Medications for head tilt

Question
Hi Sandra,

My female rat had a lump removed back in late August, no complications. The lump was removed from between her eye and ear and looked very similar to a zymbals gland tumor in web photos. In the last 2 weeks I have noticed my girl becoming unbalanced . My vet prescribed baytril BID at 0.2mls. However her balance is becoming worse and her head is now tilting to the side where her lump was removed. She has use of her limbs. I have noticed porphyrin around her nostrils in the last 3 days and is also occasionally jolting her body is short bursts at times of inactivity. I have taken her back to the vets where he gave her the antibiotic, Convenia by injection.

I would like to see if i can recommend any alternative medications to my poor girl, steroids and other antibiotics, would you recommend them in this case? I would like to do the best for my sweet friend.

Thank You, You do an amazing job with your wealth of knowledge.


Answer
Absolutely she needs steroids.  I am glad to hear she is still using her forelimbs.  Does she walk in circles or tend to spin when she walks?  

The rule of thumb is if the antibiotics don't work within three days its time to change to another drug right away. Antibiotics peak in the blood anywhere between 12 and 24 hours so 36 hours is plenty of time to see some improvement.  

Steroids help relieve pressure on the vestibular cochlear nerve which is the 8th cranial nerve that controls balance. Without the aid of steroids, it often takes a long time to see any improvement, sometimes none, and the rat will live with the tilt.  

Steroids are feared by many vets with the misconception that it will weaken the immune system over time. This is true, but not short term and not with an animal like the rat, who has a super fast metabolic rate that will burn off more than they absorb.  The benefits outweigh the risks in this case.

Thanks for your appreciation. Thats my goal here, to help as many rat owners as I can help to keep their pet rat happy and healthy.