rats sneezing

Question
I have 8 rats. 2 females, and 6 males. My boys have been sneezing a fair bit and I've been suspecting myco for a while. I took them to my local vet and the vet gave me some medicine for a respitory infection to put in their water daily for 10 days. They all improved, but it came back with in a matter of days after the medication stopped. They said it was impossible it could be myco and nothing was done after that. They sneeze at night time a fair bit and every so often their breathing is very loud and scratchy sounding. I have them on a healthy diet of rat food, fresh fruit and vegies.
I dont use any wood shavings in their cage because I was told that wood shavings can cause respitory illness. I bath them regulary and they are kept clean. I don't know what else to do.

Answer



Hi Emma

You said you do not know what else  to do? Well, here is one thing I strongly suggest You need a new vet. The local vet doesn't know much about rats nor does he know about how to medicate them.

Why does the vet say its IMPOSSIBLE to be myco when myco is found in the rats nasal passages, they are born with it, contracting it from their mother since it is found in the uterus as well.  So who can it be impossible when it is the number one cause of illness in rodents?

The problems with vets is this; they do not study rat medicine in and out and up and down like a true rat expert (if there really is such a thing as an expert, I dont know) I like to call myself a rat consultant since expert seems so extreme.  My main focus is on rats and their ailments so its alot easier for me to identify and advise when it comes to rats.

Your rat did a few things wrong when treating your rats. For starters, he did something that is taught as a basic treatment for rats which doesnt work. Its such an old treatment I cant believe they still teach this in Vet school. What I am talking about is putting medication in the water.
For starters, it is absolutely impossible for the rat to get an accurate dose of medication. Did you see the rat drink the exact amount of water he needed in order to get any medication in him at all?  Lucky the rats even liked the taste, this is a great way to dehydrate a rat. Lace their water with something they may not like and they are not going to drink. It takes just a day or less to cause a sick rat to dehydrate.  That wasnt a very bright way to treat your rats. That was an old fashioned way and it has since be proven that it doesnt work.  Obviously.

Your rats MUST be treated for the proper duration. Baytril, by mouth, for 21 to 30 days in order to really destroy the infection.  Mycoplasmosis is a bacteria without a cell wall. Few antibiotics will destroy this type of organism since they are made to destroy the cell wall.  So that means the rat must be given a drug that will destroy the cell itself.  This would be baytril and not baytril in  water (which is also a good way to decrease the effects of baytril by adding water to it.)   

These rats must be put on the baytril now and if they get sick again, they need to be put on it for the rest of their life or they will end up with scarring of the lungs etc.... please read up on myco to understand how it works and this way when you go to a new vet you can tell if they know what they are doing. However, I plan on helping you by suggesting a vet that knows about rat care once you tell me your location.  Not a vet that sees dogs and cats and pocket pets on the side but a real honest to goodness vet that has either a special interest in exotics or an avian/exotic vet that you can be guaranteed they know whats going on, and are no more different in price than the vet you just wasted your money on.

Now about the rat care and myco etc....  how many rats are kept in one cage and how large is the cage?  Having a cage that is too crowded, no matter what type of litter you use, is not real healthy for them.  Candles, cigarette smoke, even spraying the room with air fresheners is no good for rats lungs. You can use wood shavings but they cannot have phenol oils in them, which means the only wood shavings you can use safely is aspen or hemp. Pine and cedar are the bad ones. Corn cob bedding is also no good.

Next is the rats immune system.  Its vital the rats immune system is kept strong. If it becomes impaired, the rat will become susceptible to mycoplasmosis and if they had a respiratory infection once, they will be more prone to it again. Their diet should be low protein and fats and not a seed mix from the pet store and never use a lab block that has corn as the first ingredient.  Second or better yet, third on the list is best. Mazuri rodent blocks are ok but a tad high in protein.  Feed them a big bowl of the homemade rat mix that you will read about on my website if your not already using it.  Again, any rat mix sold at pet stores that contain seeds, peanuts etc....should be tossed outside for the birds this winter when its harder for them to find food.

Here is the link to my website. Be sure to go over the page on mycoplasmosis and also check out the page on proper diet.  Please let me know where your located so I can give you names of vet that will be able to care for your rats properly.  


http://sandyscrittercity.com/


Thanks for writing!