pet rat problem

Question
My rat had crusty eyes and seemed lathargic. About 2 years old? I brought her to the vet and was given atibiotics 2x per day. She seems like she can't open her mouth to eat or like something is wrong inside her mouth. She at first would take the med from the suringe but now I have to force it in the corner. She was eating a very little cottage cheese and nutri cal but now seems to have stopped that completely. Is there any hope? When she attemps to eat on her own she isn't really eating but tiny bites... Carrots I've had to slice in slivers and hold. She no longer is holding her own food. and sometimes she begins to rub her face and fall over.

Answer
If you can, check her mouth and see if her teeth are still aligned correctly and an appropriate size. Look for any growths, tumors or open sores. If you're unable to get her to open her mouth, a trip to the vet may be necessary to check for these things. If you can determine *what* is wrong, there is always hope. If there's nothing in her mouth, these are the last symptoms of a severe respiratory infection. Her antibiotics need to be changed, probably to either a different medication or a stronger dosage. She needs to be on soft, high calorie foods (like canned kitten or puppy food), and offered water from a syringe often. Make sure she doesn't need to move around for much, have it all close by. If you can keep her eating and hydrates and get her meds dialed in, yes, you may get her to bounce back.