Rat noise

Question
QUESTION: Hello. I have two female rats and one of them started doing a wierd sound, like a dog whining, but she does this whatever she's doing like walking, standing still, smelling or nothing in particular and suddently stop. I heard her smelling near my ear and the sound of that seemed clear, but at the same time (coming from nowhere) she would do the other sound. This happens most of the times during night and very loud.
What can it be?

Thanks

ANSWER: Hi Ana

I know the exact sound you mean. Some people describe it as a monkey sound, others, as a hoot owl sound. I havent  really figured out what to compare it to, but the good news is, I know what your talking about.

What kind of litter/bedding do you use? Pine and cedar contain dangerous phenol oils and it can be very irritating to the rats delicate respiratory tract and also is linked to cancer in rats too, so this is why I try to ask everyone what type of bedding they use when trying to figure out what is wrong when a rat shows signs of a respiratory tract infection.  Also, a strong build up of urine on wood shavings can also irritate the rats respiratory tract due to the high ammonia content, so changing the litter often helps too as long as its not dusty or phenol oils!
Rats are born with a bacteria called mycoplasmosis. Sometimes when the rats immune system is weaker, they can develop a mild to severe respiratory infection. The more mild case of myco often causes some congestion either in the nasal passages or chest or both. Sometimes it can also cause some sneezing.  When the rat sneezes and is able to clear his nasal passages it stops for a while but returns, this means the rat probably has more than just typical sinus drainage but infection instead.  Your rat should go see a Vet for  an exam and possibly a round of antibioitcs. When treating myco, rule of thumb to prevent relapse is to have the rat on antibioitics from 21 to 30 days.          
Please keep me posted!  

Sandy

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

QUESTION: I use broken beech wood of versele-laga. I clean and desinfect the cage every week. They have almost one year and never showed signs of illness.
The strange is that she seems perfectly normal. Doesn't have porphyrin and the beahviour is normal but sometimes do that sound. Today she just did a strange sound when I picked her up and she can stay all day without doing that, sometimes during short periods.

I'm gonna see the vet.

Thanks

ANSWER: Hi again

Glad your going to the vet. I was going to offer to look for an exotic vet in your area if you didn't have one but forgot to add that in my post to you earlier. I found I can edit my posts (I am still new to this site) but instead of doing that, here you are with a follow up so it worked out ok.:-)
Anyhow, funny you wrote about this subject because two of my rescue rats (rescued from "death row" at the dog pound!)  both sneezed like crazy when I brought them home. They did a long 3 week quarantine and my vet checked them out after the quarantine was up and found nothing other than  they are sneezy. I don't panic usually with a sneeze anymore because I know what I know...but before, one sneeze and out to the door to the Vet I would go! Now, I have been taught that sometimes a sneeze is simply that: a sneeze. The sounds your hearing though are enough to warrant a visit to the vet just to rule out any type of respiratory illness, even though it seems to come and go. Chances are, it wont happen at the vets office which is usually the case when I see rats come in with stuff like this. They are home, limping, acting as if they are dying and come to the vet and act FINE!  Little stinkers! ;-)
Anyhow, I would appreciate you follow up just so I know how everything goes. Good luck!!

Sandra


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

QUESTION: Hi,
I went to the vet 2 days ago and he said that maybe she could have some congestion, but, as she haven't any discharge it should be something with no importance but in case of she really have something he prescribed Baytril during 10 days, twice a day. Now I'm having a little trouble giving it to her because I give it with a syringe and she keeps some of it in her chins and I think she spits it out.
But since yesterday she stopped doing that noises, so I think is working.

Thanks for the help.

Answer
That is fantastic news that she is doing better.  Rule of thumb is when antibiotics are going to work they do it within 3 days. If you see no improvement in 3 days you need change antibiotics.  Looks like this is just the drug for the problem.  Also, you can stop fighting with her about taking the meds. Instead you can hide them in something such as strawberry syrup or vanilla ice cream melted into a puddle and add the baytril right to it allowing her to lick it from a flat dish etc.... Some rat owners use peanut butter (my to my horror) but its not a good idea since peanut butter is the #1 food to cause fatal choking since it can clog the rats little throat due to its thick consistency. You can use it if you make it thin by adding water but I don't touch it at all. I have seen rats suffocating from it clogging their airway and watched the Vet work like a maniac to save the rat often losing the battle.

Anyhow, thats that! So far so good...lets hope she continues to get well.  I do wish the vet would give her an extension on the baytril though.  Many vets don't realize that using it for too short a duration only allows for relapse, esp if it is mycoplasmosis causing problems which it probably is.  21 days is best but I prefer 30 days on it. The chance of relapse is usually lower.

Anyhow keep me posted and feel free to call on me any time you need help!

Sandy