Constant Sneezing

[TorachiKatashi]

Oskar, my black berk, has been sneezing like crazy. He's been sneezing since I brought him home last Saturday, but it's gone from a few sneezes one or twice a day to almost constant. I listened to his chest for the gurgling sound but like most people, I have no idea what I'm listening for, and what I heard COULD be gurgling, but it could also just be his heart beat. I listened to Vin too to have something to compare it to, and they sound pretty much the same. I don't know how soon I can get him to the vet - I'm sick as a dog myself (today is the first time at this job I've ever called in sick, that's how sick I am), and I've never contacted this vet before so there might be priority given to current patients or whatever. Vin (my hooded) sneezes every once in a while, but not nearly as much as Oskar.

Help. D8

 

[jorats]

He's still fairly new to you. Anything around that could be bugging him? like smoke, fragrances, dusty bedding?

 

[TorachiKatashi]

Not that I can think of. No one in the house wears perfume (I'm allergic to it myself, and my father is currently long-term in the hospital so my mother doesn't wear anything with a scent that she couldn't wear there), no one smokes, and I've been using paper towel for bedding. Thinking on it though, I washed their cage Saturday just before I got sick (Thank goodness, or they would have gone another few days in the dirty cage), so he could be reacting to that? I ended up using dish detergent because I didn't really have anything else to use. I rinsed it really well and couldn't smell anything when I was done, but I imagine rats have more sensitive smell than humans. I'll try to get out to the pet store again this week, and see if they have anything more pet-appropriate to use. Other than the sneezing, he doesn't seem to be sick - he isn't weak or lethargic, and he's even more energetic and eats more than his brother. It does seems like his sneezing is calmed down a little from yesterday. Funny enough, when I checked them this morning, Vin had a little bit of the red/brown stuff crusted on his nose, but Oskar (the one I'm worried about) didn't. My friend said it was probably "just a flare-up" and to keep an eye on him (she has her own naked boy and is in the process of getting him a buddy), so that's what I'm doing right now.

 

Paper towels do not absorb very well, I would suggest getting something better like aspen, care fresh or boxo. The smell of their pee could cause resp infections. You have the rat resort starter cage right? even with proper bedding in their I would clean it twice a week with daily wipe downs of the shelves.

If you do go to a vet. There are only 2 good ones here. Dr. Dezeeuw from Sunrise Animal Hospital (unfourtnaly he is not taking any new clients as he has like a million) and Dr. Toor (Male) from Sunrise and Torbay Animal Hospital ..he is a good vet, he has a thing about rat teeth and thinks they always need to be trimmed, so ignor that LOL.

 

If you do go to the vet, which I do suggest if the sneezes don't clear up soon, I would get atleast 6 weeks worth of baytril ..both the vets here thing 2 weeks is enough, but its not. 3 weeks to clear, the next 3 weeks to pervent it from returning.

Edit: wash your cage with just hot water and use unscented hypoallergenic baby wipes to wipe it down.

Rats just don't sneeze for no reasons.

 

[Joanne]

I have two squirt bottles for cleaning the cage. The first on is a mixture of water and vinegar. The second is plain water. I squirt and wipe with the vinegar solution first, and then squirt and wipe with the plain water. I never worry about my rats being around when I'm cleaning, and sometimes they like to get in the middle of things and they end up getting squirted! They think it's a great joke!

 

LOL, I always clean the cage with them around too, as they like to change the baby wipes around.

 

[TorachiKatashi]

He isn't sneezing nearly as much today as before (maybe once or twice), so it seems like maybe it was just from me cleaning the cage.

Thanks for the vet advice. My dog and cat go to the Avalon Animal Hospital, but as far as I know they only take dogs and cats.

Do you guys just clean the cages where they stand? I carried the cage up to the bathroom so I could take the whole thing apart and hose it out with my removable shower nozzle thingy, but maybe that isn't necessary? And kind of related, do you guys change out your hammocks daily? I know my guys tend to pee in theirs and by the next day it's pretty soggy and bleh and I sure wouldn't want to be sleeping in it another day. Right now I only have two hammocks that Vin will even consider sleeping in (I bought three or four different styles, but the "Ferret Play Tubes" are the only ones Vin will even consider climbing into). I've been washing them by hand - is there anything in particular you would recommend for that? I've just been using soap but again, I don't want to bother their little lungs.

 

He isn't sneezing nearly as much today as before (maybe once or twice), so it seems like maybe it was just from me cleaning the cage.

Thanks for the vet advice. My dog and cat go to the Avalon Animal Hospital, but as far as I know they only take dogs and cats.

Do you guys just clean the cages where they stand? I carried the cage up to the bathroom so I could take the whole thing apart and hose it out with my removable shower nozzle thingy, but maybe that isn't necessary? And kind of related, do you guys change out your hammocks daily? I know my guys tend to pee in theirs and by the next day it's pretty soggy and bleh and I sure wouldn't want to be sleeping in it another day. Right now I only have two hammocks that Vin will even consider sleeping in (I bought three or four different styles, but the "Ferret Play Tubes" are the only ones Vin will even consider climbing into). I've been washing them by hand - is there anything in particular you would recommend for that? I've just been using soap but again, I don't want to bother their little lungs.

Glad they are doing better, just keep an eye on them. Anything more than a sneeze or two should be of concern. The porph in the morinings is normal first when they wake up, but if its there throughout the day, then its not.

I know Avalon dose not see rats.

I clean my cage where it stands, as its too big to move LOL.
I have a spray bottle with diluted detergent in it that a spray all over my cage once a week.
I wipe my cage down daily with unscented hypoallergenic baby wipes (you can get a big box of them at costco for $20)
I would suggest you get better beddding like aspen, boxo or carefresh (make sure you stick it in the freezer for 72 hours before using it)
Clean the bedding rwice a week since you only have athe rat resort cage Wipe the bars once a week and do the shelves daily as needed.

I change my hammies when I notice they smell or they have been peed on. I have a bunch s o I dont have to wash them right away. If you leave the others up long enough they will esplore them and learn to love them .

I wash mine in the washer on cold water with ABC detergent (the rginal one) - apprently it is supposed to perfvent resp infections! and I also use baby detergent that is scent free and hypoallergenic.

 

[Joanne]

It would be great to take the cage to the shower and clean it, but mine is too big as well. Taller than me and 3 feet wide, there's no way it's going up the stairs!!
I wash my rattie bedding and fleece blankets in the washing machine with hypoallergenic laundry detergent. I ended up buying quite a few hammocks so that I could change them out without having to do a wash every other day. I keep mending them as they keep chewing them...