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Breathing difficulties

21 17:58:37

Question
Hi,
I have had two rats for about a year. Bought from a small pet shop in a bad area of town. Both male. Wiley Rat & Rufus. I feed it Rat Nuggets from Pets at Home and just about anything that we eat in our household that they like. I try to avoid giving them too much protein. They eat a lot of fresh fruit and veg. They are half dumbo rats apparently. Brothers.
About a month ago I noticed Wiley sneezing. I thought it was an allergy to disinfectant so changed it. Still kept sneezing. Over next couple of weeks Rufus' heartrate (or what I thought was his heartrate) seemed to be increasing. Wiley has red stuff around his nose and eyes (I assume to be porphyrin), has put on a bit of weight and has not gone off his food. Wiley seems very subdued and unsociable. Is only interested in food. Rufus has lost a LOT of weight. He is now half the size of Wiley. He is very active most of the time but sometimes just sits on the top of his igloo for ages eyes open gasping for breath. He is not terribly interested in food.
I took them to the vet down the road last week and she prescribed them Baytril. A much larger dose for Wiley as he is so much bigger. Wiley seems to have recovered. He is not sneezing AT ALL anymore. Which is great news. But Rufus is showing absolutely no improvement. My brother thinks he is improving a tiny bit but I think he has got worse. I have had to remove most of their food from their cage just to make sure they are eating their antibiotics. But Rufus has started to wise up to it and is just eating the clever disguise I hide it in and not all of the antibiotics. I am feeding it to them soaked into bread with honey or peanut butter on it. At first I thought Rufus' chest was moving so fast because of his heart but the vet tells me it is his lungs. I can't understand how he can breathe with his chest moving so fast. I am VERY VERY concerned. The vet down the road was already talking of having him put down if the antibiotics don't work as she suspects he may have chronic pneumonia or a tumour in his lungs. The thought of having him put down is killing me. I have booked them both in to see one of the best vets in Surrey instead of the one down the road. Want to make sure he gets the best treatment and a second opinion might put my mind at rest a little. I am questioning whether it could have been something I have done wrong to lead to his illness. Do you have any idea what could be wrong with him or any advice please? I am frantic with worry. He is such a lovely rat and has the gentlest personality you would ever come across. He really is a little angel. Please help me.
Thanks,
Kate

Answer
Sounds like he had myco, which can often lead to tumors and cysts on lungs, and pneumonia. Unfortunately, most petshop rats carry this to some degree. Baytril is really the only thing that can be tried. We had to have a buck put to sleep last year from pneumonia, so sad, parts of his body were dying. He couldn't walk before we knew enough was enough.

When I have baytril I just use a edgeless syringe and squirt the dose into their throats, quick and easy. No need to hide in food. Vets usually give you the plunger with the medicine.

The only thing you can do is cross your fingers. Remember to let him go if he will suffer, and get another rat (best getting another 2 at the same age, that way when wiley dies there wont be another lone rat.

Good luck, I hope he is OK.