Luigi-My Pet Rat

Question
6 months ago we purchased young brother rats from the local pet store both blue rats.  Luigi the smaller of the two rats was looking a little worse for wear almost over night, his eyes looked bugged out, he looked smaller than normal and he was not able to stand up or walk properly.  i noticed he was wheezing also.  We took him to the vet who treated him with a weeks worth of antibiotics and steroids, at the end of the week he was full of energy although he still walked crooked he seemed fine, we joked that the steroids made him a little more agressive than normal (not that he ever bit or anything) he was just off the wall.  Treatment concluded on a Sunday that same day I noticed he had dirty hands and a dirty mouth so I tried to wash him, I thought he might have eaten his poop or something which I found odd but then he had been acting strangely.  Two days later I notice that what I thought was dirt was his top lip that looked like it was literally rotting off of his mouth, I was sick to my stomach when I made this discovery and yet it was bedtime and we were leaving early in the morning on vacation so I asked a friend to look in on him as I could not get him to a vet in the morning.  Our friend cleaned him up got him on another set of antibiotics and seemed like he was doing well but then he passed away two days later in the his sleep.  He still had seemed to have a good appetite and seemed happy BUT this sore on his lip it seemed like he was eating at it which was leading to the erosion, and the lip was deterorating at a rapid pace.  I am just wondering what it might have been, we were crushed and it was really very disturbing.  We also had a hamster that passed away suddenly, I just dont know if there was something airborne or if it was a coincidence, we did not see that coming either he was fine and then just died.  Luigis brother Nickodemus seems to be fine, he is thriving and very very huge but he does sneeze a lot.  Any insight you can share would be great, I could not get anyone including the vet to tell us anything everyone was at a loss.  No bedding change, dont think he was bit by a spider on his mouth, he was separate from the other rat all by himself.  

Thank you in advance!
Erin Jacobs


Answer
I really cant say what it was without a photo of the area.   However, it sounds as if there was massive infection going on and if this was the case, the bacteria may have crossed over into the blood stream which results in sepsis. This is fatal in most cases.  

I am very sorry for your loss.