Rat. Gelatinous secretion from penis

Question
QUESTION: Dear Sandra,

Our rat 'active rat' - about 2 years 2 months old - overweight I'm afraid (.75 kg) otherwise healthy and happy. Just started to smell awful in the region of his winkle... not so much urine, as an off-sperm type smell. We have noted that he is ejecting small quantities of an off-white material like soft cheese. I feel confident that it is blocking his urinary tract and causing him problems. He want's his food - but can't concentrate too well on it, not sure if we have seen him drink or urinate lately.. there is no swelling or abnormality in colour, he doesn't seem to react badly to being touched anywhere, but he is quiet and looking a bit strained. He is also licking just about everything (although not the region in question -probably because he is too portly).  How does one deal with such an internal blockage? Rest assured - we will be taking him to the vet asap.. but we would highly value your opinion Sandra.

ANSWER: Sounds like infection....he needs a vet right now.

Please let me know how things go.

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

QUESTION: Just a report as requested about Active Rat. Took him for an x-ray today. It turns out there is no blockage in this case to the urinary tract - but they did note severe enlargement of the heart (not too surprising since he weighs .75 KG). The heart seems to be imposing itself on other organs and possibly causing the secretion, says the vet. We have some medications; baytril .2 ml daily. An injection at the vet. And I think.. Lasix Precliahic syrup? .2ml daily (can't read the prescription) to be collected from a pharmasist. The heart was described as "massive". He has been showing a definite increase in respiratory rate over the past couple of months and is lathargic - except when I whistle for him to come and get his food, in which case he can still really move! He's not short on food either. I reckon he is just a food driven rat, as the vet affectionately says - and the medical situation was inevitable. But he is a loveley chap -  a real gentleman actually, NEVER bitten us, never would. Our issue now is to assess correctly at just what point to intervene if he does not pass away naturally over the next few weeks. We won't want to act too soon, but of course it is hard to tell how he is really feeling.

Answer
Please go private.  I have extensive experience with cardiac disease and rats.  Your rat may have cardiomyopathy, which is an enlarged heart, but never ever has there been documented that there would be a gelatinous discharge from the penis.   He is on baytril, which is an antibiotic, so that means infection, but the vet did not admit that?  If he is that fat, .2ml is not enough baytril to even help make a difference on infection.  Also, the lasix will get rid of fluid build up, but what about heart disease?  He should be on other medications and needs a work up on his heart before it is proclaimed he has any heart disease.

Please refer to my website, sandyscrittercity.com and refer to the section on heart and lung disease and you can see the signs of heart disease, esp enlarged heart.

I would like to know your Vets credentials.  So many vets treat rats and cause more harm than good.  He should be on enalapril for his heart if it is so "massive"