I was at a local petstore the other day and they have large Hairless Rats (white). Almost all of them have these bumps under their skin. (Look like little peas under their skin) Some are tiny some are large like peaSized. There is no discoloration and do not seem to bother them. But they look ugly enough as it is, they don't need help. One rat in particular had a big bump and seemed to have bursted. It is was very ugly. It looked like rot inside, all black colored. THere is no way this is normal is it?
Are bumps on the Skin Normal on Hairless Rats?
It's extremely common in both mice and rats, and the reason why it was very noticeable was because they are hairless! You normally wouldn't even notice it but you could feel it. I raised many rats and almost all of mine had little bumps here and there. They are tumors and sometimes (like the one that had burst) abscesses. The abscess IS somewhat normal, it's nothing the petshop is doing, although you can try to keep the wound clean, etc...
The reason they get these is just because they have a tendency to! It's not the way they are being raised or handled, etc... there's a reason why labs use mice and rats as lab animals, because they are very prone to getting weird tumors and they react very strongly when they do get them. Hope that helps!
Reply:Lizzy's answer is the correct answer. These are pimples and cysts. Report It
Reply:Pimple: These are most common on hairless rats or in areas with shorter fur. Pimples usually resemble abcesses, but they do not have an odor associated with them, and they are usually filled with a more solid material (a "paste" rather than a fluid). I believe these are caused by clogged pores, just like pimples in people. Treatment is the same as for an abcess. They need to be lanced and drained.
Cyst: Cysts are also lumps in the skin, but unlike abcesses and pimples, they occur almost always on the back and only on males. Cysts (or sebaceous cysts) are the result of clogs or overproduction of the sebaceous glands (they give males that orangish oil on their skin). Cysts usually feel very hard and cannot or should not be lanced or removed. They don't graw very fast and do not bother the rat.
Tumor: Tumors are lumps that are lower down below the skin. They are solid masses (some are firm and defined, while others are soft and less defined) connected in the tissue. Tumors are the result of excess or out of control cell growth (often triggered by hormonal changes in older females). Most tumors are mammary gland or lymph node derived and only occur in the underside of rats, especially around the armpits. Tumors are far more common in female rats over the age of 18 months. Most mammary tumors can be easily and successfully treated as long as they are caught early on. Treatment is surgical and can only be done by a vet. Experienced vets remove the tumor and a good bit of surrounding tissue (to get the "roots") or the entire gland. It has been my experience that rats recover quickly from surgery and usually go for many months or their whole lives without a reoccurence of tumors. When deciding on treatment, you should keep the animal's general health (regardless of age) in mind. Any healthy animal should have no problem getting through surgery as long as it is done by an experienced vet. If tumors reoccur soon after surgery, I usually will not opt for another surgery, because it would likely be fruitless. Rats can live quite happily with a small tumor for many months, depending on the tumor's location. If surgery is not done, watch your rat's activty levels and apetite for signs of loss of quality of life. (If you suspect a tumor but don't want to opt for surgery, see the vet anyway for an appointment, because it might be a harmless and easily treatable abcess...) There is some evidence that certain supplements can slow or prevent tumor growth. Spaying a female under 2 years old reduces the risk of tumors tremendously and might be worth considering, especially if your rat is from a line prone to tumors.
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