Sick rattie help

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katie_eve

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2014
Messages
50
Hi all
So I have a 1 year old girl who isn't well. Symptoms have elevated over the past few days and I have no clue what's up with her.
Basically we first noticed that she went to curl up whilst out on play time. This has never happened - she's just a mad one. She has then become less steady on her feet (slipping off the edges and heading down when she shouldn't)
Over the past couple days she has been showing problems eating and holding food. She keeps dropping food.
Lethargy is a main concern as she's wondering a bit then back to sleep or lie down.
I have been to the vet today who couldn't see/feel any issues and wants to look at behaviour before medical reasons. I'm not in agreement as there's no issues with bullying etc. He has asked me to get a urine sample and to see what she is drinking and has given me a different antibiotics to treat uti, skin and other infections.
She's never settled on me but I'm sat here now with her curled up in my jacket.
Can anyone offer any advice of how I can help her?
(sorry for the long post)
 
Hi, thanks for your post.
She can hold food but it's awkward. She either holds it in both hands but rests her arms on the ground or does it slightly 1 handed. I do have a video of this.

She doesn't head bump at all no.

Breathing seems fine and the vet said her lungs are clear.

There's alot of porphyrin on her nose, of which she keeps rubbing. White nose looks pink.

A weird symptom is that she's stopped weeing or marking the ground.

I'm not sure how much she's drinking as the only time I've seen her drink is when I've pointed her to the bottle and even then, shes looks awkward.

Id said she's not confused as she comes to her name, and goes where she wants.

I'll get a vid up and medication details when Im home x
 
I wonder if she might have a bladder infection. I did a quick google on nisamox and that should be good for it. She's quite adorable in the vid.
 
Thank you Jorats. Yes shes a sweetie in nature and looks.
It's certainly possible it could be a bladder type infection. I've been asked to get a wee sample but not sure how..
After she woke up on me last night she went on the blanket next to me. No blood colouring and she's dry underneath.
I have her out on the bed now and she's being her inquisitive self, just calmer.
There's alot of teeth grinding going on so guessing shes uncomfortable 😞
I will keep her on the meds and see how she goes. Only started yesterday, so early yet.
 
She is adorable. I hope she is soon feeling better+

This information may help http://ratguide.com/health/urinary_renal/urinary_tract_infections_lower.php

If she isn't urinating I would be concerned about dehydration. When you gently pull up the skin on the back of her neck, does the skin quickly snap back into place? If not, she may be dehydrated. Dehydration is dangerous as it can kill.
 
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Thank you for the information.
The moment I put her back in the cage she went for a lil wee on a hard surface so that has been syphoned up to drop off at the vets tomorrow.
The skin test came back ok, but I do think that she's not drinking enough as I haven't seen her drink as normal. I managed to get her to drink from my hand, but only a bit.. I will keep an eye on that.
 
if you don't think she is getting enough fluids, you could soak some of her blocks in cool water to make mush and give her foods that might hydrate her such as watermelon, peas, cooked sweet potato, baby food, baby cereal mixed with ensure or organic soy infant formula, etc
 
Thanks. I dont have any of the above but have mushed some cereal with water which went down a treat. Licked up more water than food.

On a slightly separate note. Another thing she is doing that's new is chewing alot.. Is that a sign of discomfort or just a phase?
 
So my lil girlie is still the same (no worse or better) in how she's acting. Maybe a bit more lively.
I have been watching her more closely and I would agree it is some kind of uti. When she goes back to the cage she's sitting very still like they do when going to the toilet, but doesn't do anything.
I was holding her the other night and she squeaked, so I put her down and she did a wee straight away (also weird)
I also found brown staining on the bottom of her sputnik which I assume is from her.. She's also cleaning that area alot more.
I'm monitoring her water intake and poos closely and will see the vet tomorrow (all closed today or no appointments available) Hopefully I will see the normal vet who's full of rat knowledge!
 
She does seem more lively and bright eyed. Hasnt fallen asleep on us today either. She has started weeing more often and dribbling as normal but I still feel she's not taking in enough food & water. Food in the cage has been untouched.

She's been chewing her plastic sputnik alot. All the edges are rough and out of shape. She has a wooden house and a wooden thing that's bought for chewing. This has subsided over the past few days.

Im not sure I could use the sub q fluids as I'm squeamish, but I will ask him about it and give it a go if needed for her. I didn't know this existed, so thank you for the link ☺
 
So a week later on the antibiotics and we're no better off and sadly I'm of the opinion it's a pituitary tumor 😞
She's showing the majority of symptoms which I saw in a past rat with the same thing and she's just getting worse (not holding food, falling over, will not go back in the cage)

My vet is away and there is only a foreign vet who has little knowledge of rats so I need to throw ideas at them.
So... Has anyone found anything to help these lil critters til it's time?
 
If it is pt (you might want to post a video)
then treatment is a steroid such as prednisone (1 mg/Ib twice a day, must be given with an antibiotic, can not just stop taking it) + baytril
This will reduce swelling in the tissue around the tumour, reducing symptoms. If the tumour is slow growing, then this can give her quite a bit of good quality time.

If her pt is estrogen driven (most common type of pt esp. among unsprayed girls) then cabergoline may help to reduce or eliminate symptoms for months ...... It is given even 3rd day and rats seem to be able to tolerate the side effects. (bromocriptine is not as effective and rats often can not tolerate the side effects)
http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/pituitary_tumor.php
http://ratguide.com/meds/endocrine_hormones/prednisone_prednisolone.php
http://ratguide.com/meds/central_nervous_system_drugs/cabergoline.php

I currently have one rat (Sam) with pt. He is on pred + baytril + cabergoline

good luck
 
This was her eating this morning. It's hard to catch her on camera as she just keeps coming back to me.
It starts okish but gets worse later in the vid.
https://youtu.be/cKnMCDRMrkI

She's not eating my herself as far as I can see and she goes mad for the syringe for water.
I have her on me at the min and she's doing alot of shuddering / stretching.
Other than being slow and in balanced she still reacts to noises and her name. She can still trott around.

Thank you very much for the info. Will try and get the vet to give me those and see how she goes.
 
Beautiful, determined, active girl .... what a sweetheart

suggest you hand feed her .... you can add cool water to her blocks to create mush - will help her to stay hydrated and easier to eat
You can supplement her diet with organic soy infant formula (from a grocery store or pharmacy) thickened with baby cereal (the kind that says add milk or add formula) .... this will provide nutrition and help keep her hydrated

She can lick it off your finger or off the end of a syringe (without a needle) .... you can also give treats such as frozen thawed peas, cooked quinoa etc

Hope meds help so she has a lot more good quality time with you
She doesn't look like it is even close to being time yet but if meds don't help her so that she can eat, you will need to consider humane euthanasia by a vet
http://www.ratshackforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=7652
 
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Oh she's certainly determined! So hopefully a fighter.

Im feeding some baby porridge from a plate for now but need to get some more bits. She's still taking other food treats from me but won't touch the hard rat food.

I lost my first rat to this so have some idea of what to expect.. I also have a local vet who does things right for when that time comes.

Thank you for the advice again!
 
I think all the baby food etc is having the desired effect..! I got greeted at the cage to get her out and now have a rather mental girl and I keep getting jumped on. Glad she has more energy at least ☺
 
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