Recovering rat (I hope!)

Question
QUESTION: My sons have two rats, both around 8 months.  One became very ill a few days ago (porphryin staining, rapid breathing, nearly unresponsive and dehydrated).  I took her to an exotic animals clinic, and they wanted to catheterize her, keep her for several days and run some tests (estimate:  $400).  I felt terrible, but money is very tight right now, so I brought her home and have been trying to nurse her back to health.  The vet gave her SQ liquids, and when I got her home I mixed some Terramycin powder with gatorade and held it up to her mouth so she would drink every 20 min or so.  I also bought some emergency animal formula and fed it to her (she only drank a little of it).  She is much improved today and is up moving around and grooming herself.  She won't eat her regular food, but is nibbling at some apples.   My questions:  what can I give her to eat?  Is there anything else I can do for her?  If she continues to improve, when should I put her back with our other rat?  (I have her in a laundry basket for now, right next to her cage so she can see our other rat.)    I wonder if I should isolate her more, but since they were together when she was sickest, I feel that if she were going to infect the other rat, it would already have happened.  Thanks for any help you can offer!

ANSWER: Hi Sherri


I am sorry your rat isn't feeling very well. I have to ask...why did they want to catheterize her? Was she not urinating on her own? Did she have symptoms of respiratory illness such as congestion etc??
Did they send her home with antibiotics at least?

Ok for starters, stop using the gatorade. Too much sodium. Instead,pedialyte for infants is great to rehydrate a sick rat.
Next up, strained baby food from peas to carrots to bananas and applesauce, organic is best but not really a "must".  Allow her to lick this from you because she will probably be very weak and the less energy she uses the better. Let her lick it from you and after that put it on a flat dish. Use a syringe to give her the pedialyte too. Do you have any "human" antibiotics there and if so, what kind?
I would also put her back with her cagemate. If she is contagious, as you said earlier, she already exposed her.The reason why is the stress from being out of her familiar environment will only make her immune system weaker which is not good.
Anyhow, I am just so curious why they wanted to cath this rat?   Did they tell you what they thought was wrong with her?  If it was infection they could have at least sent you home with medication to use unless it was the terramycin powder your using and if that is what they gave you, the infection must not be a big one or they would have given you something much stronger.
You can also smash up watermelon. This is loaded with water to help replenish her. Oatmeal is another favorite for sick and weak rats.  Be sure to watch for watery stools. Also, keep an eye on how much she is urinating. Is she doing much of that today?

Please keep me posted. I would like to help as much as I can. Unfortunately some vets are really expensive and don't always understand that funds are not readily handy.  I understand both sides since I am both sides so to speak, and I know why Vets do not like to send out bills especially to a new client, but on the other hand, the animal should never be left to go untreated and a happy medium should be met that can satisfy both parties. I am a bit put off they did not even try to work out something for you that you could afford much easier than $400 (and the holidays on our heels!!) perhaps skipping the catheter and just keeping her overnight and treating her dehydration. On the other hand I don't know what the illness is so I cant really give a correct answer yet.

Please let me know!

best wishes

Sandy

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

QUESTION: The vet was unwilling to run diagnostic tests until Shadow was less dehydrated. She said that Shadow would need IV fluids, but since her veins are so tiny, she would use a catheter.

I think she got so dehydrated because she lives in a multilevel cage, and the water is on the second level.  So I think once she got sick, she didn't feel well enough to go get water, which compounded the problem.  She has been drinking the whole time, so I hope that will be enough.  

My husband (an EMT) felt that she had respiratory issues after holding her with his hand on her chest for several minutes.  And based on the little I know about rats, it seemed likely?  The vet didn't give me antibiotics, but I stopped at a feed store to buy some because I felt that Shadow needed something more than just re-hydration.  It seemed better than just letting her go :(

I haven't seen any stools lately.  And I will try to watch for urinating, but it's hard to catch.  We do have some Augmentin (for humans) here - no idea if that would be better than Terramycin.  I felt comfortable with it because I found several rat health sites that referred to it.  

I am surprised at her improvement so far.  She was nearly completely unresponsive yesterday, but today squirms and wants to walk around when I hold her.  I don't see any more porphyrin excretion (just remnants of what was there).  But, she is definitely not moving around well - kind of slow and awkward still.

Will try the pedialyte and food suggestions - thanks!

ANSWER: Thanks for your response

In regards to using the terramycin, it is used for very mild upper respiratory infections and soft tissue infections and it is effective against mild infections caused by mycoplasmosis.
Augmentin is derived from penicillin and is useless against myco, but it is good for infections such as strep.  You can use the two together actually, but at this point, I don't see a reason because she is improving so much.
It seems they wanted to take a pretty stressful route to rehydrate the rat which does work, but sub Q fluids are just as effective, but I am assuming her condition was pretty grave for them to want to go the route to use a catheter.
It does sound like they are very well equipped to handle "mini mammal" emergencies, but very pricey if I must say so myself.
I am glad you have a handle on things. I would continue the meds as you are doing but watch for loose stools...continue to push fluids but do not add anything to her water bottle unless your sure she will drink it. Sometimes rats will refuse to drink a water bottle that has medication in it and ends up suffering from dehydration in the long run.
As you know, rats dehydrate fast and I am thinking like you...she didn't feel well and did not feel good enough to find her water.
I have a four story cage for my four bucks and there is a bottle of water on each floor mainly because of the 4 rats though.  My boys knock each other over and hog the nipple when the other one is drinking or the two drink at the same time. Its ridiculous!  LOL

I hope she improves...keep me posted if you don't mind. I am pulling for her!

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

QUESTION: Do you have any dosing guidelines for terramycin?  The guide I am using (http://www.ratfanclub.org/resp.html) gives most dosage info in mg/lb, but for terramycin it says 1/2 teaspoon per lb. in 1/4 cup drinking water, or 1/8 teaspoon in food TID.  The vet's invoice lists Shadow's "weight history (in pounds)" as 257.00, but this has to be grams, right?  So she is around 1/2 lb.  Shadow doesn't drink 1/4 cup in a day, but based on her weight it seems she should be consuming 1/4 teaspoon per day.  Does that seem right?

Answer
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To be honest I have only used the Terramycin powder to pack inside a huge abscess hole, but I looked it up for you to find the proper dose and here is what I found:

10 mg to 20 mg/kg q8h - Orally


Augmentin can be used safely too...

6.25 mg/lb BID orally

If you would happen to use this along with the terramycin, you can alternate drugs...but I would for sure replace normal gut flora by using either yogurt or Bene-bac.

I would assume that figure of 257 is in grams which like you said, makes her about half a pound since I do believe 458 grams is a pound, or something along those lines. I SUCK at numbers and figures and to be honest, wonder how I passed any tests in math at all!! I am happy that is all behind me and grateful for calculators!!!!!!!!