So Atobe's trip to the vet was about as positive as a trip to the vet with a lumpy rat can possibly be. It was indeed an abscess, which isn't wonderful, but is a hell of a lot better than a tumor which is the other thing lumps mostly are in rats.
He got drained, and was apparently totally okay with that since it involved being cuddled by pretty female vets. He's still doing fine, eating and moving about and back in the cage with his brothers, but I have antibiotics to give him twice a day and am supposed to keep a real scab from forming if at all possible so it can drain more if it has to.
Um, ew. His little shaved patch of belly is pretty damn funny though.
relieved