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Another rat girl is ill...PLEASE Help!!

21 17:33:52

Question
Can anyone help me??? I am not sure who will receive this but I get emails all the time since I joined this group so I thought I'd try to reach out. I need HELP!! I am a rat owner/former breeder and since most of my rats were adopted around the same time period, they are all slowly passing away one by one for different reasons. They all made it past 2 years though. Anyways, I am not familiar with my female rats current sickness...she lost weight dramatically and she is like skin, hair, and bones. She is very weak and is a bit off balance due to it (just a little, it's not a pituitary or head-tilt problem).She still eats solid foods and treats and I am given here baby rice cereal and formula. She has rapid breathing and the red mucus around her nose and mouth. I just noticed last night that her stool is very black and a bit slimy and her urine is yellow, creamy/cloudy, and very thick or it may just be a discharge! Also, I noticed a thin ring of blood around her anus.
I have researched everywhere without finding an answer that confirms what this probably is. There isn't a vet in my area experienced enough with rats (believe me, I looked everywhere) and I've spent over $2,000 in the last 8 months on my rats at the vet I currently go to alone! He checked her out (Leelu - my rat) and just gave me some baytril and doxycycline (what he usually prescribes for everything my rats have and it has never helped in the past). I have been giving it to her mixed in the baby rice/formula/maple syrup mixture orally with a syringe twice a day (noon & 11pm) since Monday and she has shown no improvement!
I have researched more today and I am thinking of possibly some type of Endo-Parasite??? I need more info on how to determine this and I have only Ivermectin on hand for treatment. Do you think this might be her illness/problem? She has hair loss but I figured that was just old age.
She has been this way for around 2-3 weeks so please help me with anything/advise/links/etc. A.S.A.P. before it is too late for Leelu...she was the one whom inspired me to start my rattery over 2 years ago. She means a lot to me and I love her so much. PLEASE HELP US!!!! I will video tape her and send it to you somehow. Here is my email address so we don't loose contact:
                
I don't expect you to remember, but I was the same person last week with my Blondie having CHF and putting her on oxygen tank treatment...if you do remember, she passed away last Sunday morning on my chest.PLEASE GET BACK TO ME AS SOON AS YOU CAN. THANKS!

Kindest Regards,
Nikki Scott  

Answer
Hi Niki

Its me, SAndra. I am the one that talked to you about the oxygen tank and yes I remember you.

I am sorry you lost Blondie :(

We dont get writers email addresses sent to us, as they are first filtered through allexperts for your privacy. If you want to reach me in private so we do not lose contact you can write to me at
Sandyscrittercity@yahoo.com

I am only offering this to you and ask others to not write me there unless I offer them my email address. I try to stick to answering rat related problems here on allexperts unless it becomes an emergency. Nikki, write to me at the address above ok?

I will sort through things and talk more to you about it tomorrow. Hang in there ok?