Need help finding a RAT vet!

Question
QUESTION: My rattie Cherio who is 18 months old has an enlarged abdomin. She's had pyrometra before where bright red blood was coming out of her vagina and she was put on Baytril and she got better. Now, I noticed a tiny spec of dark dried blood but no oozing. I am afraid to take her to a vet we've used before because 2 of our pets (a lizard, and another rattie) died after being treated there. It's a place that advertises to treat exotics. Our zip code is 75025. Please help me find a good vet that treats rats. Thank you.

ANSWER: Please let me know where you were going (go private, this way it will be between just you and I) I can tell you if they were truly exotic vets or just vets that "see" exotics.

Also, how far are you from Dallas?  My mother in law lives in Plano, by the way. Just went there for a visit right after the horrible hurricane (Katrina) came through and we drove from NC to Texas and had a helluva time getting through Mississippi and Louisiana. What WERE we thinking?!!

I am now living in Florida though...had to leave my very wonderful vet behind so I know what its like first hand to have to search for a vet that has a clue when it comes to rats.

I have a few names in mind for you...would you be willing to drive to Dallas, by chance? Again, let me know where you went. Sometimes the place that says they see exotics allows ALL the vets there see them and the one vet that knows what she (or he!) is doing doesnt see your small exotic companion mammal and so you leave thinking they all are clueless when the one vet that knows what they are doing was off that day! Seriously...it happens all the darn time!



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

QUESTION: I had gone to Parker Bird and Animal Clinic on 75023 in Plano. They may be good with other rats but told me by Bearzie was going to die and I took her to Petco and she lived almost another year (died at 19 mo).

Yes, I am willing to drive to Dallas. Her mass just gets bigger and I found some Baytril from last year and have been giving her about .5cc twice a day hoping to see a difference.

Thank you for your time.

Sheri Saunders

ANSWER:  
There are few facilities that have certified exotic Vets, with the exception of the one listed in Sugar land, which I think is out of your range, and another in Huston, again, far...but there is a good place in Plano for you. The Vet, Dr. Elizabeth Rogers, does NOT have a board certification in avian/exotics, but she has a strong interest in working with them and has also alot of experience with small mammal surgery, so she is a good one to contact for your rat. Your rat should have been spayed if she had pyometra...end of story. This may be an option now, but the infection needs to be under control too. I am worried about the enlarged abdomen. It could be a uterus full of pus. This requires a very skilled vet that is good with surgery on small mammals.  Recently, we had a female dog who we got as an older dog, she was intact, unfortunately. A few months ago, her uterus swelled up so much she looked pregnant. She had a horrible case of pyometra and we had to do an emergency spay. She weighed well over 80lbs at the time of surgery. The skilled Vet saved her life, managing to NOT spill a drop of infection into her abdomenal cavity when she removed her uterus that was full of at least 16lbs of pus. Gross huh?  This set us back over $1000 for this dog, who now weighs just 70lbs.  All of that extra weight was PUS!  This is much like female intact rats and the only true way to cure this is to spay....but again, I would make sure she was on a good strong antibiotic, two actually...baytril and something else that is a major broad spectrum.


Dr. Stephen Fronefield
ABC Animal & Bird Clinic
11930 Highway 6 South
Sugar Land TX 77498-5723
Phone:  281 495-9445
Website: www.myabcvet.com

*******

Dr. Elizabeth Rogers
Animal Medical Center of Plano
5809 Colt Road
 Plano TX 75093
Phone:  972-985-8448
Website: www.planovets.com


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

QUESTION: I will call Dr. Rogers monday. I want to tell you I took her to Petsmart and they admit they don't really know rats and do not do surgery on them but would take a look at her. Dr. Riperda used to work there and was wonderful with rats but is not there anymore. Anyway, the vet who looked at Cherio felt a hard mass (I felt it too) and said he felt it was an enlarged spleen, maybe liver, but believed it was the spleen and said he could do nothing for her. I asked for pain meds and got nothing. I don't know if she's in pain as she eats, drinks, grooms, active when out of cage but when she's in cage, she stays at the bottom, not like herself with front paws clenched. She grinds too but I don't think it's her happy grind. I will call Dr. Rogers Monday. Thank you for the referral as I really really appreciate it!

Sheri Saunders

Answer
Sometimes a vet that is not up to par about rats may mistake the full bowel as a spleen....I would at least hope it isnt the spleen.... but we will wait and see.  Check my website on leukemia in rats....see if anything sounds familiar.  Let me know how it goes

Sandyscrittercity.com is my site in case you forgot