Need help urgently with sick rat

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Renee

Member
Joined
Oct 5, 2019
Messages
5
Location
Texas
She is losing weight quick, 140 grams in 4 days. I'm really worried.
She's on antibiotics for a URI.

I can not get her to sleep. She switches between my room and her cage and she barely sleeps in my bed but lays down with me. I don't know if she's sleeping while she's in her cage. Every time I see her, her eyes are open. I also put her on some children's Benadryl.

I don't know if she is going to make it and I am so worried. Sometimes while she's in my bed she just gets up and fast walks to another spot. It's very strange.
 
Hold her sides to your ear and listen to her breathing. Any sound other than the whoosh of air going in and out is likely a respiratory infection. Is she gasping? Is her breathing really laboured?
Can you get us a video of her?
 
Hold her sides to your ear and listen to her breathing. Any sound other than the whoosh of air going in and out is likely a respiratory infection. Is she gasping? Is her breathing really laboured?
Can you get us a video of her?
Thank you so much for responding! Her breathing is labored and she has been propping her head up on the blanket, probably to help her breathe better.
here is a video of her from 2 days ago 20200319_005154.mp4
and here is one from just now: 20200321_202730.mp4

There are no noticable sounds unless I put my ear up to her back. Other than that, from afar I hear nothing
 
please make an appointment with a good rat vet asap
She likely needs a combo of antibiotics, and possibly other medications
Lilspaz68 will hopefully get back to you soon
 
I currently have her on antibiotics as I said in the first post, she was originally on minocycline and baytril but it wasn't working so I called the vet and she gave me azithromycin (I think that's what it's called I'll have to double check). She also gave me a dosage for children's Benadryl so I have been giving that twice a day as well
please make an appointment with a good rat vet asap
She likely needs a combo of antibiotics, and possibly other medications
Lilspaz68 will hopefully get back to you soon
 
I am also 100 percent aware that I am the reason that the minocycline and baytril did not work. I didn't know you had to wait at least two hours before giving probiotics, so I was giving her probiotics very close to when I was giving her the medicine. I realized my mistake a little late but as soon as I realized my mistake, I stopped and called my vet and got her a new medication (the azithromycin). I was worried she may have developed an immunity to the medicine I was giving her improperly with probiotics.

During our country wide quarantine, I have been keeping her in my bed with me and putting her back into her cage when she wants to go back. I have been offering all sorts of foods and she has been eating but she has lost 140g in 4 days. I need to know why she has been getting up and running and laying down again.

My last resort will be another vet visit because the last time we went, while the vet is very knowledgeable and kind, she was very loud and scared the living hell out of my baby. Along with this, the car ride and trip itself is so stressful I fear it will make her situation worse
 
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I also forgot to mention that I brought it to my vets attention that I was wondering why she went with just one antibiotic instead of a combo like baytril and doxy. She explained it and I am not a vet so I didn't really understand but she's very knowledgeable so I trust her. Everything she does and says, she backs up with knowledge from her books.

I was planning on calling today but they are apparently closed on sundays. I will make an appointment on Monday.
I think my girl may have pneumonia, but I do not know because I am not a vet. I am skeptical about taking her because I fear her breathing will get worse with all of that stress. I am also going to ask about nebulizing her and if it will be a benefit or not.
 
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She has rapid breathing, not so much laboured. I think you should test for pain as well as that can be a sign of pain. do you have or can you get infant liquid ibuprofen (or do you have Metacam (meloxicam ) at home?
 
Yes I can! My vet told me to try benadryl first so that is what I have been using. I can go to the store and buy some for her tomorrow. She even gave me the dose.

She told me to get the cilhdrens oral suspension, not infants, and give .2 to .6 every 4 hours. She suggested to try .3.
I chose benadryl over ibuprofen because I was hoping it would also help her rest. She is not resting very much :(

I will also be getting a nebulizer in about 9 hours and I will try this but I have never used one before and don't really know what to do. Any and all advice for this would be appreaciated too.

Seriously thank you so much I have been up all night worrying about her.

ps. what does laboured breathing look like if not rapid breathing?
 
I am unsure which ibuprofen to buy, unless all childrens liquid motrin is all dosed the same??

She also has Janny weighed in at 384 grams. That is what she weighed the last time they saw her. But as of the 20th, she weighs 292grams.
 
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I hope someone can give me some advice soon. I referred back to and old thread and read that I can use a ProAir Albuterol inhaler, so I gave her one pump. She went from not making any noises and struggling to breathe, to making a noise while she breathes. I don't know if it helped her.
I also gave her some children's Motrin an hour ago and if it is working I can not tell
 
Maybe I'm not understanding your question. but Motrin IS ibuprofen.
Yes I know that. I wasn't sure if there was a specific brand my vet dosed me for or if a brands are compounded the same. I figured it out any who
 
If she's losing weight like that she must not be eating. Is she dehydrated??? Since you're taking her to a vet, maybe you should consider a better vet or maybe it's time. If she gasps with open mouth, I would rush her to be PTS, but that just my general rule with gasping conditions
 
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