Taco's congestion

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Dena

Well-Known Member
Joined
Nov 12, 2018
Messages
377
Location
Texas
I took taco to the vet today. The vet said his lungs sound clear, and he thinks it's all upper respiratory right now. I have him on cipro, and just added doxy today. His hair isn't poofy, and he has had a nasally sound for the last 5 days, been on cipro for 4. I did a neb treatment with albuterol this morning, with no change. He was eating OK until today. Drinking OK as well. He's 689 grams. But he has gotten noticeably lighter. 689 was his weight today. I thought about trying children's psuedofed or benedryl. Need to know how to dose though. Vet said maybe try saline neb treatments. He doesn't do the open mouth gaspy thing all the time. Should I be more worried, or just give them meds time to work? Here's a video of him breathing.

 
The vet said his lungs were clear? I would see another vet. And cipro is just not good enough for respiratory distress. This is serious. He's gasping. He needs baytril and perhaps azithromycin and maybe even prednisolone.
 
He gave me doxy to go along with the cipro. I may go and pick up the baytril, and I have some prednisone. Just need to know how to dose it.
 
It may be nasal congestion but its serious congestion. Try the saline nebulizing but watch him carefully to see if it helps break up the congestion in his nose (you want him sneezing and grooming over his nose, not panicking and gasping and running around trying to breathe).

How long has he had trouble breathing through his nose now?
 


He is feeling MUCH better today. Let's hope he continues to get better. He is really resisting meds, so now I have to get creative. LOL but I'll take it! He has been making noises for about 6 days now. Been on cipro for about 5 days. Doxy for one day so far.
 
Happy to say, this evening Taco is playing, and just barely has a squeaky sound coming from his nose. He was happily pushing his house around his cage, and beating (not really beating, but playing) skittle up. Hope this trend continues, but based on the severity of his symptoms yesterday, I'll probably keep him on antibiotics for at least 4-5 weeks. Not taking a chance on a return with a vengeance type thing.
 
Did you see the video from yesterday? He is kinda going from squeaky nasal sounds, to no sound at all for long periods of time now.
 
I am definitely going to continue the meds for as long as needed. I would like to do them at least 5 weeks, so I know the infection is gone. Also, does anyone have the video of Lilspaz giving meds? Taco has some spunk now, and he's totally fighting the meds. I have been standing him up in my lap, scruffing him, and holding him up with his back feet on my lap and putting the syringe in the side of his mouth, and little bits at a time, squirting the meds in, and he will instinctively swallow. To make it not so bad, I give him bits of fresh banana as a reward in between. I can't mix with dairy like yogurt, since doxy isn't supposed to be taken with dairy. I've tried in baby meat which he loves, but spits it out if mixed with meds. Apple sauce is my next thing to try.
 
I'm so sorry that you're having trouble giving meds...ugh I've been there and it sucks. Scruffing should always be avoided but I absolutely understand what it is like when your rattie is being a butt and refuses to eat his meds. As someone who has spent hours in the beginning trying different food combos for my most uncooperative little guys, I can suggest a couple of foods that may help mask the meds.

Straight biscotti butter has been a winner (this stuff is amazing.."cookie spread" is also similar but the BB is the bomb): https://www.shopbiscoff.com/lotus-b...MIlJDypLPi5AIVhICfCh0ijgjwEAQYASABEgKlXfD_BwE

Or a mix of any brand of sunflower seed butter and the biscotti butter whipped up together w/ a toothpick is great at masking some of the really nasty tasting stuff. I hate to recommend this but it's also been a winner for some of the more bitter meds and sometimes it's more important that a rat takes the med especially when it comes to life or death situations... Crisco vegetable shortening works great/has been a winner because I've found that ratties don't taste the bitterness of a med or any nasty aftertaste since the Crisco is fat/oil based. I've also used and is my current go to called Harrison's Recovery powder (which is awesome for masking most meds like baytril, doxy and lasix) mixed to a babyfood consistency formula with either water or soy milk and given straight w/ the meds or it can be mixed to consistency with any babyfood flavor. Here's a link for Harrisons: https://store.harrisonsbirdfoods.com/mobile/RECOVERY-FORMULA-350g/productinfo/RECOVERY/
The fat content is a little high so I'd recommend a small enough amount as possible to mix in the meds properly.

Eh...what else... Pineapple syrup (I've used Smuckers brand) sold as an ice cream topping is a good one as is marshmallow topping (has a syrupy consistency, also Smuckers brand) for ice cream has been a winner too...mix them both together and it's even better.

If the med is calcium sensitive and Taco really likes dairy, you could also try dry powdered goats milk...I rehydrate this stuff and use it to mask Beans' prednisolone. I've had human doctor's tell me that goats milk doesn't have much effect on the absorption of doxy but every clinicians opinion is different.

Most of not all of those suggestions can be ordered on Amazon or found at the grocery store if you need them asap (except of course the Harrison's recovery). I hope my suggestions help make it less stressful for you and little Taco when it comes to medicating! ❤️
 
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So I tried the Lilspaz method. LMAO Taco did NOT appreciate it! He whipped his head back and forth, and squeaked (he's my vocal one. Complains about everything), and after syringe one, he got a good treat, and didn't fight as much for syringe two, but still complained just as much. Haha he's such a shy boy, and has SUCH a sweet and funny personality! :rolleyes:
 
I'm glad he's feeling better! Hopefully he'll continue to feel better as time wears on. I totally understand with rats being angry about treatment from their humans. If only we could rationalize with them...

Taco definitely sounds like my Ni Ni. Ni whines about EVERYTHING. He's gotten better with age, but sometimes he'd squeak if you looked at him wrong.


I really love the names you give your rats. Taco is such an adorable name for a rat (especially if they're a little chubby).
 
My daughter's friend who's last name is Bell named him, so his name would be taco bell. He's a pound and a half, and had lost weight before I took him to the vet. He's built big, so he really doesn't look fat. His brother, Brother (that's his name, I call him Brudder, or Bruddy) IS fat, he's built the same, but he steals all the food. All my rats, and mice have food names, except Brother, and Eva (who I adopted and she was already named). LOL
 
Awww! That's adorable. Taco Bell is a great name. Owen and Grumpy used to be built very big and very sturdy, but both lost weight and their muscle tone. Owen and Taco were probably competing for the bulkiest rat title LOL. Owen was nearing two pounds.

Bruddy is an adorable nickname! I've started calling Grumpy "Grummy Bear" or just "Gummy Bear/Gummy." Funny how quickly they adjust to nicknames!

If you need more food name suggestions... Name one Pomegranate. I love pomegranates.
 
Grummy bear! So cute!! Pomegranate would be cute too! I wanted to name a white one marshmallow. I love food, so it's no shock most of my animals have food names. My dogs, chuy (like the Mexican restaurant) and Punkin (a little different from pumpkin, but wanted to be different). Had a cat named candy years ago. Just kinda started my obsession from there I guess. LOL if brother had a shape, it would be oval. So I guess he can say he's in shape sort of! LMAO
 
You could even name a rat Rice... White rice, fried rice, black rice, etc... The list goes on! Works for just about any rat. Marshmellow would be an absolutely adorable name for a rat. Sweet name for a sweet, squishy rat.

All of my rats are named after some form of entertainment. Video games, books, movies, etc. Might have to migrate over to food once I run out of name ideas.
 
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