Mac is listing, off-balance

Advertise with us
Shop with us on Ebay
Fins us on Amazon
The Rat Shack Forum

Help Support The Rat Shack Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
B

BorealHiker

Well-Known Member
Joined
Oct 3, 2009
Messages
103
Location
Maine US
This morning when I got Mac out of his cage he seemed wobbly, unsure of himself, and seemed to be listing toward the right. He's probably 6-7 months old, still not quite grown, as far as we can tell. I'm the only one awake and who knows about this. I'm trying for some answers now.

In the downstairs community cage where all 6 of our rats spend parts of the day, I've had him eat, drink, and some basic grooming. But he cannot climb to the other levels, and I dare not put him in an upper one. Right now he's content on my shoulder, but I won't walk around with him this way. I still remember seeing Rascal (3 y.o) falling off my wife's shoulder in the kitchen---it left a mark on me.

Any idea what this is? I'm hoping it's just a temporary vertigo, but I hear of the preponderance of strokes---Mac is so young though.

Scott
 
I would lean towards and ear infection, but will wait for others with more experience to speak up. Can you possibly get a video or post some pictures.
 
At his age, I'd go with ear infection as well.
Could he have fallen? It doesn't have to be a great distance, sometimes rats can fall awkwardly and hurt themselves.
Keep him warm, well hydrated and fed. Make sure he eats, try anything... if you have any Ensure or Boost on hand, give him that.
Have you listened to his lungs? Hold him up to your ear, if you hear anything other than a light swooshing sound then it could also be respiratory.
All these are treated with meds and should recover.
Lastly, it could be a stroke but lets not dwell on worst case scenario yet.
 
eagle said:
I would lean towards and ear infection, but will wait for others with more experience to speak up. Can you possibly get a video or post some pictures.
Click to expand...

Thanks so much. I hadn't thought of that. Should be treatable if we get on it. But it's Saturday morning.

It's one of those things that's subtle, like recently when Dusty had a respiratory infection, and I was the only one to notice, at least at first. Dusty's story has a happy ending :heart: which I'll go into in another thread. I certainly learned my lesson about catching things soon enough. But of course it's Saturday morning.

This time it's almost as subtle. He just moves around more slowly, with head turned a bit sidewise. On a large surface, like on the bed, he seems to crawl in circles. Slowly.

Jorats, I just noticed your welcome reply. No falls that we know of. Again, I'm paranoid after seeing old Rascal fall to his death in September, and I've had us all take more precautions since then. I don't walk around with rats quite as much as I used to. I don't hear anything in his chest, as I did with Dusty. Mac has always been one to sneeze, though! The whole time he's been with us.

He has eaten well, and had water this morning. I wonder what Ensure or Boost are? It doesn't look like we need it at this point, but I could get some today to have on hand.
 
If he's eating and drinking, that's a very good sign. He might have just fallen and hit his head even or knocked his head on something.

Ensure and Boost are meal replacements for humans, packed with vitamins and nutrition. The vanilla is very tasty to rats so even some of my sickest rats would drink it.
 
I will third the likelihood of inner ear infection myself. He will need abs and possibly a steroid to help with the inflammation in his inner ear.

Poor little Mac.
 
lilspaz68 said:
I will third the likelihood of inner ear infection myself. He will need abs and possibly a steroid to help with the inflammation in his inner ear.

Poor little Mac.
Click to expand...
So steroids do have their place? I remember some confusion over this when Daisy's little Linus was sick. We just buried his tiny body today. Very upsetting :cry3:

So, what is it steroids do?

Anyway, Mac is on the way to the clinic 35 miles from here where our Dusty was successfully treated recently. I'll be back online late this afternoon.
 
Steroids reduce inflammation of tissue including the inflammation in the inner ear (helps with the tilt and the pain/pressure), it is often used as support therapy for pneumonia and bad URI's to reduce the inflammation in their lungs so they can breathe better. Its even been used to shrink the tissue of tumors.
They definitely have their place. BUT they must always be used concurrently with antibiotics because steroids do suppress the immune system.
 
lilspaz68 said:
Steroids reduce inflammation of tissue including the inflammation in the inner ear (helps with the tilt and the pain/pressure), it is often used as support therapy for pneumonia and bad URI's to reduce the inflammation in their lungs so they can breathe better. Its even been used to shrink the tissue of tumors.
They definitely have their place. BUT they must always be used concurrently with antibiotics because steroids do suppress the immune system.
Click to expand...
Thanks.

Well, today our emergency vet saw Mac. Says it is indeed most likely an ear infection and he is on a week of antibiotics. If after the week he's not responded they'll try the steroid.

Mac is proving harder than Dusty was to give antibiotics to. It's in syringes. Mac put up a very impressive fight, but it hurt me like hell to hear him squeaking :cry3: I hope that isn't giving more stress to his already stressed body.
 
As Shelagh said, antibiotics and a steriod need to be given now to have the best outcome. A steriod reduces the inflamation and may prevent or reduce the amount of permanent damange.
He will likely need to be on antibiotics for 2 or 3 weeks, if not longer.
 
Steroids are administered via hypodermic needle? Or, put succinctly, a shot? The vet said the week was needed because with an infection steroids can be harmful. (!?) There's definitely a lot to sift through. Either way, we'll see that Mac will have antibiotics as long as he needs them. Baytril, as with Dusty.
 
Steroids are harmful if NOT given with abs. They can be given orally, but if your vet is not comfortable doing it steroids in a week will not help so just discount them as being an option for now.

Abs are what are most important for now.
 
BorealHiker said:
Mac is proving harder than Dusty was to give antibiotics to.
Click to expand...
If your finding it difficult to give the meds, measure it up and put it in a soft cookie, cake or anything that will absorb it. Ratties never turn down a treat. :thumbup:
 
I'm putting together all the things the several of you have offered me. Thanks so much.

Today we got Mac to take his ab with a treat mix we heard about. It's going on 24 hours since his first dose, and we'll give him his evening dose pretty soon, with that treat.

Mac has had a hard day. Meaning we all have. Sally stayed pretty much in bed all day to keep him warm by her side; I understand keeping warm is major important. For the first time we're hearing the sounds of respiratory issues. He's been very low energy all day. I wonder if he feels like someone with the real influenza does?

Question for any of you who care to take it. Tomorrow is Monday, so all my local vet options are open. We can go to the one we went to yesterday, or the rat friendly one in Orrington, and see whether taking a steroid on the third day is of any use?

Yesterday might have been too soon. Today might have been too soon, but it was Sunday anyway. A whole week will be too late, from what some of you tell me. How about tomorrow, the third day? We can at least ask about it, and bring him in again if it looks like a go.

Opinions? This is tearing us apart, after losing old Rascal. Our Mac is such a young guy with the most amazing spirit I have ever seen in any animal. I look forward to the meeting at Rainbow Bridge at the appropriate time, but why can't this little guy have a whole rattie life with us? He's an angel---helped us with certain things.
 
jorats said:
I'd definitely get him to a rat vet to get their opinion on it.
Click to expand...
I just hope tomorrow morning is soon enough. That's Day 3. I also hope that this evening's dose of ab is the "turning point" dose, a pattern I've noticed in myself and others over the years---just after 24 hours, after touching bottom, the trend up.
 
Maple said:
BorealHiker said:
Mac is proving harder than Dusty was to give antibiotics to.
Click to expand...
If your finding it difficult to give the meds, measure it up and put it in a soft cookie, cake or anything that will absorb it. Ratties never turn down a treat. :thumbup:
Click to expand...

We will go with that. But now our problem is what may be dehydration. His poos are very hard and small. I know drinking is going to be critical, as it is with all of us. I don't want to cram it down his throat. :sad3: Does it help to come in from the side with the dropper or syringe? My God, this is all so new to us. :panic:

Well, there are 4 of us available to tend on him :) Me, Sally, Dan, our son, and Daisy, his girlfriend.
 
Most rats like when you offer them fluids in a sryinge...very little work for them to do, and its extra tasty from mom or dad :)

There are home-made rehydration formulas (salt, sugar and water basically) they like, or you can go the meal/fluid route with Ensure. Mine love it and once you offer it to them will gladly lick it up or swallow it if you put it in the side of their mouths.

After 3 days I would think the steroid is a moot point, just keep up with the abs.
 

Latest posts

Back
Top