possible stroke

Question
Hi I wrote to you last week about our rat that the vet was trying to tell us to put her to sleep. You told us to find another vet well we did thankfully! He prescribed antibiotic injections for her and she has had 2 steroid shots we need to give her another one today. She is actually now eating on her own but she is very week on one side. Is it possible that she could have had a stroke? I know she definately had an ear infection because her eyes kept darting and now that has subsided since we started the antibiotics. I guess my question is if she has had a stroke is can she recover and what do you recomend to help her with that. I am feeding her baby food and ensure to put some weigh back on her. The other vet was not feeding her so she weighed 2.5 ounces when she got to the new vet. She is acting week again today but she had a really good day on Sunday. I hope I have covered everything if not just ask. Thank you so much for all of your help with our little baby.

Misse

Answer
Hi Misse

I am glad you found another vet. There are just so many vets that see rats and have no darn business doing it.  Its a waste of time that the rat doesnt have and it is a huge waste of money too.

If the rat had a stroke, what the vet is currently doing now may help her symptoms but that doesnt mean she will be totally normal again. Sometimes the rat will learn to adjust to what they have to work with. Wait. Change that. I should say MOST of the time, not sometimes....
I have had rats lose the use of their back legs and they would propel around the cage very well, going to their food dish and their water bottle which is lowered down so they can reach. They adjusted just fine. It may not look very pretty to the common person but we know our rats and they are tough and have a will to live. I say if she seems to want to live and want to eat and drink and doesnt lay around unresponsive, she will learn to get things done on her own with some help from you.  Your doing good with the feeding so keep it up. Make sure she gets fluids and continue the medication.
How is she acting?