Another Pituitary Tumour.

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Miss_Rattie

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I had a girl who passed away in July with a PT, having been on prednesilone and cabergoline for a week. The meds hadn't made much different and she passed away very suddenly at home, possibly from a hemorrhage.

I now am unlucky enough to have one of my two remaining girls showing signs of a PT. I thought a few days ago that she had a very slight head tilt, but last night she wasn't using her paws to hold food and also fell a couple of times in the cage. Also, she doesn't seem her usual self and seems a bit more manic, which I have seen before with a PT.

Yesterday evening, to get her started on meds asap, I gave her some pred and cabergoline which I had left over from my previous rat. I was planning to keep an eye on her and get her to the vet in the next couple of days.

The cabergoline is a human tablet, which I give half every three days. The pred is also in tablet form (1mg) and I was told to give a quarter daily. I would say that my girl is about 650 g (the last time she was weighed, but I will weigh again). Looking on-line, the info is variable as to the dose of pred that is used with cabergoline.

So, if anyone has any advice for the best dose per kg, that would be really helpful. I have a few tablets and so could increase the dose, if needed, and still be OK until I go to the vet.

Thanks!
 
I can't help you with dosing but I do want to say that it does vary from rat to rat and as well, I believe PTs can be different types as well. I hope you see some quick results this time around.
 
You need to put her on an antibiotic such as baytril immediately. Rats on pred must also be on an antibiotic because it is a steroid and lowers their immune system.
http://ratguide.com/meds/endocrine_hormones/prednisone_prednisolone.php

The recommended dose for cabergoline is 0.6 mg/kg [0.27 mg/lb], PO, q 72 hr*http://ratguide.com/meds/central_nervous_system_drugs/cabergoline.php
If she has the most common type of pt (related to estrogen ie prolactin) then the cabergoline should help, depending on how large and fast growing the tumor is.

http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/pituitary_tumor.php

good luck
 
Last edited:
Thanks for your reply - she is on antibiotics anyway, as she has had a chronic URI for a while and so has baytril/doxy twice a day.

She will be going to the vet on Monday, but I think that the steroid may have helped as she doesn't seem as clumsy getting around the cage and I haven't seen her fall. So I will continue with the dose from before and see what the vet says.
 
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