constant eye infection

Question
QUESTION: My 8 month old rat has a constant eye infection. Two trips to the vets and two types of eye drops have not solved his problem. I am reluctant to go back because of the cost and the problem isn't being rsolved. The eye in question is more closed than the other as we suspect that he has had a stroke. Could this be the cause and is there anything I could do to solve the eye infection?

ANSWER: Hi Kerry ann


No, I seriously doubt it is a stroke. For starters, strokes are not common in rats this age and he would have other neuroligial symtoms such as weakness in the limbs and other signs rather than simply having one eye more closed than the other.

What are your vets credentials?  Many vets that see rats and other small animals are not exotic certified but make the claim to the be vet that sees exotics at the clinic, often confusing the client into thinking they are seeing a board certified exotic vet. There are only 115 of these vets worldwide but if your lucky enough to have one near you to see your rat, this is your best bet.  These vets usually have clinics that are solely for avian/exotics and do not usually take dogs and cats.

The reason I ask is because of the lack of being able to properly treat the eye infection and the diagnosis of a stroke in a rat that is just now entering puberty.

What is the eye doing? Is it cloudy? Protruding? Is there a film over it such as a white haze or discoloration?  Is it draining or oozing pus?

What drops were used and for how long?  Sometimes the only way to stop an eye infection is to remove the eye,depending on the pathogen.  

See my webpage for photos on eye infections and compare to the rat featured that has an eye infection but had to have his eye removed after several attempts to treat it had failed. He is my own boy, Santana.  
Scroll down half way till you find the section on eye infections!
here is the link:

http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/rathealthinformation.htm



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

QUESTION: I originally took my rat to the vet concerning a 'head tilt' which he has. His left eye faces up (which is normal size) and his right eye points more downwards (which is not so large nor protruded as his normal eye); we assumed the tilt was partly to do with a lack of sight in his right eye. He was given antibiotics, then had a steroid injection which didn't solve the problem. The vet suggested a referral to an exotic pet specialistic, which I couldn't afford. Since the head tilt doesn't seem to bother him we left it. The vet said it could be caused by a stroke or brain tumour which they couldn't diagnose without an mri scan. The first eye drops he had were mild, and the eye infection returned the day after. The second eye drops contained steroids. His eye seems to ooze red gunk and is a little more closed than it already is. I really don't want to have my rat put down because of an eye infection, but I want to know if it is worth taking the rat back to the vet because of the cost of getting to this point, where nothing has been solved. Could the eye infection be related to the head tilt and is it likely that there is anything I can do?

ANSWER: Did the red gunk cake around the eye and does it continue to do so?

The head tilt needs treated for up to 30 days with baytril and also the steroids need to be more than just one injection. He should be put on prednisone for at least 10 to 14 days along with the injection. Head tilt is a real problem to go way if untreated.  Exotic vets are no more than a general vet. People throw more money away going to a vet that hasnt a clue how to treat these animals. It sounds like he has porphyrin discharge from his eye which is why I asked if it caked around the eye. Is is reddish brown?

If you dont mind, I can at least give you a few names for vets that can possibly help your rat rather than keep going to someone that cant.  I admire general vets for trying to treat rats but they really should not. They often make matters worse (prolonging infection by under treating it just like in this case) so I would of course not do anything else with him if you dont want to see another vet unless you want to suggest to your vet that you have contacted me (which more than likely he will roll his eyes since I am not a vet) but you can let him know the proper protocol for treating inner ear infections.  

It still may be an eye infection, but I have a feeling since it hasnt cleared up at all, its porphyrin discharge.

Does it look like this photo?

http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/bloodynoseandeyes.htm

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

QUESTION: It looks exactly like that picture! I've tried removing thing that might be an irritant, and changed the bedding to pellets. Could it not be an eye infection then?

Answer

Right, its NOT an eye infection. It is porphyrin discharge and your vet should know this. That scares me that the vet is giving this poor animal antibiotics for porphyrin secretions that is  non bacterial.

Not only does the rats eye have porphyhrin discharge but you noticed a difference between the eyes? This is a common symptom of inner ear infection and it usually affects the eye that the infected ear is on.

It is called enophthalmos which means posterior displacement of the eye often seen with inner ear infection.  

So once again, the vet has no idea what he is seeing or working with here, and that is scary.


This poor guy has an inner ear infection that is causing his head tilt etc...and because of the stress he is producing excessive porphyrin.  You need a new vet that knows more about rats unless this vet is willing to PROPERLY treat your rat.  He needs STEROIDS by mouth, not by injection, and he needs antibiotics for at least 21 days to 30 days.  He will continue to be like this if he doesnt get steroids.  As long as he can eat and drink and seems happy this is a good sign, but shame on this vet for not knowing the difference.  I wish these non exotic vets would stop dabbling in exotics. They cause more harm than good half the darn time!!  I am ticked. I hate seeing this happen to people and their rats.
He should have never agreed to see your rat if he did not even know as much as to know what porphyrin discharge was!

I remember now that you said you cannot afford another vet trip, which I can totally understand.  If only this vet would have been honest from the start and send you elsewhere you would not have wasted your money.
Perhaps you can call and tell him you consulted with a rat care specialist who is mentored by exotic vets and let him know that this is NOT an eye infection and tell him it is porphyrin discharge and that he needs better medication because of the head tilt. Steroid injections are ok if he is willing to give them every few days which I do not suggest since rats dont do well with injections due to their lack of body mass to properly inject the medication.

He should be given the following medication in order to recover:


It is necessary for long term therapy for 3-6 weeks, with broad-spectrum antibiotics such as:

    enrofloxacin (baytril)
    doxycycline
    amoxicillin
   
Or the combined antibiotics if progress is not seen within 3 to 5 days:


   baytril/ doxycycline
   baytril / amoxicillin
   
Corticosteroids such as prednisone should be used. Corticosteroids along with oral antibiotics should be started right away. Failure to do this may result in permanent head tilt. Even if the head tilt cannot be reversed totally, as long as he can eat and drink and walk ok, he will be able to live with it.

Hang in there ok?  Your doing the best you can and the good news is, you know what is wrong with him and that he doesnt have an eye infection and the reason the eye looks that was is due to the ear infection.  
When there is inner ear infection, it causes inflammation on the 8th cranial nerve (vestibulocochlear nerve) which causes loss of balance and head tilt since this nerve controls equilibrium. Again, getting the inflammation to go away is key to recovery.

Even if he is going to be stubborn about steroids,I would pretty much demand he treat this rat properly at this point.



Do you know that not long ago some poor girl wrote in and said her rat had head tilt and was walking like she was drunk and the vet told her she had a brain tumor and suggested she put her to sleep....so she put her to sleep and wrote me a few hours later asking about brain tumors. She said the vet tried a few days on medication but she didnt respond   (no steroids or anything for inflammation was used) so they gave up and put her down. Luckily she still had her little body so I asked her to take the rat to another vet I knew of to have a necropsy done. Sadly, the necropsy showed what I already knew and feared: The vet was totally wrong and this poor rat did NOT have a brain tumor. Instead she had simply an inner ear infection that could have been treated if the vet knew what he was doing. This poor 8 month old little rat died for no other reason but the Vet was ignorant to rat ailments and had no business taking care of rats, period.  I hated to tell her that her rat died for nothing but had to make she sure she did not take her other rats to this vet.

I would call your current vet and let him know what you found out.Heck teach him a thing or two!
I hate to sound so mean and I am sorry but I just feel like you have been led around by the nose and the rat could have been properly treated and feeling better long ago.  I knew right off that when the vet said this young rat had a stroke that he was way off base.