Poor Rat

Question
QUESTION: Hi I hope you can help us.Our Reggie the rat has a problem.He is just over 2-years old & for the last 2 weeks he's starting to have some sort of fits.One minuite he just sits there looking and the next jumps up smashing himself around the cage & usually ending upside down & his breathing is really fast,then about 1 minute later he is back on his feet walking around again.Were pretty worried about him as he is losing weight & he is not eating & drinking like he used to.These spasms or fit happens roughly every 45minutes.Is there anything we can do to cure him.

ANSWER:
Sounds like he is having panic attacks.  He needs checked right away by a good exotic vet. He may have problems catching his breath, be it from his heart or perhaps even his lungs.  I have a rat doing this now and has done it for a few months due to heart disease. When the heart beats fast it makes it hard for them to breathe and they panic, but once they assume a certain position they are able to catch their breath, usually leaning over the ledge, or sometimes they extend their neck out, or even end up upside down like your rat does. Once they calm down they are ok for a while but it happens again and again.

Can you tell me about his past history? Did he have alot of respiratory issues before? Anything you can tell me will help.
         
He needs checked ASAP and treated, because if this is what is going on, it is truly a scary experience for them to endure and there are medications they can take to help keep him comfortable and calm.
If you need a vet, let me know and I will help you find one in your area.

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

QUESTION: Hi Thanks for your prompt reply.No he has never suffered any problems in the past.My other half just puts it down to him being old & probably got a tumor,but I'm not convinced at this stage.I am willing to take him to a Good exotic Vet and can you recommend one.We live in Hertford,Hertfordshire.

ANSWER: Hopefully these places are at least an hour or less from you:

Dr. William Lewis
he Wylie Veterinary Centre    
196 Hall Lane
 Upminster Essex
Phone:    01708251200
Website: www.wylievets.com

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This place has a cute dumbo rat on the page named ELMER! LOL


Wendover Heights       
1 Tring Road
 Halton Aylesbury Bucks HP22 5PN
Phone:    01296 623439
Website: www.whvc.co.uk

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

QUESTION: hi.  We took poor reggie to the vets on saturday but unfortunatly after examining him they concluded that he had a brain legion to the right.  They said that they might be able to control the fits with drugs but they would get worse until they were one long fit.  After long thought we decided that it was not fair on poor Reggie to go through this as he was an old boy in rat years and it was hard for the children to see him poorly all day.  He was given gas to make him sleepy then was given an injection to put him to sleep with a big cuddle from our youngest daughter as he passed away. They also noticed he had blood in his urine so said there could have been more underlying problems aswell so we feel we have made the right decision. Many thanks for all your advise and i hope this write up helps other rat owners in the future.

Answer
I am very sorry for your loss.  I read over again your first message and also how I suggested it may be a panic attack, which of course is very scary for the rat. The chance there was something in the brain only confirms he was having some sort of fit and I agree that letting him go was the very best thing you could do for him.  I hope your heart heals fast.