New girl...should I quarantine?

[Courtney Cheesman]

Hello,

I got a 5 month old girl delivered to me today from a rescue, to accompany my solo 2 yr 4 month old girl. When she arrived at my house she was fine. Not a sneeze...not a sound. I was told it would be okay to just have them on the couch together & cage them together overnight.
The new girl had a big sleep on the couch...but when she woke up several hours later, she was making grunty congested sounds. Her lungs sound completely clear. I've now caged her separately in another room & given her some doxy & baytril....do you think it would be new home stress causing a resp flare up?

My other girl is usually on meds more often than not, for chronic URI....she's good at the moment but she's still on a course. Is it necessary to separate them if its a myco flare-up? Because it's not like you can cure it, correct? Just treat the symptoms. Not sure if quarantining is necessary for this...or for a URI in general.

 

[lilspaz68]

If you aren't worried about a contagious virus (not that common but definitely happens and the main reason we quarantine if possible) then don't stress over it. It sounds like she may have had a lurking flareup just waiting for a bit of stress to show up. Give it a day or 2 to see if it's environmental but if it stays or she gets worse then start treating her. Go slow with the intros for both their sakes. Unless you see them acting like they've known each other always stick with meeting on the couch for now, until they know each other better. Then look at moving into a cage together. Cages is where the issues are most likely to happen as it's your resident girls cage and rats can be territorial.

 

[Courtney Cheesman]

If you aren't worried about a contagious virus (not that common but definitely happens and the main reason we quarantine if possible) then don't stress over it. It sounds like she may have had a lurking flareup just waiting for a bit of stress to show up. Give it a day or 2 to see if it's environmental but if it stays or she gets worse then start treating her. Go slow with the intros for both their sakes. Unless you see them acting like they've known each other always stick with meeting on the couch for now, until they know each other better. Then look at moving into a cage together. Cages is where the issues are most likely to happen as it's your resident girls cage and rats can be territorial.

I guess in the back of my mind I am worried about the potential of something being wrong with her & it carrying onto my original girl....but I am doubtful she has a contagious virus. I guess I don't really know...but the rescue lady knows her stuff and is very experienced and knowledgeable with rats...& she has had her for over a week so surely she would have noticed if she was ill. She's told me she's been in great health. I did end up putting her in a separate cage tonight and I've checked on her a cpl times and she hasn't made any sounds at all I'll keep her separate for now I think and monitor her health for the next cpl days before introducing them again I think.

And yeah I'll definitely take it easy with the intros and be cautious when caging them together. Thank you for your reply

 

[Courtney Cheesman]

If you aren't worried about a contagious virus (not that common but definitely happens and the main reason we quarantine if possible) then don't stress over it. It sounds like she may have had a lurking flareup just waiting for a bit of stress to show up. Give it a day or 2 to see if it's environmental but if it stays or she gets worse then start treating her. Go slow with the intros for both their sakes. Unless you see them acting like they've known each other always stick with meeting on the couch for now, until they know each other better. Then look at moving into a cage together. Cages is where the issues are most likely to happen as it's your resident girls cage and rats can be territorial.

Just an update....I got the new girl checked out at the exotic vets today and she agreed her heart and lung health seem healthy and she doesnt currently have any sneezing or obvious porphryn....but she agreed there is like a slight vibration sound/feel with her breathing. Not to the point where its crackly...just a slight vibration. She agreed to keep her separate and continue on doxy and baytril for 2 weeks.
Will I be okay to cage her with Annabelle after that? I got her FOR Annabelle. I don't want to cage her separately forever. But the vet was saying something about sendai virus and that she could have a virus that Annabelle doesn't have and she could pass it on. Its just got me stressed.

 

[lilspaz68]

Sendai and SDA viruses are 2 common contagious viruses that can spread through the rat world with SDA much more prevalent in N. america right now.
To properly quarantine it's best to have a whole different airspace/other home or building. Most people don't have this option so attempt a home quarantine. Always deal with the newbie last and don't go near your rats for at least 3 hours as that is how long the virus can last on your clothes, your skin and even in your nostrils. IF you have to deal with your resident girl shower, blow your nose and change your clothes before going near her. IF you've broken any of these rules already, then quarantine has been broken and I wouldn't worry too much. Keep her separate for a week see how her health is, then start intros. It's more likely to be a myco flareup than anything which is not contagious.

 

[Courtney Cheesman]

Sendai and SDA viruses are 2 common contagious viruses that can spread through the rat world with SDA much more prevalent in N. america right now.
To properly quarantine it's best to have a whole different airspace/other home or building. Most people don't have this option so attempt a home quarantine. Always deal with the newbie last and don't go near your rats for at least 3 hours as that is how long the virus can last on your clothes, your skin and even in your nostrils. IF you have to deal with your resident girl shower, blow your nose and change your clothes before going near her. IF you've broken any of these rules already, then quarantine has been broken and I wouldn't worry too much. Keep her separate for a week see how her health is, then start intros. It's more likely to be a myco flareup than anything which is not contagious.

Yeah okay I'll do that!! It really doesn't sound too bad at all....if I wasnt in a dead silent room and wasnt holding her up to my ear to try and hear it I wouldn't be able to. I'm just paranoid lol. Tbh....I broke the quarantine on day 1 when the rescue lady told me she was in perfect health and it would be okay to introduce them right away. They had SLIGHT physical contact with a hand but were in the same airspace (room).
With the viruses....is it once they have them they have them for life? Or is it something that you just have to wait out for like 2-3 weeks and then it goes away. Assuming you can't treat SDA or Sendai with meds as antibiotics only work on bacterial infections, right?

 

[lilspaz68]

Both of those viruses shed from the body after 1 week, but this is when the weakened immune system let's in the secondary infections like mycoplasmosis can flare up. This is what you treat long term with antibiotics. It takes longer usually to get a response compared to an uncomplicated myco flareup. My guess is it's a stress issue (the move) so treat her and keep an eye on it. Hopefully it starts responding in less than a week and you can start intros. I use this time to bond with a new rat.

 

[Courtney Cheesman]

Both of those viruses shed from the body after 1 week, but this is when the weakened immune system let's in the secondary infections like mycoplasmosis can flare up. This is what you treat long term with antibiotics. It takes longer usually to get a response compared to an uncomplicated myco flareup. My guess is it's a stress issue (the move) so treat her and keep an eye on it. Hopefully it starts responding in less than a week and you can start intros. I use this time to bond with a new rat.

So its been 1 week today since new girl has been on baytril and doxy twice daily. She seems in perfect health except she is still making soft grunting noises pretty much all the time. Why hasn't this stopped after 1 week of antibiotics? I thought if it was just myco then it wouldve stopped by now

 

[lilspaz68]

Grunting sounds are the last to go. But you have had improvement so it's working. Keeping medicating for 1-2 more weeks.

 

[Courtney Cheesman]

Grunting sounds are the last to go. But you have had improvement so it's working. Keeping medicating for 1-2 more weeks.

So its been 11 days now and shes still making the grunting. But its very quiet. Like I only hear it if I hold her up to me and its not EVERY breath. Im going to keep medicating just to be safe but...is it possibly some rats just breathe this way? Its just so persistent. Shes got no other symptoms of anything representing illness. Do you think Id be right to start having her around my other older rat? Or is it best just to see out a 2-3 week quarantine or until the grunting stops...if it ever does