Hey all,
I've posted many a time because we have two little girls who have been having health issues from the start. I'm posting now because my 10 months old Tofu (dumbo, husky, rex girl) has just had her 3rd case of an inner ear infection that again (for the 3rd time) got treated with 8-10 weeks of combination antibiotics Flagyl and Synulox. But again, from the last two days before her treatment was finished (so she was still on antibiotics but had 2 days to go) she has started sneezing and lost some weight (10 grams, she is now 415g). This might have had to do with a change of bedding. We thought we had gotten an even better and dust free bedding (back-2-nature) but she really didn't react well to this, so we immediately got rid of it. It was in the cage for 1.5 weeks though before she started reacting so it could have also been due to flowers we put in the room. Anyway, we finished the antibiotics as recommended and got her checked the day after her treatment was done (last Wednesday). All seemed A-OK and the vet seemed happy with her progress and saw no signs of ear infection or lung troubles. But since then she has been starting acting lethargic again and her fur is clumping together (which last time was a definite sign of her feeling unwell). I've gotten very acquainted with her signs of "I'm not doing well" so I can definitely see she isn't feeling great. Still eating and drinking though, although less enthusiastic about her food. I've put her back on painkillers with an antiflamatory (meloxidyl) for 4.1 kilos (high dose but safe) which was recommended by the vet when I called Friday. She is doing a tiny bit better with the painkillers, but nothing to write home about let's say. UPDATE:*she is doing quite better with the painkillers, but then they wear off (24 h) I can really notice the difference.*
So it seems like she might have a case of chronic raspetory illness which I'm not sure how to deal with. My worry was that she already started feeling bad when she was still on antibiotics and not perse because she came off of them. I read somewhere that some rats need to be on constant antibiotics, which I would not prefer because it stresses her out (the synolux she is fine with but the Flagyl is so disgusting that we need to use force to give it to her. We tried everything over the last 9 months but it cannot be mixed with any food for her to not taste it and therefore not take it). So my question is mainly, is there anyone with some experience with this and how do we deal with it? I love her to death and I would love for her to be healthy and happy of course. The vet is a bit worried that so many antibiotics will make her mycoplasma immune and therefore it will come back easier each time. Could anyone offer some advice on the current situation (sneezing and lethargic behaviour) and the situation for the long run?
Thank you so much again, the help on this forum has gotten me through some very worrisome periods ❤
I've posted many a time because we have two little girls who have been having health issues from the start. I'm posting now because my 10 months old Tofu (dumbo, husky, rex girl) has just had her 3rd case of an inner ear infection that again (for the 3rd time) got treated with 8-10 weeks of combination antibiotics Flagyl and Synulox. But again, from the last two days before her treatment was finished (so she was still on antibiotics but had 2 days to go) she has started sneezing and lost some weight (10 grams, she is now 415g). This might have had to do with a change of bedding. We thought we had gotten an even better and dust free bedding (back-2-nature) but she really didn't react well to this, so we immediately got rid of it. It was in the cage for 1.5 weeks though before she started reacting so it could have also been due to flowers we put in the room. Anyway, we finished the antibiotics as recommended and got her checked the day after her treatment was done (last Wednesday). All seemed A-OK and the vet seemed happy with her progress and saw no signs of ear infection or lung troubles. But since then she has been starting acting lethargic again and her fur is clumping together (which last time was a definite sign of her feeling unwell). I've gotten very acquainted with her signs of "I'm not doing well" so I can definitely see she isn't feeling great. Still eating and drinking though, although less enthusiastic about her food. I've put her back on painkillers with an antiflamatory (meloxidyl) for 4.1 kilos (high dose but safe) which was recommended by the vet when I called Friday. She is doing a tiny bit better with the painkillers, but nothing to write home about let's say. UPDATE:*she is doing quite better with the painkillers, but then they wear off (24 h) I can really notice the difference.*
So it seems like she might have a case of chronic raspetory illness which I'm not sure how to deal with. My worry was that she already started feeling bad when she was still on antibiotics and not perse because she came off of them. I read somewhere that some rats need to be on constant antibiotics, which I would not prefer because it stresses her out (the synolux she is fine with but the Flagyl is so disgusting that we need to use force to give it to her. We tried everything over the last 9 months but it cannot be mixed with any food for her to not taste it and therefore not take it). So my question is mainly, is there anyone with some experience with this and how do we deal with it? I love her to death and I would love for her to be healthy and happy of course. The vet is a bit worried that so many antibiotics will make her mycoplasma immune and therefore it will come back easier each time. Could anyone offer some advice on the current situation (sneezing and lethargic behaviour) and the situation for the long run?
Thank you so much again, the help on this forum has gotten me through some very worrisome periods ❤
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