Post by adoptaratcanada on Feb 24, 2007 18:58:39 GMT -4
...(and hope to get your guys' advice before talking to the vet)
This morning Hugh's abscess had scabbed over. The vet told me to not let it scab over (to keep it draining) and if it did, to gently pick off a bit to let the pus out.
I tried but it was scabbed over pretty solid. Even with a good soak I couldn't budge it.
I called my regular vet and the receptionist suggested I talk to the office that had seen Hugh originally. Did that, and my question to them is, how do I know if I should keep picking at it...how do I know if it's not actually healing? Since the vet that saw him isn't there, the other vet said to try, but if it all looks good then to leave it. My regular vet's office also suggested the compresses more often, to prevent it scabbing up. Although the scab looked good, it still seemed to be a bit of "lump" under the skin (swelling? scar tissue?)
So...
I just had him on compresses again (also, really soaked the area to soften it), and sure enough the tiniest bit of pus came out. I pulled the scab back a tiny bit to keep it open, and also to have a look.
Bear in mind this is my first experience with a rattie abscess...I freaked out a bit because I can see a huge "hole" under the scab. I have a teeny bit of medical "knowledge" if you want to call it that, working in a care home, and knowing a bit about what health tissue should look like.
It SEEMS like healthy tissue underneath, and now nice and clean, but it's the big hole (2-3mm? 1/4"?) -- seems big on a little rat...so that had me alarmed. I'm assuming it's the pocket that that pus/abscess was in. It's kind of deep and I'm worried if it's supposed to be left like that. Of course, when I put Hugh back in his cage he removed the rest of the scab. It's not bleeding or anything.
Should it look like this? Should I leave it alone? Just because I don't know what it's supposed to look like, when the vet calls back, I don't know if I should take him in just to have it looked at.
THANKS!!!!
Linda
This morning Hugh's abscess had scabbed over. The vet told me to not let it scab over (to keep it draining) and if it did, to gently pick off a bit to let the pus out.
I tried but it was scabbed over pretty solid. Even with a good soak I couldn't budge it.
I called my regular vet and the receptionist suggested I talk to the office that had seen Hugh originally. Did that, and my question to them is, how do I know if I should keep picking at it...how do I know if it's not actually healing? Since the vet that saw him isn't there, the other vet said to try, but if it all looks good then to leave it. My regular vet's office also suggested the compresses more often, to prevent it scabbing up. Although the scab looked good, it still seemed to be a bit of "lump" under the skin (swelling? scar tissue?)
So...
I just had him on compresses again (also, really soaked the area to soften it), and sure enough the tiniest bit of pus came out. I pulled the scab back a tiny bit to keep it open, and also to have a look.
Bear in mind this is my first experience with a rattie abscess...I freaked out a bit because I can see a huge "hole" under the scab. I have a teeny bit of medical "knowledge" if you want to call it that, working in a care home, and knowing a bit about what health tissue should look like.
It SEEMS like healthy tissue underneath, and now nice and clean, but it's the big hole (2-3mm? 1/4"?) -- seems big on a little rat...so that had me alarmed. I'm assuming it's the pocket that that pus/abscess was in. It's kind of deep and I'm worried if it's supposed to be left like that. Of course, when I put Hugh back in his cage he removed the rest of the scab. It's not bleeding or anything.
Should it look like this? Should I leave it alone? Just because I don't know what it's supposed to look like, when the vet calls back, I don't know if I should take him in just to have it looked at.
THANKS!!!!
Linda
