Fur/skin issue.

[stupink]

So recently I noticed my degu pees a lot, she went vets but I think she struggled a lot as seemed to have minor limp after, not sure which leg.

It seemed to get better after almost a week, then I heard her fall off her shelf I think, then started propper danger barking..
When I came to check found a red patch which I assume she had just hurt, could not find the source but removed a few things that may have caused it. I applied some antibacterial powder and left her to it. It was like she had ripped some fur off and a possible puncture mark or two.

A few days later it appears as though she has pulled more fur off. She seems to try to preene it at night time only but squeaks as she does it. Can't stop her..

I'm now wondering if the puncture marks are bite marks and she accidentally bit herself while pulling fur the first time. Would explain why I couldn't find anything sharp or the missing fur.

First finding
www.dropbox.com/s/jmlxv16gbtg9qbq/20210623_200454.jpg?dl=0

Few days later (doesn't quite show growth due to angle.)
www.dropbox.com/s/v809svsxek4nm98/20210626_225022.jpg?dl=0

Would a vet help? I suspect salt bath or antibac powder is as good as it's gonna get, but any thoughts if this is self inflicted and how to stop her cleaning it too aggressively?

[bouncy]

That looks like it's a lump? If it is, it could be a hernia.

First things first, though. How does the wound look? Is it hot and swollen? Is it oozing? If so, it's an indication of infection, and she should see a vet. Likewise if it's a lump. If it's just a normal wound and no complications, just help her keep it clean

[stupink]

Thankyou bouncy. I think certain angles it can look like a bump. But when she's outstretched reaching for a snack etc it seems flat and I think it's most likely just a tiny bit swollen. It's mostly dry. No idea about temperature as she isn't a degu that likes to be handled. Only tends to leak a bit if she's been trying to clean it. Very strange. I'll keep a good eye on it.

[winic1]

Sounds like she has an abcess there, and her preening the fur off and possibly scratching or biting at it are an attempt to relieve the pressure and pain of the infection inside. If it oozes when she works at it, that would be because she's opening it up and the infection inside is leaking out. If it hasn't gotten any better in several days, it's probably best to take her to a vet.

[teemu]

Yeah, I agree that if it's a bump, then it's either an abscess or some other mass, and the wound is from her trying to get rid of it. Can you describe the leakage? Is it clear fluid, bloody, or yellowish discharge? If it's yellowish or brown, it's pus, which means either abscess or just general infection (likely abscess). An abscess often also has a "head", a scab on top of it or the like, which is likely what the puncture mark is. That occurs either due to the initial wound that causes the abscess, or from the animal worrying at the abscess site.

An abscess is not normally dangerous if handled properly, but does require cleaning and the like. I've handled abscesses with home methods, but that's only for animals that are ok with being handled even if there's some discomfort, since abscesses are tender and handling them causes pain that can't be avoided. If she's hard to handle like you say, it's best to let a vet take care of it. If it's an abscess, it'll be easy to fix, and if it's not, it's best for a vet to catch it early, especially since it seems like it's bothering her.

On that note, since the skin is broken and she's picking at it a lot, try to keep her cage and living area extra clean until it's handled. Degus have a tendency to wee anywhere they please, and a wound on the underside will get in contact with dirty surfaces very easily, which might make things worse. If she has a favorite sleeping area or other areas she likes to stay in, wipe those clean daily.

[stupink]

Thankyou again all.
The wound gets a little moist when she's attacked it. But neither blood nor puss. Just damp. I haven't seen it like that for 24hrs and it's now just crusted over from what I can see.
My usual vets don't allow you to go in with them at the moment. And she developed this limo after a visit so I think she was handled too hard (not blaming the vet per say, she's a wriggler who's had previous leg injuries but I know this and handle accordingly, where as the vet won't). I do think she either bit herself by mistake or fell onto something sharp to start this off! But that doesn rule out an abscess as falling onto it would cause harm.
However the vet did say he felt her tummy etc and it all felt normal, so I'm thinking it couldn't have been there at that point if he checked well.
I'll give her cage a good spray and clean for a few days see how she fairs

[deguconvert]

When I look at the first photo, zooming in, I see a definitely puncture wound into the abdomen. I don't know if it is deep enough to have penetrated into the abdominal cavity, but I think it is something you need to have looked at. The top layer of skin being torn as it is, it is not nice. She had to have be caught on something, or if she has done this to herself, there is something causing her significant distress.

[moletteuk]

Could her cage mate have bitten her? I would take her to the vet right away, it looks nasty to me.

Peeing a lot could be a sign of a urine infection or diabetes. Did the vet do a dipstick test for those?

If you aren't happy with your vet, please check our vet list or ring round your local vets or look for a recommendation from rescues in your area. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15521/vet-guide?page=1

[deguconvert]

That is a questions I was going to ask . . . a bite from a cage mate . . . but for some reason I was thinking this girl is a single degu. So, asking . . . does she have cage mates? Because if she does . . . I think that is a bite, and a considerable one.

I ditto Moletteuk . . . get her to a vet asap.

[stupink]

Just to update everyone as a courtesy for all the help and advise this did not end well

So I had trouble booking her in our usual vets, eventually after ringing around all the vets i found a new vet who had time, who allowed me to come into the room with them unlike the previous one.
He is experienced with degu's and I could see he was handling her with care as much as you can a wriggly degu, she freaked out, but finally chilled, and he agreed it was a bite mark (self inflicted) probably due to itching from infection or injury that was causing her the trouble to hobble previously.
Unfortunately for whatever reason when he put her down she was unresponsive, he could still feel and hear her heartbeat at this stage, went got some adrenaline and did compressions etc. but she did not recover.
She has been handled before and never likes it but hasn't had any issues other than distress, and I don't believe he mis-handled her anymore than you need to with degu's, but the shock plus infection must have been too much and he thinks she probably had a heart attack which without knowing how tight he was gripping her I am inclined to believe because a degu would let you know if you're hurting them and it was normal agitated wriggles and no barking etc.
Seems like her fate was sealed, no visit and the infection would have got her, visit and it was too much for her.
I am just left a bit mentally blocked as when she seemed to calm down in his hands I am now aware she was in trouble and if we had realised at the time, all be it only a minute or so delay, we could possibly have saved her, and I feel knowing her I should probably have realised sooner but at the time I was happy to see that she had stopped stressing out.

[teemu]

Oh no! I'm really sorry for you! That's a really sad way for things to end.

Anesthesia always carries some risks, and it sounds like she had a lot of issues going on with her already. And from your description, I'd agree with you that the vet likely was on top of things as much as possible. Did they end up inspecting the lump itself? Did you find out what it was, in the end? You mention infection, at least.

From how it sounds, I don't really think you did anything wrong. The sad truth is that the anesthesia might have gone wrong even if everything was totally normal and she was calm. It's always easy to start second-guessing how things went later, but both you and the vet had her best interests at heart.

(The vet I visit with my degus usually sedates them slightly with some gas before any handling, if there's a need to inspect something they probably won't like, essentially by pushing the hose into the carry cage for a bit. Exactly because it will make them much easier to handle and less likely to bite or wriggle around if they're not pleased with the situation. It doesn't knock them out, just makes them groggy and slow to react, so it's from my understanding a lot safer than a full anesthesia. Degus can be really cross about handling, after all.

[savvy]

I am so very sorry. It sounds like it was just too much for her already compromised system.

Rest in peace little one, you have been loved and will be missed.

[moletteuk]

How shocking to have seen it happen, I'm so sorry you had such a bad experience and for the loss of your degu.

We always recommend people go ahead and take all degus to the vet, even the ones who really hate being handled, and nearly all handle it reasonably well, I'm sorry you were the unlucky one. It does sound like the vet didn't do anything wrong and acted with care. I would guess she had a weakness and it would have happened sooner or later anyway, especially as very few degus get to end of life without needing vet care.

[winic1]

I am so very sorry.

[deguconvert]

Stupink, I am so very, very sorry!

When I first started reading through, I was REALLY, really hoping that you were telling us that she had kind of passed out, gone very still and not come back around very quickly . . . I had to read through three times to be sure I was understanding. I just didn't want that to be what happened. Your poor, sweet, lovely girl.

I am truly, and deeply, sorry for your loss and the terrible shock you will have had in all that happened today. Sending hugs!