R.I.P Akiva. ):

[shadowpaws]

Akiva choked a feek weeks ago, I posted on the ER forum since I'd never dealt with a choking rat before. The days following, he started coughing and wheezing. It's escalated into consistant sneezing and wheezing. He's eating and drinking like a normal rat, he just sneezes alot.

I called the Vet to make an appointment and he told me that there's not much he or I could do. He said that medication could make it worse, I think he called it CAR? I'm not sure if he was as trained in rats as I'd like, but it was a legit answer. He said that if it gets any worse, to bring him in and he'd try medication.

 

[lilspaz68]

Did he say Car Bacillus?

 

[shadowpaws]

Did he say Car Bacillus?

No, he just said an acronym.

 

[lilspaz68]

OK standard respiratory illnesses are URI (upper respiratory infection)
SDA (hugely infectious rat virus)
Myco - in all our rats and causes the most problems like URI's and genital infections
Pneumonia

And I have no idea what problem will be worsened by antibiotics? They may not be effective but cannot make your rat worse if tried. Sigh.

Anything else this guy said that you can remember?

 

[shadowpaws]

OK standard respiratory illnesses are URI (upper respiratory infection)
SDA (hugely infectious rat virus)
Myco - in all our rats and causes the most problems like URI's and genital infections
Pneumonia

And I have no idea what problem will be worsened by antibiotics? They may not be effective but cannot make your rat worse if tried. Sigh.

Anything else this guy said that you can remember?

He just kept telling me that rats are horrible patients, because they have a tendancy of not responding to treatment very well. He started to tell me to quarantine the little one, but I wouldn't have since he's been with his brother and Nubs has been taking very good care of him. My mom thought it was allergies or asthma, but it seems to be getting worse. When he's sitting or sleeping he makes no sound, but as soon as he starts to move in any way, it starts up.

 

[lilspaz68]

OK standard respiratory illnesses are URI (upper respiratory infection)
SDA (hugely infectious rat virus)
Myco - in all our rats and causes the most problems like URI's and genital infections
Pneumonia

And I have no idea what problem will be worsened by antibiotics? They may not be effective but cannot make your rat worse if tried. Sigh.

Anything else this guy said that you can remember?

He just kept telling me that rats are horrible patients, because they have a tendancy of not responding to treatment very well. He started to tell me to quarantine the little one, but I wouldn't have since he's been with his brother and Nubs has been taking very good care of him. My mom thought it was allergies or asthma, but it seems to be getting worse. When he's sitting or sleeping he makes no sound, but as soon as he starts to move in any way, it starts up.

So you went there and he didn't give you any antibiotics at all? If it was just sneezing that would be one thing, but if he's wheezing too? Can you listen to his lungs using the Rat Phone method? Lift him up and place his side to your ear and wait until he's still to listen for gurgles, cracklies etc. A normal rat is a heart beat and a quiet whoosh of air in and out.

 

[shadowpaws]

OK standard respiratory illnesses are URI (upper respiratory infection)
SDA (hugely infectious rat virus)
Myco - in all our rats and causes the most problems like URI's and genital infections
Pneumonia

And I have no idea what problem will be worsened by antibiotics? They may not be effective but cannot make your rat worse if tried. Sigh.

Anything else this guy said that you can remember?

He just kept telling me that rats are horrible patients, because they have a tendancy of not responding to treatment very well. He started to tell me to quarantine the little one, but I wouldn't have since he's been with his brother and Nubs has been taking very good care of him. My mom thought it was allergies or asthma, but it seems to be getting worse. When he's sitting or sleeping he makes no sound, but as soon as he starts to move in any way, it starts up.

So you went there and he didn't give you any antibiotics at all? If it was just sneezing that would be one thing, but if he's wheezing too? Can you listen to his lungs using the Rat Phone method? Lift him up and place his side to your ear and wait until he's still to listen for gurgles, cracklies etc. A normal rat is a heart beat and a quiet whoosh of air in and out.

I called to make an appointment, and the secretary gave me right to the vet to talk to him.

I'm not sure how to describe the way he just sounded. Kind of like a sqeeky toy. Now Nubs has an upsetting amount of porphyrin around his nose. This is going to be a huge battle, isn't it?

 

[lilspaz68]

Oh dear.

Is this the only vet nearby? He sounds like a vet who *thinks* he knows a lot about rats

 

[shadowpaws]

Oh dear.

Is this the only vet nearby? He sounds like a vet who *thinks* he knows a lot about rats

There's more, but their more expensive and my mom is very hesistant.
What could it be?

 

[lilspaz68]

Does Nubs wake up with a porphy nose and then clean it up after waking up and its gone for the day? Or does it come back.

Your Akiva needs meds, probably baytril will fix him up...he sounds like he's got a typical URI.

 

[shadowpaws]

Does Nubs wake up with a porphy nose and then clean it up after waking up and its gone for the day? Or does it come back.

Your Akiva needs meds, probably baytril will fix him up...he sounds like he's got a typical URI.

He wakes up with it. Pretty normal right?

I'm going to look into a different vet for him. Anything I can do to help him with his breathing?

 

[lilspaz68]

Humidity is good...do you have a humidifier in near the rats?

If he gets seriously congested you can take him into the bathroom after running the hot shower. You can steam him for about 10 mins or so, but keep an eye on him for signs of stress or worsening. Most times steaming does make them feel better but there are the odd times it makes them worse.

 

[shadowpaws]

UPDATE:

I caught him asleep in a ball wheezing really heavily. I'm uploading a video now, but his wheezing usually stopped when he was calm.

I went to take him out and make sure he was alright, and he sat quietly with me for a minute or so, and then suddenly got wide eyed and very frightened. I went to put him back in his cage, and he sat on my hand and slowly stood up on his hind feet. He froze like that, and I literlly removed him, still on my hand, and brought him back out of the cage and held him. Was it a seizure? I'm realy worried now, he won't take food from me, which he always does (he's my hoarding rat, he takes anything I give him) and he is getting slower and slower. He's only 5 months.

 

[lilspaz68]

waiting for the vid.

 

[shadowpaws]

waiting for the vid.

): I'm so worried, it wasn't even really wheezing, he sounded like a squeeky toy.

 

[lilspaz68]

He needs those meds soon Brittni. His URI is getting worse

 

[shadowpaws]

I know, I'm calling as soon as I get up. Derrydale was refered to me.

Could he be having seizures now too Shelagh? He stiffened and I had to hold him or else he would have fallen over.

 

[lilspaz68]

Seizures aren't that common, most likely he was panicked about having trouble breathing...they often don't want to be held at times..

You'll know once he's on meds and feeling better. At this point just worry about the URI.

 

[shadowpaws]

Alright, I'll keep an eye on him. I'm taking him in the morning, whether they have a place open or not.

Any tips to keep him happy? I'm having a shower soon, I might bring him in there to help decongest him, but I'm debating it, as he's not the most touchy rat.

 

[jorats]

Someone mentioned pneumonia and I'd say that's probably dead on. Could also be pulmonary abscesses which is brought on with severe myco/pneumonia.

Keeping my fingers crossed that he gets his meds tomorrow!!! If the vet seems unsure, ask for Baytril and Zithromax.