Are ear infections contagious in rats?

Question
QUESTION: Hey there, I almost feel bad asking you a few questions im sure you've heard
a million times, but i feel your more fit and trustworthy then most due to past
answers i've seen of yours.

Anyway I currently have 3 girls, and 2 boys (rats).. My first question is on one
of my girls. She is unfortunantly alone as her sister died a few months back.
But she seemed to of had a respiratory problem that just up and disappeared,
then about 4 days later she seemed to have picked up a ear infection. My
question is though are ear infections contagious in rats?

Im asking this because Today one of my younger females who is in a
completely different cage (which is stacked on top of the others) looks like
she got an ear infection aswell. She is in the cage with one other who is in
perfectly good health (as of now) so are they contagious?


ANSWER: Hi Dusty

No, they are not contagious. The organism that causes ear infections in rats is usually mycoplasmosis and since rats all carry it and end up with some kind of symptom from it being a respiratory infection or urinary tract infection, it causes ear infections too that causes head tilt, walking in circles, spinning, loss of balance etc.. Treatment is baytril and steroids or metacam but steroids are the better choice.

What are the symptoms the rats have ?

Thank you for your confidence in me, by the way.  I enjoy helping rat owners learn more about their rats and advise on their care etc...

You can read more about rats and their care on my website too. I think the link is on my profile.





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

QUESTION: Well, the older of the girls (wittles) who is unfortunantly alone in her cage had
what seemed to be a flair up of myco, then she seemed to have recovered out
of nowhere. Then she started with the head tilt, and loss of balance which
makes me a assume a ear infection may be in effect on her.

Then I have two younger girls (wednesday and lydia) who are bunked
together in a cage stacked on my older ones.  Lydia seems to be in perfect
health, while wednesday just last night seemed to have acquired the head
tilting and balance loss which ultimately had me find you haha... But today
she seems to be not moving, breathing slow, not using her front limbs, and
her feces seem to be almost chalky and light colored. I hope you can tell me
what this sounds like because she went from running around and playing, to
the next night seeming to have a light ear ache, to full blown sickness today.
Im taking both girls to a vet first thing in the morning but im hoping you
could possibly explain what little wednesday is going through because it
happened so fast.

Thank you, I really appreciate your answers and concern for rats. Me and my
girlfriend love the little critters, and its so hard to see them like this.

Answer
Hi

I am not real sure how to tel you this but I have to be honest with you and I am very afraid that Wednesday may have a pituitary tumor on the base of her brain.  THere are several causes of head tilt/loss of balance and walking in circles etc... with the first one being otitis media, which i s the inner ear infection.  The fact she is showing weakness her her front paws indicates possible pituitary tumor involvement.  

You can also read up about it here:
http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/pituitary_tumor.php


I only hope I am wrong in this case. Please let me know how the vet visit goes.

Hang in there!