "dry" under-the-skin lump, not a weepy abscess. Looked him over there's all the puss near his penis!!!

Of course, my vet wasn't back till today, phoned the only other rat vet I know of around here (not in till Sat.) then tried other vets I could think of. Finally got one not too far from here who deals with "pocket pets" (thank goodness!) and had to fly into the car to get him there in time for her last appt of the day!

Poor guy, he has an abscess near his naughty bits, and she got alot of puss out of it < and cleaned it out. He's on antibiotics now.

Could this be related to his neuter? That was 6 weeks ago, and had healed up beautifully.

Linda

[pinky]

Poor Hugh. He probably didn't enjoy all that touching down there. What a trouper (trooper? sp?)!!

My Pinky had a prostate issue that began about 6 months before he died, went away with medication, and then came back again. The main symptom was the penis out of the sheath (and some associated bleeding at the start) I was instructed to put it back in again when I found it that way. This was NOT Pinky's favorite time of day, but he only squirmed--never did he sink his incisors into my finger. Poor guy. I hated doing that to him. RIP Pinky, one awesome hamster!

[Die Fledermaus]

A Rat Penis Thread!! ;D

Okaaaay. . .

Seriously, this caused me to remember some posts a year or more ago I asked somewhere (here?) about rat issues as I was considering getting some. Problems such as this occuring after neutering WERE mentioned as a potential problem.

[adoptaratcanada]

Problems such as this occurring after neutering WERE mentioned as a potential problem

Yes, I've heard this, too. It seems odd because the neuter healed up so well. I'm not 100% it's in quite the right site, but I'll ask the vet on Monday.

A rat breeder has told me abscesses down there are quite common in males, because they like to nip and poke around when tousling. I do know that part of the dominance play includes the dominating rat pushing its head into the other's groin.

Sometimes I'm convinced having one rat is less fraught with hazards!! I know one shouldn't do it, but still....


Linda

[Die Fledermaus]

>> I do know that part of the dominance play includes the dominating rat pushing its head into the other's groin. <<

Guys prefer to kick each other in the groin.

Might it be safer to just separate the rats, even if the cost of all this is not an issue? Is living alone THAT bad for a rat who gets loads of human attention?