Heart Murmur??

Question
Hi Sandra

Please can you shed any light on my poorly little girl? she's 19 mnths old and suddenly on Monday night I found her sprawled out on the bottom eof the cage (she looked like a flat pancake) I took her out the cage and put her on the sofa she seemed very lathargic but didn't want cuddles she wanted to be on her own - she tried to walk off but just collapsed/pancaked out and half shut her eyes - then she had a burst of enerygy and ran off the sofa along the floor then suddenly collapsed again. I took her straight to the vets who said she could hear a heart murmur. Her ears, feet and tail feel cold and are quite pale. Last night I took her out the cage for a cuddle and she started to really suck in her sides and looked very agitated - she's currently on Frusedale and a diuretic as her belly looks really swollen but she's very skinny ontop with all this loose swollen skin around her middle. i'm terrified as she seems paniky and is also bruxing alot (which I think is pain cos she only usually bruxes when I'm cuddling her - she is also ripping up her bed and blanket) should I ask the vet for pain killers too if so which one as I read that Metacam may do more harm than good? do any of her symptoms sound familiar to you? if so do you have any recomendations to make this easier for her?

Thank you

Jodie x

Answer
Please read my site, sandyscrittercity.com and refer to the page on heart disease.

However, she may have pneumonia too, regardless of the heart murmur.  I think perhaps you need another vet. Please go private and let me know the name of your current Vet. Going private protects privacy, of course, but there is no law in telling me the name of your vet, either. I am curious as far as he or shes ability to properly treat rats.  Many claim to see exotics and 90% of them should keep their hands off of them!