Ratty Boy and Angel

Question
This isn't really a question.  I just wanted to let you know how it is going.  I got your answer late in the evening.  All I had in the house that fit the recommended mix was Rice Krispies (is that puffed rice?), rolled oats, and dried cranberries.  So i put that in the cage and both rats loved it.  It was the most I'd seen Ratty Boy eat in a while.  The next day I was busy and gone for most of it.  I  called all the vets in the area except for the ones marked "equine only".  Only one cares for rats, although many advertise "small and exotic pets."  So we saw him this morning.  In the meantime, I gave Ratty Boy a little baby food.  he ate it, but so did Angel.  So I refilled the dish with 1/2 the jar and removed Angel from the cage.  Ratty almost cleaned the dish!!!  This morning he was moving more easily and didn't smell nearly as strongly.  We went to the vet, who thinks it could be either kidney probs or diabetes.  I couldn't afford the lab work he said is ideal but expensive.  So he prescribed an antibiotic, an appetite stimulant, a super-duper concentrated nutritional supplement that has a consistency like molasses, and a fourth thing that I can't recall its purpose.  He also gave Ratty some subcutaneous fluids.  When the nurse brought Ratty back, he had two big bulges.  She said, "here's the sight of the first injection--there were three--you can see it's already almost completely absorbed."  wow!!!  He's been making frequent trips to the water bottle, so I didn't realize he was dehydrated.  By the time I'd paid and walked out to the car and paused to pet him before driving away, the second injection had been almost completely absorbed as well!! My poor baby!  He still has a little lump at the third sight.  He seems much plumper and is more interested in life around him.  I just gave him 1/4 jar of peas, two doses of the nutritional supplement (the vet said give him as much as I want, at least three times daily, because it has everything he needs nutrionally--besides that give him anything that he'll eat), and the first round of all the other meds--a little, tiny tablet that has to be cut into fourths, and two liquids--all of which are twice daily.  I don't know where you are, but in AZ it's about lunch time.  I figure it's like starting with people: if it's a twice a day, you can take the first two doses in the afternoon and evening of the first day and then just morning and night after that.  The vet also gave me a cup and dropper to collect a urine sample to bring to the follow-up exam in 10 days.  he says there's a simple dip strip test for diabetes and something else to determine if it's kidneys, so we can adjust the future treatment appropriately.  He said that yes, we should expect our pet rats to live to be four years old, not three.  I am so excited!  the vet said, well, if it's acute renal failure in the end stages, there's nothing that will help.  But since the baby food perked him up and improved the smell so much, I think it's a fairly reasonable hope that this isn't the end.  Thank you so much for your advice and prompt reply to my initial inquiry.  I'm gonna get some of the lab blocks and stick to the other recommendations you gave for diet for the rest of 'em, as well as Ratty once he's mended.  when I think about it, duh, holding the pellets in two paws and gnawing on them is hard work if you're ill!  We'll stick to soft, easy stuff.  Will regular, unsweetened applesauce be okay along with the baby foods?  Well, you don't have to write back about that if you're busy.  I just thought you'd like to know how it turned out.  I would get discouraged if I always gave out advice and didn't know whether or not it helped.  So thank you!!!  I think you probably saved our boy's life.

Answer
Sounds like a plan and I am also happy with your vet which doesnt happy often. Seriously.  I usually grumble and groan when people write back to me and tell me what their vet said and did etc...because half the time its all wrong wrong WRONG!  I do agree with your vet though, 100%. I didnt mention diabetes mainly because you didnt mention if he was drinking alot or urinating alot and to be truthful, its pretty rare in rats, but it is seen, just not often. Signs are, like I said above, increase thirst and also increased output of urine, thin but real glossy fur and failure to thrive, period. It is usually seen in young rats but diet can contribute to it too. Their urine also has a funky odor, like strong maple syrup, since it would contain alot of sugar.

Please let me know how it goes and yes, I do appreciate you getting back to me. Some people do and others do not, which sometimes I find myself wondering "gee I wonder what ever happened to this little rat or that little rat"  I dont have anyones email addresses to reach them either because when you write to me, the email goes to allexperts and they in turn send it to me, minus your personal information, so the only way I can reach anyone is by a follow up here.

I am pulling for your guy and hope he is ok. The vet sounds like he has a grip on things and thats a really good thing, so I am happy about everything thus far!  Good luck and again, keep me posted!