Respiratory / Cardiomyopathy

Question
I have two female rats (sisters from the same litter) that from about 6mths of age started showing signs of Myco.   One girl then came down with a severe secondary infection which needed oxygen treatment and heavy doses of antibiotics.  X-rays were taken and there is significant lung scarring.

Both were put on a combination of Doxy/Baytril in July 2008 but this has made very little difference to their symptoms.  I was recently given the suggestion that it could be Cardiomyopathy rather than Myco causing the respiratory trouble.  

So I approached my vet who has had them on Lasix injections - just one a day for the last two days - to see how they respond.  My vet also told me to keep giving them both the Doxy/Baytril as well.  

So far there is definitely an improvement in the healthier girl.  But the girl that had the seconday infection and who has always been the sicker of the two, has just very become very lethargic and still has moments where her breathing becomes incredibly laboured.   She also shows other signs of heart disease such as swelling in limbs, hanging head over edge of cage to catch breath, weight loss, etc.  But now my vet is saying that if she's not responding to Lasix, then it can't be a heart problem.  So he's going to just put the other sister on it permanently.

I'm very concerned and not sure what else to do at this point.  Would you have any suggestions for me?  Should I speak to my vet about continuing the Lasix for awhile longer with the other girl just to be sure or should there have been a significant improvement already?

Answer
Hi Caryn

It seems like this is a  difficult situation but do not be too negative. What I see is the beginning not the end. Heart disease is easily controlled in rats and she is still young enough that the medications should help add on some more time to her life and give her QUALITY to her life. The only thing needed is that she should be kept at the vets on oxygen when the meds are started so the proper adjustments can be made and also she can be comfortable while the medications start to work. I am surprised the vet has only offered lasix.  Actually lasix alone will not do alot for an enlarged heart. He needs to be more aggressive with medications and it doesnt seem like he is (the vet that is) believe me there is more to be done for her than lasix!

Lasix will only do so much with heart disease. If other symptoms are not controlled since as rapid heart rate etc... she will not improve.

Has blood work been done?

If the vet is POSITIVE this is not congestive heart failure, which would warrant the use of enalapril, the next drug to use would be atenolol (tenormin)

Controlling heart disease is not hard to do with rats, as long as the vet understands  that medications may need to be increased or altered in some way as the disease progresses.  Is your vet an exotics specialist?
On my website I have a page dedicated to heart disease so please feel free to check it out.Its pretty descriptive and I just worked on it a few weeks ago but still have some updates to add.

Please refer to this link for my site and page on heart disease:
http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/heartandkidneydisease.htm


Anyhow as far as getting the heart medication, it should be no problem at all. Cats and dogs both take these drugs and your vet can even call in a script to the pharmacy and prescribe it in doses made for children!
These drugs can come in liquid (such as the kind made for human children and infants that take heart meds and cannot swallow pills)


The doses for the drugs are as follows:

Atenolol should be used cautiously in CHF but it is for cardiomyopathy.
DOSE- 1 mg/lb twice a day

Enalapril- 0.25 mg/lb and should be used with caution when using lasix.

In closing, if your vet is not real experienced working with rats or wants to just give up before exhausting all options when there are many that have not even been considered yet, and if you want another opinion from a vet that is an exotics vet, please let me know and I will give you some names and numbers.