lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
Brigie is a 17 month old rescue girl, whom I got along with her mom and her other 5 week old identical sister. They were the last rats in a large rescue situation, and HAD to find homes, so I squeezed them into my colonies and my heart 
Everything went well, they weren't sick or had any troubles beyond girly skittishness, until Brigit (who used to be the spookier one) changed. First she lost a little weight, but she was a wheel runner so I didn't think that much of it. Then her coat changed. It went from normal beige standard coat to a soft plushy feeling and look. I tried feeding her outside of the cage, adding more vitamin rich foods to her diet, putting her on a course of doxy/baytril, dosing with Revolution, etc. Then she lost more weight, but there was still no URI, and she was active, eating, happy and playing. Unfortunately every time I thought of taking her to my vets a real emergency would pop up. Then my vet went away for a month, this of course is when things really changed. She lost drastic amounts of weight, and is now around 330 grams no matter how much she eats. She also developed bumblefoot and a mild URI, so she got popped on baytril orally and I am using wonderful fuciderm ointment on her bumbles.
Well I got her to my vet yesterday, and got a call after she was examined. Beyond a mild URI (known) there was something else really going on, and my vet asked for permission to anesthetize her to get some blood. Now my vet is very supportive of my efforts, and really tries to keep the cost down for me on lots of thing (for eg. instead of x-rays for possible CHF, we'lll do the diagnostic dosing etc.), so when he suggests blood work (very expensive) then its truly NEEDED. So Brigit and Keely (sister) stayed overnight at the clinic, since the results should be back today and if its something that needs treatment, then my vet can start right away. :undecided:
What do they look for in bloodwork for rats?
Normal Brigit
Her head starting to thin out
Her body following suit
Keely and Brigit
Now
Everything went well, they weren't sick or had any troubles beyond girly skittishness, until Brigit (who used to be the spookier one) changed. First she lost a little weight, but she was a wheel runner so I didn't think that much of it. Then her coat changed. It went from normal beige standard coat to a soft plushy feeling and look. I tried feeding her outside of the cage, adding more vitamin rich foods to her diet, putting her on a course of doxy/baytril, dosing with Revolution, etc. Then she lost more weight, but there was still no URI, and she was active, eating, happy and playing. Unfortunately every time I thought of taking her to my vets a real emergency would pop up.
Then my vet went away for a month, this of course is when things really changed. She lost drastic amounts of weight, and is now around 330 grams no matter how much she eats. She also developed bumblefoot and a mild URI, so she got popped on baytril orally and I am using wonderful fuciderm ointment on her bumbles.Well I got her to my vet yesterday, and got a call after she was examined. Beyond a mild URI (known) there was something else really going on, and my vet asked for permission to anesthetize her to get some blood. Now my vet is very supportive of my efforts, and really tries to keep the cost down for me on lots of thing (for eg. instead of x-rays for possible CHF, we'lll do the diagnostic dosing etc.), so when he suggests blood work (very expensive) then its truly NEEDED. So Brigit and Keely (sister) stayed overnight at the clinic, since the results should be back today and if its something that needs treatment, then my vet can start right away. :undecided:
What do they look for in bloodwork for rats?
Normal Brigit
Her head starting to thin out
Her body following suit
Keely and Brigit
Now
