LittleCritters
Member
Hello, I need some help.
I came home to find my rat making a strange gurgling, congested sound. It was loud enough that I could hear it from the other room and can only describe it as being similar to a cat purring extremely loudly... sometimes kind of that squeeky sound that would come from rubbing a damp cloth on glass. My boyfriend thought the noise was mostly coming from her nose, but I could hear that she was wheezing slightly when I listened to her lungs. The gurgling sound starts and stops, it isn't constant. She has no other symptoms.
I took her to the vet and was told she had a respiratory disease but nothing much more specific than that beyond that is is acute and bacterial. She's been put on 0.17mL of Azithromycin (a human child's antibiotic) once a day for seven days and I was told to keep her separate from my other four rats. Its now at the end of the second day of giving her the meds and I've noticed no improvements. However, she hasn't got worse either.
I have never experienced illness in any of my rats. Aside from Rizo's (my rat) loud breathing and occasional sneezing she seems perfectly fine. She is eating, drinking, perfectly active and good-humoured. Looking at her you couldn't tell anything was wrong, there's no fluids around her nose or eyes or anything like that.
I have her in a different cage in a different room from the other rats, but she is definitely upset about being kept by herself and while I give her as much attention as I can, I know its not the same as being with her peers. I want to know:
* If anyone has any insight into what is wrong, specifically
* At what point I should start noticing improvement to be able to tell if the antibiotics are working?
* What else I could/should be doing?
* If it is necessary to keep her separated (is this contageous or is it mycoplasma-related)?
Etc.
I trust my vet's opinion that it will go away with time and meds, but the big question is... how long must she be separated from her cagemates? Obviously I dont want them getting sick, but it breaks my heart to see her all alone. Also anyone who could offer advice, reassurance, or information would be really welcomed.
I came home to find my rat making a strange gurgling, congested sound. It was loud enough that I could hear it from the other room and can only describe it as being similar to a cat purring extremely loudly... sometimes kind of that squeeky sound that would come from rubbing a damp cloth on glass. My boyfriend thought the noise was mostly coming from her nose, but I could hear that she was wheezing slightly when I listened to her lungs. The gurgling sound starts and stops, it isn't constant. She has no other symptoms.
I took her to the vet and was told she had a respiratory disease but nothing much more specific than that beyond that is is acute and bacterial. She's been put on 0.17mL of Azithromycin (a human child's antibiotic) once a day for seven days and I was told to keep her separate from my other four rats. Its now at the end of the second day of giving her the meds and I've noticed no improvements. However, she hasn't got worse either.
I have never experienced illness in any of my rats. Aside from Rizo's (my rat) loud breathing and occasional sneezing she seems perfectly fine. She is eating, drinking, perfectly active and good-humoured. Looking at her you couldn't tell anything was wrong, there's no fluids around her nose or eyes or anything like that.
I have her in a different cage in a different room from the other rats, but she is definitely upset about being kept by herself and while I give her as much attention as I can, I know its not the same as being with her peers. I want to know:
* If anyone has any insight into what is wrong, specifically
* At what point I should start noticing improvement to be able to tell if the antibiotics are working?
* What else I could/should be doing?
* If it is necessary to keep her separated (is this contageous or is it mycoplasma-related)?
Etc.
I trust my vet's opinion that it will go away with time and meds, but the big question is... how long must she be separated from her cagemates? Obviously I dont want them getting sick, but it breaks my heart to see her all alone. Also anyone who could offer advice, reassurance, or information would be really welcomed.