My rat gasping for air

Question
My rat Mojo was just gasping for air for 30 minutes and then started breathing normally.  He's 2 year 4 months old and is paralyzed in his back legs. (the vet checked him out a month ago to see how he was dealing with his paralysis and he said he was healthy) He's been eating well and drinking lots of water and is getting baths regularly to keep him clean. He is also peeing and pooping regularly.  He's a marked and hooded fancy rat.

My other rat Homer passed away from pneumonia a year ago with no warning signs, just started gasping for air, the emergency vet wanted to treat him, but it was too expensive, didn't have the best odds of improvement, and we had two other rats that we didn't want to get infected. So he was put down that night.

I cannot afford to go to the vet right now and I'm curious if there is anything I can do.  I do have some Baytril in my fridge will that help?

The more morbid question that crossed my mind: If he starts gasping again and doesn't stop, how long does he have to live?

Mojo is my baby, I love him very very much. If there is anything at home that I can do for him, I'd love suggestions.

Answer
I would suggest amoxicillin rather than Baytril and you can actually put him on a prophylactic dose of amoxicillin, 10 mg per dose, once a day, to help with his breathing. If the gasping attack has only been a minute or 2, I would say that he may have had a mild heart attack, but the length of the attack leads me to believe instead that it is related to his lungs instead.

Next time he has a gasping attack, you can also use an inhaler for him as well, to help him breathe easier as well.

I have had a rat that, once taken off of soy and her immune system started to kick in, would have gasping attacks like that a couple of times a month for almost 6 months before we finally made the decision to have her put to sleep. Our intention was to let her pass naturally, however, she was too much of a fighter and if you even walked close to her when she would start gasping, she would fight harder to stay with us. We knew that, because of the length of the attacks, that she was having both breathing issues AND heart attacks and rather than let her waste away, we decided to pet her to sleep and this may, eventually, be the ultimate decision.

I think, at this point, the best way to treat it would be a rescue inhaler, like Primatine Mist which you can buy over the counter, or one prescribed for asthma, when he has hi attacks, and to but him on a prophylactic dose of amoxicillin to help keep him free of any bacteria that he may have in his lungs and to prevent any from getting in.

Tami
Social Rats Adoption and Rescue - Chicago, IL