Worried about Popper

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dspch911

dspch911

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 30, 2012
Messages
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Location
Chicago, IL
This is Popper's thread, but I cannot believe I haven't updated it since November. I must have posted else where or on another one of our boy's threads about Popper. Anyway he has started to refuse his medication when normally he would just take the syringe, put it in his mouth and take his meds. I'm worried because this is what Oliver did a week or so before we lost him. Popper doesn't seem to be doing any worse than usual other than needing nebulizer treatments more often, but after he gets them he seems alright.
http://www.ratshackforum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28111
 
This would be the likely progression of pulmonary abscesses. Meds help a little and then it stops. What meds is he on now? Have tried a baytril/zithro combo? I know I'm repeating myself all the time but that combo has saved a few of my ratties' lives.
 
jorats said:
This would be the likely progression of pulmonary abscesses. Meds help a little and then it stops. What meds is he on now? Have tried a baytril/zithro combo? I know I'm repeating myself all the time but that combo has saved a few of my ratties' lives.
Click to expand...

Popper has the lung mass that is squeezing his trachea - well, narrowing it. He is on two holistics and we started him on doxy when he sounded a bit wheezing. That has me thinking though, maybe he needs lasix again that helped him before.
 
Joanne said:
Is he on a steroid?
Click to expand...

No, I asked the vet about starting metacam - I cannot remember if we had him on this before. I know Oliver was on it daily. Is that a steroid or are you referring to prednisone? On a good note he took all his stuff this morning without a problem. I will see her tomorrow when I drop Tucker off for his hernia repair.
 
Metacam is an NSAID --> non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. These are pain killers (you may be familiar with Ibuprofen or Aspirin). I believe Metacam has been shown to have a positive effect on certain tumours because of its anti-inflammatory effects.
A steroid is Prednisone, Prednisolone or Dexamethasone. It can help shrink the tumour, or reduce the inflammation on affected structures, but it also depresses the immune system. Some doctors hesitate to use it, but the way I look at it; what is there to lose? If the rat is heading downhill and going to die, why not try it?
Anyway, I don't know if you are to that point or not yet, but something to keep in mind...
 
Joanne said:
Metacam is an NSAID --> non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. These are pain killers (you may be familiar with Ibuprofen or Aspirin). I believe Metacam has been shown to have a positive effect on certain tumours because of its anti-inflammatory effects.
A steroid is Prednisone, Prednisolone or Dexamethasone. It can help shrink the tumour, or reduce the inflammation on affected structures, but it also depresses the immune system. Some doctors hesitate to use it, but the way I look at it; what is there to lose? If the rat is heading downhill and going to die, why not try it?
Anyway, I don't know if you are to that point or not yet, but something to keep in mind...
Click to expand...

Yes, that is why Oliver was on it anti-inflammatory duh! I knew that... Popper's look is his eyes and face has changed - if that makes sense, but I don't think its time to give up on him yet. He got sad/depressed when Oliver left (that was his sick buddy). Oliver had tumor on his heart where Popper has a mass in his chest. It pushes up on the trachea. Oliver's was compressing his heart.
 
Popper has been started on the lasix again, twice a day for 2 weeks to see if there is any improvement. We stopped the doxy since we were just giving it since others in the cage were coming down with URI's and with him sounding the way he does we weren't sure if he was getting sick too. She didn't want to start steroids because if he becomes septic for whatever reason things can go bad fast. I don't know what she thinks will cause him to become septic.
 
Ya, my vet is not a fan of giving dex either. It's like pulling teeth. I wish they could see how well it works and how well the rats are after a dose of it.
 

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