Miss_Rattie
Active Member
Hi All, I haven't posted here before but am having a really bad time with my rats and could really do with some advice. I lost a rat to CHF just two weeks ago and am most probably on the verge of losing another one to a PT.
My girl started with PT symptoms last weekend. She was at the vet on Monday and had a shot of dexamethasone, to last five days. Up until yesterday she wasn't getting any worse, but I didn't really see much improvement either. Although her symptoms until that point were quite mild and so it was difficult to see any changes: not being able to hold food, circling and very slight head tilt. She was still very active and eating OK.
I discussed carbergoline on Monday with the vet, but it took a couple of days to get the human version of the medicine and so she only had her first dose about 20 hours ago: 0.25 mg and she is 450g. Yesterday evening I was thinking that she seemed worse and this morning she definitely is. She is going off her food (I'm trying to give her baby food) and also her coordination is worse and she seems generally confused.
I am thinking to monitor her today and possibly take her to be pts tomorrow if she is still getting worse. I don't want her to suffer, but at the same time I want to give the meds enough time to work. I can't face having to have another rat pts, but she is possibly getting to that point.
So my question is really about how long realistically it takes for dexamethosone and carbogoline to work and whether I should be seeing a result by now? Would I be best trying to give it another couple of days, or is it likely that there will be no improvement if I can't see anything by now?
My only previous rat with a PT deteriorated very quickly and so I am worried that the same thing is happening.
Thanks for any advice.
My girl started with PT symptoms last weekend. She was at the vet on Monday and had a shot of dexamethasone, to last five days. Up until yesterday she wasn't getting any worse, but I didn't really see much improvement either. Although her symptoms until that point were quite mild and so it was difficult to see any changes: not being able to hold food, circling and very slight head tilt. She was still very active and eating OK.
I discussed carbergoline on Monday with the vet, but it took a couple of days to get the human version of the medicine and so she only had her first dose about 20 hours ago: 0.25 mg and she is 450g. Yesterday evening I was thinking that she seemed worse and this morning she definitely is. She is going off her food (I'm trying to give her baby food) and also her coordination is worse and she seems generally confused.
I am thinking to monitor her today and possibly take her to be pts tomorrow if she is still getting worse. I don't want her to suffer, but at the same time I want to give the meds enough time to work. I can't face having to have another rat pts, but she is possibly getting to that point.
So my question is really about how long realistically it takes for dexamethosone and carbogoline to work and whether I should be seeing a result by now? Would I be best trying to give it another couple of days, or is it likely that there will be no improvement if I can't see anything by now?
My only previous rat with a PT deteriorated very quickly and so I am worried that the same thing is happening.
Thanks for any advice.