Decent rat vet in my area?

Question
QUESTION: Can you recommend a good rat vet in my area?  I noticed you told someone else that all you needed was a zip code to find a good vet.  My zip is 35405, they're are plenty of vets in the area but I'm unsure who is best suited for dealing with rats.

ANSWER:  Dr. Alvin Atlas
Riverview Animal Clinic
4640 Highway 280 South
Birmingham AL 35242
Phone:  205-991-9580
Website: www.RiverviewAnimalClinic.net


Dr. Atlas is NOT a certified exotic vet, but has a special interest in exotics and attends workshops etc...in order to stay current with the rapid speed that exotic animal medicine is advancing.  




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

QUESTION: I plan on calling that office tomorrow during office hours, but if you can get back to me before then I have another question.  I am a owner of 4 girl rats and 5 boy rats.  The boy rats are all usually within the same weight range, but today I noticed one has lost a good bit of weight.  This rat in particular, his name is tank, has always breathed a bit heavier than his brothers/sisters.  He has always been just as active and ate the same/was the same weight, but he always looked like he had labored breathing (chest moved a bit rapidly, but his mouth was never opened to breath, he could breath through his nose fine).  Sorry for all the details but I know you need as much as you can to make a good diagnosis.  I love these rats and want to get him the help he needs, they've given me a lot!

ANSWER: Has he ever had a respiratory infection?

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

QUESTION: He hasn't, he's had the labored breathing since we've had him but he's always been fat, active, and healthy so we never thought anything of it.  I'm worried it may be an infection now, I plan on taking him to a vet tomorrow but I'm worried the vet will do more harm than good.  The weight loss is substantial enough to have me worried, but he's still playful and I have seen him eating a small amount of food.  The other rats to be honest are very overweight, as he once was.  I wouldn't say he's too skinny now but if he continues to lose weight at this speed it would be bad.

Answer
It could be heart disease too...  check out my website, sandyscrittercity.com and refer to heart disease and also mycoplasmosis.   

The vet I suggested sees rats etc....  just let me know the treatment, arm yourself with knowledge on what should be done if it IS a respiratory infection such as what to use and how long to use it. His weight, he should be dosing baytril as per his weight, and if he is that chubby he should at least take .30 mls of baytril twice a day, or .3 etc...depending on the syringe used.   He should dose for 4 weeks *30 days*  and if he is not showing signs of improvement in three days, he should be given a second drug.  If his lungs sound super bad, he should be given gentocin and steroids.  Nebulizing him at the Vets would be a good idea too.

Again, check out my site and read about heart disease and go over the signs.