Normal?

[Chevalrose]

Gus has some congestion. He's on Cipro and Doxy. My vet said to steam him in the shower (which I've been doing for a few days) and we're going to nebulize him tonight. He is trying to breathe through his mouth because his nose is SO congested. I'm a little worried he's got congestion in his throat too. This is what he's doing:

[youtube:2bpiqoqv]1GFSzUHD-qI[/youtube:2bpiqoqv]

Should I be worried?

 

[Dahlas]

Oh lord...I would be panicked....lets see if we can get a hold of Shelagh or Jo.....they will know what to suggest better then me

 

[Chevalrose]

He's been doing this for a couple days...and the vet (who does see rats) DID see him do it...she says he's just breathing through his mouth.

 

[Dahlas]

Really??? it looks scary. I had a rat die quickly once. She was 6 months old....and she started doing that and died before I could get her to the vet.....

 

[jorats]

Oh boy. He's very progressed in his respiratory illness, probably has some pulmonary abscesses now. We usually see this near the end... nebulizing might make it a lot worse for him, he may panic.
Cipro is not strong enough for those kinds of URI. I'd get him Baytril and Zithromax asap.

 

[Chevalrose]

The vet listened to him yesterday and said his lungs and heart sound fine :-\

 

[jorats]

Are you sure the vet knows rats?
Rats don't breathe through their mouths... it's almost all going into his stomach.
I'd bring him to another vet asap.

 

[Chevalrose]

Isn't Cipro and Baytril the same thing?

 

[Dahlas]

I would take him to a good vet ASAP....he looks like he is going to die.

 

[jorats]

Do you have an inhaler?

 

[Chevalrose]

It was the eVet, and I was told she did see rats. My vet isn't open on the weekends. Also when my regular vet saw him Wednesday his heard and lungs were fine.

 

[Chevalrose]

Yeah my bf does, he has asthma.

 

[jorats]

It was the eVet, and I was told she did see rats. My vet isn't open on the weekends. Also when my regular vet saw him Wednesday his heard and lungs were fine.

That just blows my mind. That rat is in severe respiratory distress.

 

[Chevalrose]

Well then what should I do? He did this periodically yesterday, but he seems to be doing it more today.

 

[jorats]

I PMed you.

 

[Chevalrose]

Could he be choking or have phlegm stuck in his throat?

 

[jorats]

That's not what they do when choking. He's got very limited lung capacity and he's breathing through his mouth to try and get more air.

 

[SQ]

Can you call the e-vet, say he is in resp. distress and ask for baytril (10 mg/454.4g, 2xs a day), and a prescription to be called into the drug store for azithromycin (5 - 15 mg/454.4g 2xs a day) and also for lasix (assuming he has fluid in his lungs, starting dose 1-2 mg/454.4 g twice a day). A prescription for a puffer containing salbutamol hfa might help too.
(Dose info taken from the Rat Health Care book)

 

[Moon]

That is not choking, that is gasping. Very very scary

 

[ryelle]

omg :sad3:

:hugs: