Side sucking in three month old female

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Nememene

New Member
Joined
Oct 9, 2020
Messages
2
Location
London
Hi, I’ve just had one of my 3 month old female rats out to play. Whilst in her dig box, I noticed she suddenly started doing this strange movement of sucking in her lower abdomen and stretching out whilst turning to one side (photo mid spasm attached). I immediately took her out so I could observe her and started googling. It looks like this might be side sucking indicating serious pain. It happened a few times every few minutes and then seemed to slow down with larger gaps between them. She is still interacting with me normally, bright eyed, walking, climbing, drinking, eating, grooming and passing urine (no poop seen yet but keeping her separate for a while to monitor this). After she ate something the spasms came more frequently and then died down again but they haven’t stopped. She’s been having a nap but whenever she wakes she does the side sucking again a couple of times and then settles again. She’s been out to play multiple times today and I didn’t notice it earlier in the day at all. My vet is closed right now so I’ve just been looking for any way to ease her pain until I can get to them tomorrow morning. Has anyone experienced something similar in such a young rat that has come on so suddenly? She is into everything and explores by chewing so whilst I’ve tried to rat proof the play area I’m terrified she’s eaten something bad for her. Anything else I can do to help her?
 

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Poor baby! Did the vet say anything? In the meantime, you can give her either children's motrin, or metacam if you have it. If you message lilspaz68, she can help you with doses. Hope she feels better soon!
 
I gave her rat sized doses of infant ibuprofen throughout a very sleepless night in an attempt to make her more comfortable. By Saturday morning she was occasionally doing minor stomach spasms but much less than Friday evening. Still eating, drinking and playing as normal so she was returned to her rattie friends. The vet turned out to be fully booked (until next Friday!) but said that because she was eating, drinking and active she would likely be ok until we reviewed how she was doing over the phone on Monday. By Sunday, she seemed to have stopped the stomach spasms entirely. She is being carefully monitored but I’m hoping she was just constipated or had eaten something that she has now been able to pass. Fingers crossed.
 
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