Hi, new here, need urgent help, please!

[ShawnD]

Hi! I'm new here and reaching out for some urgent advice. My big boy, Bear (abt 1.5-2 yrs old, and he's a little overweight, fyi) is suffering upper respiratory infection /distress at the moment. Last week he suddenly became worse and I gave him Cefalexin for 2 days until I could see a vet, which immediately perked him up, pulled him out of the hole. I was also pretty sure he had a UTI. The local vet is not a rat vet, but she diagnosed UTI, URI, and pneumonia, gave him Baytril tabs and antibiotic nebulizer liquid (Gentamicin). Tried those for a week. He kinda stayed the same, no real improvement, and the neb treatment really stressed him.
This wknd (Saturday) she x-rayed him, said lungs look ok, but confirmed possibly constipated or intestinal issues (because I mentioned it, concerned about late onset megacolon).
She switched him from Baytril to Metronidazole, saying she thought he had Tyzzer's disease, and added metacam and gabapentin, because I had mentioned he's VERY tender pain-wise in his lower back /hips. I asked how we were addressing the constant labored breathing /URI/ pneumonia, and she said the labored breathing was from pain. Despite my concerns I said ok.
After the switch in medication Saturday, he nosedived. Seriously thought he was going to die. Very labored breathing, little food /water intake, all weekend. Tried giving him albuterol (that I already had at home) nebulizer treatments, no real help. I was crying my eyes out preparing for the worst.
Took him back this morning (Monday) and convinced her to give him Baytril and doxycycline. She said to continue daily albuterol neb treatments, also.
Soooo... His breathing is VERY labored, his appetite is low and picky. Gave him neb treatment (enclosed chamber, about 5 min), but he doesn't want much food at all (inc his meds). I'm not sure what to do..
Until I get him breathing better, he doesn't want food /meds and little water, but he needs them asap. Do I continue albuterol nebs (hoping it doesn't aggravate his lungs/heart/stress) and force feed him the Baytril/Doxy?
THANK YOU ahead of time for any advice! Sorry for the long explanation. I'm kind of a mess. lol He's my 1st rat, my heart rat, my lil man.

 

[lilspaz68]

Awww I'm sorry you are going through this. Can you get a video and upload it to YouTube then link it here?

Have you tried pain medication to rule out pain? If you don't have Metacam/meloxicam you can give liquid infant ibuprofen every 4-6 hours to see if he relaxes and his breathing settles

 

[lilspaz68]

It sounds like your vet isn't sure of what's wrong and gas gas dec to treat everything. I don't think rats get Tyzzers disease.
Once I get home we can go over things you can check

 

[lilspaz68]

Ok Tyzzers is rare and seems to only show up in newly weaned rats so we can rule that out.

What exactly are you seeing?

Lethargy?
Dull eyes?
Laboured breathing (struggling to get air in)
Rapid breathing (can be pain or resp infection)
Fur puffed up
Enlarged abdomen (have you gently felt his tummy for lumps or bloating?
When you hold his sides to your ears do you hear gurgling, whining, crackling etc?

 

[ShawnD]

I'm sorry it's taken me so long to reply. He didn't make it. I'm heartbroken. His breathing was so labored, he was gasping. I think he possibly had constipation /megacolon, but not sure. He definitely had some tenderness but it was more in his hindquarters, and a little in his lower abdomen. After giving him the medication for Tyzzer's, which I'm sure he didn't have,, it made everything worse, and he never recovered. I finally took him to another vet to have him put down. It was awful. He could barely breathe, shallow hard breathing all the time, he was weak, didn't want to drink much, although he was still eating. I gave him Ativan the last couple of days because he would suddenly panic, like he was trying to literally run from the pain (I did try giving him pain meds but he mostly refused them in everything) or was panicking from struggling to breathe. It was heartbreaking.. We buried him a couple of days later. My heart is broken, but I wish I'd been able to help him sooner, gone to a different vet, or put him out of his misery sooner. Thank you for trying to help. I think it was already too late. As soon as I gave him those meds.. Ugh

 

[ShawnD]

Awww I'm sorry you are going through this. Can you get a video and upload it to YouTube then link it here?

Have you tried pain medication to rule out pain? If you don't have Metacam/meloxicam you can give liquid infant ibuprofen every 4-6 hours to see if he relaxes and his breathing settles

I think that might break my heart even more knowing he was in pain and we weren't treating him for it. Poor guy. I tried everything to get him to take the gabapentin and metacam. I had crushed up ibuprofen and measured doses before but he only ate it half the time.