My Pet Rats Health

Question
QUESTION: Hi,
 I bought a Dumbo rat from a pet shop, i knew she had the respitory infection that is impossible to cure, i just wanted to get her out of that PINE bedding little glass cage with no ventaillation.

My question is:
Are there any human cold medicines i can give her to ease those days where she feels congested and under the weather?

My pet store does not carry any rat meds, apart from FERRIT RX, which is just a menthol to put under the nose but she cleans it off.

Also my vet clinics do not have any knowledge on small animals, one of the clinics refused to look at my rat.

So i am stuck with home remedies at this moment, of course if she is in alot of pain and trouble breathing i would travel the 3 hours to a more rat friendly town.

Thank you so much for your time.

Kerry and 'Boo Boo'

FYI  She is roughly 1yr old maybe younger, and one lbs heavy.

ANSWER: Well to be a full pound, that's a little porky, so my suggestion is to cut back on the fatty foods and put her on a leaner diet -- I suggest researching the Suebee's diet if you haven't already. It isn't a COMPLETE diet by any means but its much better than pet store junk and it offers some variety from lab block (which should also be offered). Also get her some new toys and things to encourage activity. Just like with people with bad lungs, the more you move and exercise, the more you're getting your lungs to open up and breathe a bit better.

There is absolutely nothing geared toward people that you can give her medicinally, however I can suggest a humidifer in an enclosed bathroom on the days when she's really bad to help clear up her lungs and ease breathing a bit. Also, the respiratory "infection" she has CAN be solved temporarily, however the cause of the infection is mycoplasmosis which in itself will never go away. Every myco fit a rat has, the more scarred and tubered the lungs become, until eventually the rat simply can't breathe.. its important to keep her myco episodes short and to the point.. which requires instant medication when she begins to get sick. If you can arrange it, call a clinic in another town and see if you can bring her in for a visit and get meds for her that they'll refill for you without requiring another visit or in bulk so that you can just make the trip occasionally. This WILL be a life long thing, but the key is the meds. Without them, your rat struggles to breathe (which is panic-inducing!) and her little heart races and I'm sure its not all that pleasant.

Best of luck!

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

QUESTION: Thank you for the reply.
Yes she is a big rat but i dont think she is porky, she is out of her cage everyday for a minimum of 8 hours running around my room or upstairs with me in the living room, she also has a little friend (my brothers rat) which she gets on very well to run around with.
 Her diet is specifically designed for rats, with herbs and fruits added, i also supplement that with veggies once a week. Soon i will be adding a pro biotic to her water designed for rats to help keep her immune system strong.

I will research places that are rat friendly to ask for a visit.

Oh, and is it true that rats can catch the common cold from humans?

Answer
Even so, I'd watch her weight. That is VERY large for the average female. I have seen some hefty girls, but for the most part, its fairly unhealthy. As long as you're keeping her on a healthy diet and keeping her active, that's fine, just be careful and watch for future issues so you can head them off at the pass.

And nope.. not true.. the only thing that they could "potentially" catch from us is ringworm or pink eye, and usually its them giving it to us, not the other way around! Rest easy.