Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I have a favorite rat and of course she is the one that is getting sick..Most my rats are cautiously friendly but this one is just plain sweet.What can I do? Is there some med. I can get for her without taking her to the vet? We have a very unfriendly vet here and I would rather not deal with her.They only like the big animals like cows and horses. Rats, ferrets or reptiles are considered vermin here..Any help here will be appreciated...

Though it is always best to take a sick rat to a qualified vet familiar or specializing in rats and other small exotics, as they can do all the proper testing. I would look in the yellow pages for any other vets in your area. If there is none, or none within a comfortable driving distance, then you can check the website below about common treatments for respiratory infections in rats. There is also a Rat vet list at this site as well, which may be benefial to you as well.

http://www.ratfanclub.org/resp.html

what are you bedding her in? If it is anything but pelleted (bunny food or cellsorb or yesterdays news) get her on pelleted. The less dust and wood the better and some of her symptoms may resolve with that.Get her into something with clean bedding (as above) and good airflow. Get her out of any dust, any perfumes, any airborne cleaners, cigarette smoke....ANYTHING that might irritate her. If she is having trouble breathing....try ONE chocolate chip....NOT more. If you are more worried than a bit of chocolate brachiodilation relief will buy, but can't get her a decent vet IF IT WERE ME....I would try some echinacea and goldenseal herb tea....mix it with honey or yogurt and she may take it. The yogurt is a good idea anyway as it will help hydrate and keep her strength up. I personally have used kids cold meds...cherry flavored, liquid.....NOT alcohol one.....like couple 5 drops. Comfy, low stress. You may be dealing with a virus and not a lot will help and she may have to ride it out. Or it may be a myco flare up and all of the above will help some. IF you could get a vet to get her baytril or other antibiotic in a nutrical base that would likely be best. I mention the nutrical as it is something some vets don't think of and it is a good way to get them to take their meds. Obviously I am not a vet, nor do I play one on TV. But I have had a lot of rats and met more than my share of unhelpful vets.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron

I wish I could eat choc when I had a cough..Anyway I dont have anything but newspaper and papertowel for a substrate for this particular cage..I do use aspen and on rare occasions pine if thats all I can get in my other cage but it is more open than this one1.I wonder if something like dimetapp would be okay? I have been giving her extra fresh greens in hopes this might help a bit..

>>I wish I could eat choc when I had a cough..Anyway I dont have anything but newspaper and papertowel for a substrate for this particular cage..I do use aspen and on rare occasions pine if thats all I can get in my other cage but it is more open than this one1.I wonder if something like dimetapp would be okay? I have been giving her extra fresh greens in hopes this might help a bit..

Chocolate helps open up their airways. Too much and they get sick or die. So that was why I said...ONE.
If it is kept very clean the paper shouldn't be aggravating her. But the wood will certainly. Be sure that the greens aren't giving her diarrhea and dehydrating her. Otherwise there is only so much you can do without a vet.
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Sonya

Haven't we warned you about tampering with the structure of a chaotic system?
Mrs. Neutron