I dont know what she has!

Question
QUESTION: Hello Sandra,

I recently helped take care of a rat that was found in the bathroom at my school. Her name is Jasmine. I took her over the summer to make sure she is ok gets the care she needs. I am now going to keep her as she has been doing very well. Sadly, last night around mid-night she started coughing (so it seemed), sneezing, and she threw up a few times, not to mention her breathing got really quick and her heart rate seemed to speed up for a bit. It did go down after a while but I am still concerned. Also, there was some blood but not a whole lot and a lot of Saliva(sp?). I was very nervous about her when she wasn't sleeping or moving a whole lot but making a lot of noise with her breathing at 3am, so I called an emergency vet near by to ask what the vet thought. He said it sounded like she has an respiratory infection and that I should bring her in. I was wondering if you could tell what she has from this and if there was anything I could do for her at home before taking her to the vet. She seemed to be better thief afternoon so I didn't push the vet but I still feel like I should be doing more to help her along. I for her to eat more and drink more compared to what she had taking in yesterday. If you know of anything I could do it would be much appreciated!!

ANSWER:     Hello Sandra,

I recently helped take care of a rat that was found in the bathroom at my school. Her name is Jasmine. I took her over the summer to make sure she is ok gets the care she needs. I am now going to keep her as she has been doing very well. Sadly, last night around mid-night she started coughing (so it seemed), sneezing, and she threw up a few times, not to mention her breathing got really quick and her heart rate seemed to speed up for a bit. It did go down after a while but I am still concerned. Also, there was some blood but not a whole lot and a lot of Saliva(sp?). I was very nervous about her when she wasn't sleeping or moving a whole lot but making a lot of noise with her breathing at 3am, so I called an emergency vet near by to ask what the vet thought. He said it sounded like she has an respiratory infection and that I should bring her in. I was wondering if you could tell what she has from this and if there was anything I could do for her at home before taking her to the vet. She seemed to be better thief afternoon so I didn't push the vet but I still feel like I should be doing more to help her along. I for her to eat more and drink more compared to what she had taking in yesterday. If you know of anything I could do it would be much appreciated!!
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Hi Danielle

Thanks for taking care of the little rat. Thats sad she was in the school bathroom! I wonder how she got there?  Was she perhaps a classroom pet that escaped?

Anyhow, first of all, rats do not throw up. They cannot throw up. They can choke easily, however and if she had something in her throat it would work its way out and that is what made you think she threw up. Rats have a powerful esophegeal barrier that the muscles of the diaphram cannot overcome in order to vomit so this is why they can choke easier on certain things, especially peanut butter or something really thick and sticky. ALso the excess saliva could be that she had something stuck in the throat too.

However, the sneezing part I do not like.  I would take her in and here is why: Although it sounds like she may have choked on something and it worked its way out which is why she seems ok  today,the sneezing could mean respiratory and the excessive fluids from her mouth could be lung fluids if she has a case of pneumonia.
Where was the blood found ?          
Do you have a vet that knows about rats?

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Jasmine   QUESTION: I saw looked through the cage again after e-mailing you and I am not sure it was blood anymore. There was red all over her body as if she had cleaned herself after being sick and covered herself with it. But when I saw her cough up the stuff that you say would have been stuck in her throat I saw her have all this red come out and she dragged her tongue on the cage. It was all saliva and then just red. But I am starting to think it was a piece of her food. she has different shaped things in her food that supply her with the vitamins and stuff she needs. And now that I was calm and could really think I started to think that was what it was. She has since that night stopped sneezing and coughing and has been doing a lot better. She isn't as active as usual yet but she is moving around a lot more and back to her curious self.

And the whole story with her and how I got her is sad...From what everyone knows, some boy brought her to school that didn't want her anymore. She was put in a urinal in the science building at my school and peed on. She was then left there to pretty much die. Some kids found her and called the ganitors to come and get her. They then brought her down to my Animal Science classes building. I was the only one in the room who thought she was cute at the time even though she was dirty and stuff. I ended up being the one to clean her up and give her a bath and help warm up to people and everything. I have loved her since then. Also, all the animals in my class go home for the summer and vacations with the kids that my teacher knows well enough and trusts to take them. I take home a guinea pig that I bought for the school after the last one I took care of died and then I took Jasmine home to keep an eye on her and keep her healthy. I then later in the summer called my teacher and asked if I could keep her and she said yes, so now she is mine. I am very happy and hoping she will stay with me for a very long time!

But all in all she is seeming to be doing a lot better! I hope she stays on this track. My probelm with taking her to the vet is that my parents wont let me. I have the money for it but my parents wont let me spend the money. I am not happy with them at all. If she starts to show signs again I am going to take her no matter what!! But she really does seem to be better.

ANSWER: That is DISGUSTING that she was treated that way Poor baby. I hope that the person that did that got in trouble You dont  do that to any animal.

I also agree that she had something in her throat and got it out.
Just keep an eye on her for now....and if she does this again, I would see the vet. Thanks for caring about her so much, I am glad you were the one to bring her home.

Check out my website for all the info and photos about rats and their care:

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

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QUESTION: I'm gald I was the one who got to take care of her, too. She is an amazing animal. And you are right, that shouldn't be done to any animal! Sadly, the kid who did it never got caught. They have no idea who did it. But I am just glad that she was brought to my teacher and that I got in her in end.

Thank you so much for your help!! I don't remember if you have any rats of your own, but if you do. I hope they are doing well and give them a kiss for me! lol

Answer

Smudge at Christmas 20   Yes I have rats, four males at the moment. I have had rats for a long time and will probably have them till I am too old and incapable of caring for them myself.  
I have a rat that is blind in both eyes from a brain infection he had last winter but he does good, his name is Smudge. I have three other very large black rats, one with one eye because he lost another eye from infection.
Here is a picture of my blind boy, Smudge.