Sneezing

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Most URIs aren't contagious since they are caused by myco which your other rats have. There are respiratory viruses and bacterial like CAR baccilus, sendai, sda, krv, etc, but if you had it is airborne so seperating rats you already have would be pointless.
 
Ok so just Aili is gonna go visit the big animal doctor *lol* its funny cause the only one of my gang that would not mind to accompany another to the vet is Aili herself, but even if she doesn't mind it it still is not her favorite thing to do so I'd prefer not to bring unnecessary buddies.
 
Well just back from the vet, Doc. Ives from the Cumberland Vet Hospital.
At first my Aili was seen by the nurse girl that weighed her and all, then as we were waiting for the Doc. Aili was in her basket grooming and boggling, I laughed (I can't believe she loves to visit the vet that much)!

Guess the Doc. found something in her airway passage's cause Aili's on Baytril for 10 days then I should be expecting a call from them to see how she is, if there is no improvement they will try changing her bedding and I assume we go from there.

I'll open her own thread for this case cause I have more questions, but just wanted to update here.
 
Hi, I'm new here and I have some questions. I think one of my little guys is sick. I am trying to get into the vet but I want to ask around first and see if there may be someone better versed in dealing with rats in my area first. Anyone in the Hamilton/Burlington/Oakville, Ontario area have a recommendation?

It started out with some sneezing about 4 days ago. There was no porphyrin, he was eating and playing the same as ever, all fine except the sneezing so I chalked it up to the cold weather and my apartment being dry since the heat was just turned on. I bought a humidifier and gave him echinacea and things seemed to settle down. Now today I went in to give him breakfast and he didn't wanna come to me and normally he is my little shadow, he seems spooked and he wouldn't take food from my hand. I have no idea why he's like that but I'm scared and while I wait to hear back from my regular vet I thought I could get some support or enlightenment here. I should note I have never taken my rats to my regular vet, just the cats, so I don't know how she'll be.

Thanks guys.
 
Usually URIs aren't as bad as they look, I thought my rat was going to die and cried all the way to the vet and he was fine after a couple weeks of ABs >> Good luck!
 
KayRatz said:
Usually URIs aren't as bad as they look, I thought my rat was going to die and cried all the way to the vet and he was fine after a couple weeks of ABs >> Good luck!

Aw! Thanks, that helps. Yeah, this morning when he was afraid of me I cried because that was so unlike him. He's going to the doctor tomorrow so we're doing lots of snuggling and quality time until then. Being a rat mommy is heartbreaking when they're sick.
 
I figured this was the best place to put this rather than start a new topic.
I've had my girls for about a month, and they had their usual sneezes for the first week... It continued into the second week... so when I read about the carefresh bedding sometimes causing sneezing I stopped using it and I instead use shredded paper.
Their sneezing decreased significantly. However, I'm a little worried because they still sneeze occasionally - maybe like 3-5 times a day, not very often - but I've been listening carefully and they do not wheeze and there are no other symptoms of a respiratory infection.

My rat health book has a flowchart to treating sneezing, and it says to start with amoxicillin. Where do you get this kind of medication without needing to take the ratties to the vet? I want to try using this, and if it doesn't help then I'll take them to the vet to get a check-up.
 
Kaput33 said:
I figured this was the best place to put this rather than start a new topic.
I've had my girls for about a month, and they had their usual sneezes for the first week... It continued into the second week... so when I read about the carefresh bedding sometimes causing sneezing I stopped using it and I instead use shredded paper.
Their sneezing decreased significantly. However, I'm a little worried because they still sneeze occasionally - maybe like 3-5 times a day, not very often - but I've been listening carefully and they do not wheeze and there are no other symptoms of a respiratory infection.

My rat health book has a flowchart to treating sneezing, and it says to start with amoxicillin. Where do you get this kind of medication without needing to take the ratties to the vet? I want to try using this, and if it doesn't help then I'll take them to the vet to get a check-up.

Honestly, it's way better to see a vet and have a good listen to the lungs before "trying" meds. Meds should only be given if necessary. You don't want the rat to build a resistance to it. Besides, amoxi is really not the drug of choice for respiratory. Best to do a full exam on the rats, it will put your mind at ease.
 
:( Done everything I could, ensured that there was no change in litter, steam cleaned the cage, the room etc.

Well the diagnosis was sneezing, upper respiratory sounds heard but the lungs were clear, so no antibiotics for the time being even though they were given doses of Doxy by a less experienced vet in small animal studies.

Should I be worried? :( They're still eating fine, popcorning and bruxing like crazy but it kills me to hear that sound of a rat sneeze, it kept me up till 3 in the morning! :stickpoke:
 
I would give benedryl a try then. Good that the lungs are clear. But, it's a concern that he did diagnose upper respiratory infection and yet no meds. Keep an eye on them because many respiratory illnesses start in the nasal passages and work it's way down to the lungs.
 
Hmm, there was no diagnosis of upper respiratory, more like the first vet said she heard some sounds and they were given 2 weeks of doxy after that. the second vet (whom i feel is more experienced) recommended me not to get them started on too many antibiotics at this point in time as it is sneezing with no discharge and clear lungs given that they are only about 7 months of age. Should resistance develop, most of the antibiotics would then prove to be useless in treating any other respiratory symptoms that may occur in the later parts of their life that could be fatal :(. Could she be wrong about this?
 
Pluie said:
Hmm, there was no diagnosis of upper respiratory, more like the first vet said she heard some sounds and they were given 2 weeks of doxy after that. the second vet (whom i feel is more experienced) recommended me not to get them started on too many antibiotics at this point in time as it is sneezing with no discharge and clear lungs given that they are only about 7 months of age. Should resistance develop, most of the antibiotics would then prove to be useless in treating any other respiratory symptoms that may occur in the later parts of their life that could be fatal :(. Could she be wrong about this?

Oh, I see. Ok, if the vet doesn't think it's any infection and simply sneezes, then I'd still try the Benedryl.
 
I'll see if i can get benadryl here, its only available on prescription. I guess I'll have to act sick! Would the adult dosages be fine? :( Both rats are 670 grams and 770 grams respectively :shock:
 
Pluie said:
I'll see if i can get benadryl here, its only available on prescription. I guess I'll have to act sick! Would the adult dosages be fine? :( Both rats are 670 grams and 770 grams respectively :shock:
Oh I forgot your location. I wonder if your vet would give you a prescription for it?
 
jorats said:
Pluie said:
I'll see if i can get benadryl here, its only available on prescription. I guess I'll have to act sick! Would the adult dosages be fine? :( Both rats are 670 grams and 770 grams respectively :shock:
Oh I forgot your location. I wonder if your vet would give you a prescription for it?

I'll try! :hugs: Thank u so much!
 
First post,

So one rat (Ricky) who is almost a year and otherwise very healthy has been sneezing for a while now.

I got him unfortunately from a pet store last May and was told he was about 3 months old, I'd believe it because he's filled out an extra 25% of his original body size. And no I don't mean he's just gotten really fat! Haha

So I bought Ricky and had him on the main floor of my house for a few months. Around mid-summer I moved him to my basement in my room. The room's temperature and moisture levels are fine and regulated. This is when his sneezing started. Sometimes he will have fast/lengthy outbursts of them maybe 1-2 times a week and has little sneezes here and there throughout the day... maybe 0-5 sneezes I see a day. I initially thought it was stress because he was alone, after ruling out the environment change that is. Im now in a new apartment back at school, and he is very content with his living arrangements, so stress is ruled out.

Anyways, he's now been living with an adopted brother (Ralphy) who's about 2 months or so. Now the little one has maybe sneezed 5 times over the duration of me owning him. He came from a lady who bred two if her healthy rats so I know he didn't have a respiratory infection when I received him and Im sure I can assume he has not caught anything from the older one, proving its not a URI seeing as they are highly contagious.. I hope. Also, his new cage mate and him get along wonderfully so Im thinking its safe to rule out stress causing his occasional sneezing.

Now, sorry for the novel but here is my last guess;
Bedding. Ive used Carefresh and a few other similar ones like it, nothing else. Tonight I am cleaning the cage and replacing it with linen scraps. If this does not cure the sneezing over the next two weeks I will be taking him to a vet. I am new to rats if you cant tell but really feel as if this isn't an URI. He's never been lethargic or had excess porphyrin ever.

Few questions:
Is my new bedding choice fine? (Linen/t-shirt scraps)
How quickly do URI's manifest?
How quickly do symptoms typically take to become evident if a one rat has infected another?

I hope I can get some answers to help rid me of this head ache, as well as provide others with some insight.. if theres any to be had from my blabbering!

Pics for clicks!:
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