PT or Ear infection?

Question
QUESTION: Hi,

been to the vets with my little on this morning - he's got the symptoms of PT or Ear infection, however he has lost the use of his front paws for clutching food - he is still standing on them though! Vet believes Tumor, but given both mimic each other iv asked for him to be treated with Baytril and Anti inflammatory in case, as id expect him to show improvement between 24-48 hours. if he doesn't then i think i will know my answer, however i need to ask someone elses opinion too.
hes 18 months, follows me round the house - hes like my best bud and we spend loads of time together so for his sake i need to be 100% before i make any decisions.
symptoms - cleaning/scratching his face more often, rolling over when trying to clean himself - heads not particularly tilted but he seems confused, stoke like symptoms where he put his hand on the bar of the cage but then his little arm just slid. wetting himself more - when hes actually not drinking loads at the moment. front top teeth more orange than a yellow, molting ( hes always done this) but its seems more. he can still walk but he is disorientated when he does. clingy, wants to be on me. - there is NO lump at all, his coat is still shiny. do you really believe im facing a tumor? i know you cant be sure esp without seeing him but i really want another opinion off what iv said.

Thanks

ANSWER: Hi.  Your story is so heartwarming about your best buddy and how he follows you around the house.  I think it's awesome that you allow him to roam like that, as sadly, most rat owners keep their rats in a cage the majority of the time.  

Your vet is correct in that a both a pituitary tumor and ear infection show very similar symptoms and I agree with the idea that treating for the ear infection is a good decision.  As you said, he should show improvement soon from the meds and you will have your answer if it was an ear infection.  

Pituitary tumors do show up between the ages of 12 - 24 months.  There would not be a lump as this tumor is internal.  If the news turns out to be unfortunate, you should be prepared.  You will need to make sure that his life is made as comfortable as possible with the proper medication to reduce the swelling caused by the tumor, thus easing his symptoms.  

Here is a link to a page written by my friend, who is also my mentor and authority on rats, about this type of tumor.  It discusses exactly what you need to do to prepare and the name of the steriod to be given.

http://www.sandyscrittercity.com/pituitarytumors.htm

I hope and pray that this turns out to be the ear infection and that your baby pulls through this.  I share your fears and know what it is like to imagine that you might lose your baby.  I recently had to make the decision to have my little girl rat euthanized as she had 2 mammary tumors and her quality of life was no longer there and was clearly miserable.  I felt in my heart when the time was right and am at peace knowing she is no longer suffering.

Please let me know if there is anything else I can help you with.  I would love to hear back from you, especially if the news is good.  Good luck.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thank you so much for responding so quickly. its a good feeling to know that people like you are about and willing to help, as mad as it sounds i think most people already know the answers themselves but its a safety thing knowing your about to answer questons.

i have visited the web site you provide so many times - i find it such a help to refer to, and there are many things within it that comfort you to knowing your doing the right thing.

i too have been a rat owner for years and have gone through many things with them, i always feel like i deal with the harder things - perhaps its fate i don't know - as you say many people keep them locked away in cages for all hours of the day sometimes not even seeing them - this makes me mad. perhaps because i look after them 24/7 then i get to deal with the harder times too.

i adopted little Petie ( whose poorly# from a family which abandoned him when he was tiny because he fought with other rats - I'll be honest - he took some training a right little terror when he was little - hes not one for having other rat friends - he just wants human company, which is fine by me as he has all my time. i said he follows me round the house, he does, # well did# he comes to his name, loves his belly rubbed, and just loves being close to me, my friends and family think im mad, but i don't care hes my baby! and show i think it should be no matter what pet you have, you should dedicate your time to them, if you cant people shouldn't have them at all!

anyway - one day on from the visit to the vets, hes no worse, but hes no better either. Hes eating # my special potato and carrot with cheese blend# just to give him something he likes, and hes eaten his porridge # made water and kept watery# which i guess is something - however hes not drinking from his bottle - which is my real concern, he hobbles over to his dried food in the cage but he cant eat it - he cant pick it up - its almost like he cant see its there but can sense it. i think tomorrow will be the real day i can tell, id expect to see improvement by tomorrow but if not then i think that the time i need to make a decision, even though im prepared to give him all my time # iv not been to work for 2 days now!) i cant bare to see him struggle or suffer and when hes not himself and looking like he doesn't know where he is, i cant bare to see this and i worry that if i was to keep him longer that it will get worse and them im bad for allowing it to reach this far.

i sometimes wonder why i have rats and put myself through all this upset, but you know what... i do it cuz if i didn't it would be someone else who did and i always wonder if they would have had a wonderful life as they would have had with me.  lets keep everything crossed that i see some improvement tonight /tomorrow - Thank you so much for your e-mail back to me, i really appreciate it.

Answer
I can tell you are a very special person with a huge heart.  I think if you have enough pets in your life, you are bound to deal with as much of the "bad" as the wonderful.  I believe we all have a calling in life and one of yours, you must believe, is to care for these wonderful misunderstood loving little creatures.  I also believe we must accept challenges given to us in life, such as the one you are living through right now, as they make us stronger along the way.  

You should never give up on rats if you love them like you do, nomatter the circumstances.  You have so much love to give them, and they bring you so much fun and lasting memories when they are gone.  That's how I feel at least.

It sounds from what you said in your latest post that if you don't see improvement in one more day that you are going to consider euthanization.  Please don't rush into that until you have tried the steriod from your vet.  If the steroid works to ease his symptoms, he may be with you for several weeks or even months...that is so much time to share together and more memories to collect.  You'll know when it is truly the right time but give him a chance to live a little longer if he's hangin in there okay with the meds.

I hope to hear from you again soon.  Thank you also for sharing some of your experiences with your little rattie friend.  You can post a pic of him also if you like :)