head tilt in pet rat

Question
We had a dear female rat(2years) Remi die last spring from a vet diagnosed Pituitary tumor that we tried to treat as an ear infection with Baytril and Prednisone. After treatment, her eye began to buldge more, and she went down hill fast. She continued to loose use of front limbs and experienced complete loss of balance. Our Dear young one,  Rainier(2years now) just started showing signs of head tilt last thursday night. We took her to the vet Friday morning, and they put her on Baytril .25cc(8days) and Prednisone .30cc 2xday5days,1xday5days,1/2 dose as needed for symptoms?? Is this long enough in your opinion for the antibiotic? She is still got a slight head tilt but seems slightly better than last Friday 5 days on meds. Tommorow we start reducing the steroid and the antibiotic is almost gone( they didn't give me enough for the 8 days)I am going to call the vet in the morning and ask for more antibiotic. Should I inquire about extending the length of dose for the Baytril?... and what is safe and common for Prednisone? I just pray this is not a Pituitary tumor. She seems happy and has good use of her limbs, eating like a champ, and loving the karo Syrup her meds are diluted with. Her slight head tilt remains but she is no longer climbing/falling out of her hammock or tiping and rolling when held so I do see some inprovement. Please help! I want to do all we can for her!

Answer

I am so sorry for your loss. Its always hard when we lose our babies no matter how many times we have lost them. I lost my 42nd rat last week and I am still heart sick. He was over 3 and a half years old and now I am down to having just three males, all senior citizens ages 2.5 to 3.5 years old so I know that it will be a year of heartbreak for me.

I am also glad your vet knows the difference between PTs and inner ear infections. You would not believe how many people write in to me, having just put their beloved rat to sleep saying she had a pituitary tumor because she had head tilt and was rolling/circling.  They said it upset them so much because she was eating good and holding her food but they trusted their vet.  Oh, and the vet only treated the rat for 5 days on baytril, nothing for inflammation.  I know in my heart this rat did not have a brain tumor and the rat died for nothing and unfortunately someone did take the body for a necropsy after the vet said it was a pituitary tumor and her the poor rat was put down over an improperly treated ear infection.  If steroids are not used, or even something like metacam (an NSAID) it will go away with the use of just antibiotics but it will take long and seem like the rat isnt responding, just like these rats did.  Take one uneducated vet and one too trusting rat owner and the poor rat is doomed.
I am glad she is on the steroids.  I would suggest the baytril be used for at least 21 days. The culprit for typical otitis media in rats is usually from mycoplasmosis since it dwells in the rats nasal passages as normal flora anyhow and the usual treatment to kill and control myco is anywhere from 21 to 30 days. If the vet is stubborn about it, I would at least try to get him to go for 14 days on it. The steroids can be used for the normal 5 to 7 days with proper weaning, which is still dosing but decreasing the daily dose till your down to the final dose. She should be weaned properly since she was on them twice a day for 5 days.  He can always give her metacam to continue to help control lingering inflammation.  The reason for the vertigo and head tilt is because the pressure from inflammation is right on the 8th cranial nerve (Vestibular-cochlear Nerve) which controls equilibrium. This takes time to get back to normal and for the rat to regain their stability. The head tilt is usually the last symptom to subside. I have had rats end up with a slight tilt that never went away which is fine as long as it doesnt keep them from eating etc....and it usually doesnt.  One of the key signs with Pituitary tumors is loss of the use of their forelimbs, but sometimes they dont show this symptom. I would say that in at least 75% of the cases though they do display some form or weakness in the extremities, usually the front paws. Toward the final stages of the infection,they also may lose their ability to chew and swallow which is usually very upsetting for the owner as well as the rat and leads to the final decision for euthanasia to be the most humane thing to do.
Most rats with PTs decline rapidly and they do not respond to treatment as they continue to go downhill.  Sometimes they do show a positive response to steroids if it is a PT but the positive results are short lived and it soon becomes obvious treatment is only prolonging the inevitable.
My opinion?  I think she has an inner ear infection and will recover without any problem. :)  I would extend the baytril though for at least a full 14 days, prefer 21, 30 would be awesome, but every vet is different for whatever reason, they all learn from the same dang text book!