My rat is making a weird noise!

Question
QUESTION: Well 3 weeks ago my rat Uno, 4 months old started to make a weird noise. He never sneezes, but he has phorphin coming out his nose! Well this is the noise he was like 8 weeks old when I got him and well my rat makes a noise like the one on this video!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLf8Umaj-Pk


Well some comments say it is a URI, some say it is stress can you please tell me what to do? I am only 13 and I can't afford a vet because my mom lost her job! I don't know what to do. He is on newspaper bedding and then I read they can be allergic to the dye! So now he is on towels and fleece. I love him, but NO VETS! What can I do? Oh and well he is with my other rats, which were born here and well they have never sneezed, or ever had phorphin, are they at risk?

ANSWER:  He has mycoplasmosis and the sound you hear is congestion in his nose and possibly lungs.  I hate so much to say this but if you read the responses on U tube after the video, many people said it was infection and I have to agree.   Now, you can try a few things first, but I cant promise it will help.  You need to have mom go to the store and buy SUDAFED LIQUID.   It must be the kind you sign for at the pharmacy that has  in it, not the other kind that doesnt have it.  They keep the sudafed with ephedrine in it behind the pharmacy counter.  Anyhow, you will give him  just a tiny  dose. You will need  a syringe and need to measure .05 which is a tiny drop really and give it to your rat every 6 hours.   If this doesnt help in a  few days I fear he may need a vet, even if you insist you cant go. Remember some vets let you make payments.

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

QUESTION: Well I had him on newspaper, and I tried to switch to towels. So 2 days on towels and he got a little better, then if he stays the same on wednesday we will buy the Sudafed liquid. I really can't afford a vet we still owe the vet money for my dog, and my mom thinks rats are disposible pets. I don't know what I'll do. Hey would childs antibiotics work, like the kind for infections? I may have some of that around. Is there anything special about baytril and doxicilen? Or are they just antibiotics. Or maybe we have 30mg amoxicillen. Will these help?

Answer
If he has mycoplasmosis, the amoxi wont help. The reason baytril is important is because there are few drugs that kill mycoplasmosis which is one of the most common causes of respiratory infections in rats. Myco has no cell wall and most bacteria has a cell wall. Antibiotics are made to fight the cell wall  in order to destroy infection. Baytril is one drug that will destroy the cell instead, which is the only way to fight mycoplasma.  This is why if a vet doesnt understand the way mycoplasmosis works they sometimes give the wrong drugs for it and the rat continues to remain ill and often gets worse. When this happens, their lungs can scar and the problem becomes chronic. When a rat has a respiratory infection related to myco, which is usually the case, they should be given baytril and doxycycline for at least 30 full days to wipe it out and put it in remission. If it comes back, they should be put on it for the rest of their lives, a high end dose of baytril once per day to avoid chronic lung disease.

Also, there is no such thing as a disposable pet. They all are living things with feelings and should always be treated with respect regardless of their species and how much they cost.  I am sorry your mom feels this way about rats.  Most parents let their kids have pets to teach them how to be responsible for them as far as care etc...part of being responsible is to make sure they have the proper care when needed.  


I wish I could help more.