mystery diagnosis

Question
Hi there,
I am quite concerned about my rat "Squeakers". Here is a little overview - I rescued him from a laboratory where he was housed for about 4 months. He was never experimented on but he has always had issues with being held -- hence the name Squeakers. I love to play with him but even after having him for over a year and a half he still just loves the comfort of his cage. He just turned 2 years last month and has had some issues recently. He's been to the vet about 5 times in the last 3-4 months where they've done x-rays and haven't found anything other than determining he just has a bad respiratory infection and can't seem to shake it off -- it thankfully hasn't progressed any further.  His lungs are clear, etc. I know that this happens in rodents and especially since Squeakers is getting up there in age but he had one particular episode yesterday that just really bothered me. He was fine all day -- other than a little sneezing for which he is still taking azithromycin and baytril -- but then right before I was heading out about 4pm I went to check on him. His face (mostly his nose and mouth) were covered in what I assume was porphyrin. It was actually pouring out of either his nose or mouth (I couldn't tell since there was so much) and he was having difficulty breathing. I thought that he was dying actually and rushed him to the vet. En route to the vet though his episode subsided and he started cleaning himself and the 10 minutes it took me to drive he had almost fully recovered and cleaned himself of all red stuff. They did another x-ray and listened to his lungs and still found nothing. What concerns me is not that they can't find an exact cause of his stress (probably resp infection) but the amount of stuff that was coming out of his nose and mouth. He literally soaked his bedding and house. It looked like a blood bath. Is this normal? The vet doesn't seem that surprised when I tell her but since this is my first rat I don't have anything to compare it to.  Thanks for any help!

Answer
Hi Heather

I cant imagine porphyrin pouring out of him like that...it doesnt sound right either unless it was mixed with lung fluids which is often seen in pneumonia.  Sounds like he was in severe respiratory distress when you were heading to the ER.  Have you ever noticed his extermeties turning blue or purple?  His muzzle and even tail and genitals can also be involved during a hypoxic state so cyanosis is often seen. It may occur when he is having difficulty breathing as well.  

He sounds like he needs strong medication. What meds has he been on?

He needs albuterol, two diffrent antibiotics, preferrably have them nebulized for a few days at the vets while kept on oxygen, and use both baytril and gentocin. Steroids can also help inflammation and aid in breathing too.

let me know what all he has had done in the past.