squinty eye and painful/itchy ear?-- Part 3

Question
QUESTION: This little guy's almost 3 months old. He was attacked a bit by another rat when younger, with a few bites. I noticed then that his eye was a bit squinty, but thought it was just hurt a bit in the scuffle and will heal. I kept an eye on it, and it later seemed to devellop a milky haze in behind. He was on Amoxicillan for a respiratory infection at the time. I thought that should get rid of any infection, but i started using Ocuflox eye drops too. He didn't like them at all, and after a week or so, it didn't seem to help. Now he's been on Baytril and Doxycicline for over a week. There's no haze but he squints but i've also noticed that it's not just his eye. It's like that side of his face is tense, like he holds that ear down and back, and his mouth is held a bit higher on that side. I'm so scared that he's in pain. But with having been on all those antibiotics, it couldn't be an infection, and what else could it be? I thought it could be nerve damage from if he was bit near there.
The vet will be calling me back this afternoon to talk about it, and if i have to bring him in, i definitely will. But i think you might have lots of experience and might have an opinion about what might be the problem. Have you heard of anything like it? I'm not looking for an answer INSTEAD of going to the vet. But i would like your experienced opinion.
Thank you so much.

ANSWER: Oh Joleen I am truly sorry for not getting to this sooner. I must have had 50 questions and some were tossed into SPAM.  If it wasnt for allexperts sending me a reminder I would have missed this!!

By now you have probably seen the vet. I am concerned that there could have been perhaps a localized infection or even an abscess. Was there nerve damage?  Please let me know the outcome.  

Thanks

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

QUESTION: Oh that's ok. Thanks so much for taking the time.
Yes i've seen the vet, and he said even if Flurry was on antibiotics, it might not help a more external ear infection, so he gave me drops to put in twice a day (called Canaural). Poor little Flurry hates it. The vet said there was some irritation way down in the ear, and that his eye was a little red around it from scratching it. But i still don't know why his eye was milky a few weeks back. I didn't think an ear infection would do that.
But sadly, it's been almost a week on the drops, and Flurry doesn't seem better. I hope they're going in deep enough, i'm sure they are. I'm scared of what else it could be. Obviously something is bothering him.
And i've wondered if he maybe has tollerance to antibiotics, cause he was on Amoxicillan for 3 weeks when i first got him, then he's been on Baytril and Doxy for a few weeks now, but he still has a bit of a weeze sometimes. So maybe that's why his ear isn't getting better either.
I'd like to bring him back to the vet, but i don't know what else it could be. And i'm really scared of the cost for any tests needed to find out.
He's been a vet for years and has lots of experience with rats, but he's not certified for exotics. I know of a vet in the city who is, but he is super expensive. I know we must take care of our pets, and even though i don't have a whole lot of money for them, they have a great home (They have the best food, water, bedding, and antibiotics on hand.) But i definitely don't want any to suffer.
I try to keep a bit of money saved up for them, but my husband has his limits about any extra (and what i have now was going to go toward my dog's shots, though if i need it for Flurry i'll use it).
So this vet loves animals and isn't too expensive. But i don't want to have to bring Flurry there yet again cause i'm scared of how much it will cost. I'll call the vet to ask him what he thinks over the phone, he does that sometimes, and about maybe why he thinks Flurry is still raspy and if we should try another antibiotic. I just wish the drops would've helped.
Did you think there could be nerve damage? It just seems like there is something that's bothering him, even hurting him. There's no lump under the skin, so i don't think he has an absess, and it was quite a while ago that he got bit. And if it was an absess in the ear, i'm sure the vet would've seen it.
I wish i was a vet. It bothers me that i can't help Flurry. I read alot and try to learn alot, but i know i can't do it all on my own. I just don't know why the antibiotics and ear drops aren't helping.
I would like you opinion. I know you can't diagnose anything.
And i'll call the vet when it's been a week to see what he thinks. I hope i don't have to go back in.
Though all the worry, the love and good times together make having rats worth it. I keep telling myself that :)

Joleen

Answer
taking oral antibiotics will still help an inner ear infection. It will enter the blood stream and help kill the bacteria that is causing the infection.  Ear drops are ok to use but should not be the only source of antibiotic treatment.  He would need to be on the meds for months at a time before building a tolerance but also, people misunderstand how the rat can become tolerant to antibiotics.  For starters, if the rat is not taking the antibiotics properly, they can become tolerant. For example, they need to be given for the proper duration.  When people stop using the meds because they see improvement and only give the meds for a few days, this can cause tolerance.  Also, using the wrong meds for the wrong bacteria can create a tolerance too.  Using the right medication for the right amount of time will not cause tolerance.
How are things going?