Rat Allergies Cont.

Question
QUESTION: Very sorry it took a while, it wouldn't let me reply to your answer plus my laptop was messed up.

Anyhow,
The bedding I've always used was Pine and the food is Fiesta: Mouse & Rat.

The bedding the store was using was "Carefresh Colors Confetti Odor Control Pet Bedding", but i do not know what the food was, couldn't see.

I hope that helps in anyway.

ANSWER: Two things wrong, pine and fiesta mouse and rat food.

Pine is very dangerous and bad for rats, as is cedar. The phenol oils are irritants to the rats lungs and they are also bad for the liver too. The pet store should have told you to use the care fresh and should have told you pine is bad for small animals. Obviously they know this or they would  be using it too.  As for teh fiesta, rats need low protein diets. The seed mixes are not hardly enough to be a balanced diet for rats and the high protein and fats in the seeds cause allergic reaction in both the skin and also can damage kidneys since kidneys cannot handle high protein.

Please check my website for info on proper bedding for the cage (never an aquarium, this doesn't allow for proper air circulation) and also info on diet.  Giving them the proper care can lead to them living a nice longer life than usually expected.  Rats with poor diet and exposed to phenol oils live shorter lives and end up with respiratory disease, kidney disease, obesity, diabetes, liver disease and heart disease.

Here are the urls. Please let me know after you have viewed the info and we can go from there. I will help you figure out how to get this under control as you make the transition to changing over to a better diet and using the proper safe dust and phenol oil free bedding.

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

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


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

QUESTION: ok, my mom is buying the new bedding today for him. I think blood was coming out of his nose last night. And he felt almost cold today. I don't know where a vet closest to me is either.

As for food, what type would you suggest?

ANSWER: Hi

Did you read my website about diets? I have a list of foods there.

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

As for blood, your not seeing blood. He has what is called porphyrin discharge and this is produced by a gland behind his eyes. When rats stress due to illness, they sneeze porphyrin or it comes out around their eyes and nose and looks like blood, but its not. Go to my site again to see photos of rats with it on their nose and eyes.

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

Also, if you let me know your location I can find a vet for him that treats rats. I have a few connections and sources. No obligation to see them, of course, but its nice to have names so you know where to go when needed.



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

QUESTION: Thank you very much.
Im in Daviess County, Ky.  

Answer
Guess what?  There are NO exotic vets near you in  KY, however, there is a place 50 mins. from you in Evansville, Indiana. Here is info on the clinic:


Dr. Scott Thompson
East Side Animal Hospital    
4125 E. Morgan Ave.
Evansville IN 47715
Phone:    812-477-3826