How do you care for a rat tail that got degloved without money for the vet?

Question

about an inch of my rats tail got degloved and i dont have the money to take her to the vet! what do i do???

Answer 1

This happened to me when my rat's tail was caught in the cage. All I did was put antibiotic ointment like neosporin on the degloved area about 2 times a day and it eventually healed itself. Just make sure you keep it clean so it does not get infected.

Answer 2

"If there is extensive loss of skin, control bleeding by wrapping a clean cloth around the tail, while seeking immediate attention from a veterinarian. The veterinarian will assess the need to debride the wound and or amputate. Broad-spectrum antibiotics such as enrofloxacin or the cephalosporins, and pain medications such as Buprenorphine or Butorphanol are recommended.

In injury, where damage is minimal, and only a small portion of the tail has been degloved the following procedure may be used:

1. Control any bleeding that may be present

2. Clean wound with normal saline ( a solution that is least toxic to sensitive tissue although it is not an antiseptic solution). Saline solution can be made at home using 1 teaspoon of salt in 1 pint of warm water.

3. Pat dry the area and apply topical antibiotic ointment, such as Neosporin, Polysporin or Bacitracin. Another good choice is Baytril otic cream.

4. An oral systemic broad-spectrum antibiotic such as Baytril (enrofloxacin) is recommended where infection is thought to be present, along with an anti-inflammatory and analgesic such as: ibuprofen, or meloxicam (metacam) for pain and swelling.

*Note: If damage is minimal, the bare area of the tail will usually dry up and slough off, healing. *" http://ratguide.com/health/wounds/deglov...

As a side note, the Rat Guide has great information about rat illnesses and treatments (where the above info comes from).  http://www.ratguide.com

Another option is to call a local vet for advice without actually taking the rat in.  They will probably be willing to help you out.

Lastly, part of owning a pet is having the ability to pay for vet care if necessary.  If you can't afford the vet, you can't afford the pet.  If something more serious occurs and you still don't have the money, I'd recommend seeing if a vet would let you work the cost off via janitorial work, etc.  Please think about obtaining some sort of job/money to use in the future for vet care.  Car washes, doing chores, cleaning neighbors' garages/houses, mowing lawns are all ways to make money if you are too young to obtain a more typical job.

Hope that helps!

Answer 3

           This can happen sometimes if a rat is picked up by the tail.  The bare end will usually dry up and fall off without treatment.  You should put antibiotic ointment with an anesthetic on it, such as Neosporin Plus.  Watch the tail closely for any sign of infection, such as pus or a bad smell. If this happens despite the antibiotic you'll have to take it to the vet.  Sometimes a rat will chew at the tail. In this case, try treatment with a topical analgesic or you can give ibuprofen at a dose of 60 mg/lb twice a day as long as there is no bleeding (ibuprofen interferes with blood clotting.)  If that doesn’t help, again, you'll have to see a vet.