I´m very worried. I got back from the vet today with all three ratties in
tact (thank goodness), but two of the three are gravely ill.
Nico has a horrible skin condition. I had already ruled out parasites
because she´s got dark fur and I could not see any, and the mother rat had
no skin symptoms. She´s always had itchy skin, and I´ve done a number of
things such as change the type of shavings I use for bedding, adding MORE
fresh food to their diet, and making sure their cage is always clean and
cool and that they have fresh water. It´s never been this bad. I cleaned
out their cage last week and she was positively COVERED in scabs and
sores...soo miserable my poor baby! I immediately called a vet and made
the soonest possible appointment, which was four days later (today,
tuesday).
My other little girl, lucy....*sigh* she had just recovered from
pnemonia...she had a long recovery, it was really bad. I thought she was
finally better, she was not goobery and dying and sneezing, got her
appetite back and all that.
BOTH of them don´t really like to come out to play, so I pet them and play
with them inside their large cage when we´re up at the same time.
They usually hide a lot, as rats do, so I don´t see them all the time,
sometimes they ONLY come out to eat and such.
I also noticed when I was cleaning out the cage and they were out in the
light, that lucy was SKINNY. VERY skinny. Dangerously skinny. I called
the vet AGAIN and had her put on my appointment for today, hoping against
all that they would both make it for the four days I had to wait.
The odd thing about this is that the mother rat is not sick, her skin is
fine, she´s fat and happy and sociable, as usual. I took her to be looked
at as well in case she had symptoms I couldn´t see..but the vet said she´s
fine. I also took her so she could see a comparison, that she´s healthy
and happy, that I"m not some horrid animal neglector or abuser or totally
incompetent.
Soooo my appointment was today...and I really thought that I would only
come home with nico and poppy...I thought for sure lucy would have to be
put down and I cried practically through the whole visit which made me feel
like an idiot, but the vet understood and was a really really nice and
compassionate lady.
LUCKILY she has some hope, but what the vet told me wasn´t very
encouraging. She was really worried about lucy and the fact that the
weight loss came right after a bad round of pnemonia.
Little did I know, that pnemonia can wreak havoc on other organs if it´s
severe enough, especially the kidneys. The vet figures that the infection
went to her kidneys and stayed there...and that is what is wrong with her.
Her kidneys are trashed and failing. I was given antibiotics for both, and
nico was given a cortizone shot for her skin.
The only thing I can do for my poor little lucy is give her the antibiotics
and a low protein diet, as proteins are hard on her kidneys and could spell
out her end for her, causing them to ultimately fail.
Nico´s condition could be a food allergy or an allergy to the bedding she´s
in, tho it´s aspen, and has no oils or scents...I´m going to buy that ink
free paper pulp...as neutral as possible from now on.
Plus I have to change their diet, as nico´s allergy could be to food, and
lucy has to have as low a protein diet as possible..which is where I´m
having a problem. I can give them fresh fruit and veggies, but they NEED
grains...I know I have to cut out corn, as it is HIGH in complex proteins.
Also most nuts...no more peanuts or pistachios or sunflower seeds for a
while...they love those
I know I can give them rice, THE most hypoallergenic food stuff out there,
and I am probably going to go find some bags of dehydrated veggies and make
my own rat food mix for them in addition to the fresh food they already
get.
Does anyone know of anything that would be really good for them and lucy´s
kidneys? I´m pretty well grounded on what they can and can´t have now, but
anything would be of help.
Lucy´s life depends on it.
I´m very very very worried about her...she doesn´t look good, and tho she´s
at the moment climbing the sides of the cage and being active (the first
time in a week), she´s still not grooming herself and is deathly thin.
My worst fear is that they´ve both been born with an autoimmune
deficiency...which could be why they get sick so often, and nico´s and
lucy´s skin is so cruddy while poppy´s is fine. Why they both got pnemonia
so bad, while poppy recovered within a couple days. If they have severely
poor immune systems, their days are numbered
I´m willing to do anything I can to keep them healthy, but it´s a rather
dire thought.
Let me know if you have any input, and thanks in advance...
bettie with the poor sick ratties
:cry:
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Monolycus
Fanatic
Posts: 580 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 28/8/2002 at 05:45 AM
Bettie~
I am so sorry to hear about your ratties! I also raised and loved rats.
It has been a few years; it broke my heart when Angus and Scota passed
away... I couldn´t bring myself to replace them. I am sorry that your wee
friends are having such terrible problems. Unfortunately, I can not offer
you any advice that your veterinarian didn´t. I will light a candle for
your rats (and for you) and keep you in my thoughts. I am,
~Monolycus.
____________________ "I believe that woman is planning to shoot me again."
ickgirl
Member
Posts: 99 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 28/8/2002 at 09:10 AM
hi bettie
i´m in a bit of a hurry, but wanted to respond. the one with the scabby
skin (nico?), does he(she?) seem fine otherwise? is he losing his fur?
see, i had a guinea pig who lost most of his fur, he looked TERRIBLE and he
was scabby, and they could not find any parasites. So, I took him to a few
different vets, and one said that there is a very teeny parasite that can´t
be seen under the microscope in the vet office, but that it was her gut
instinct that he had that parasite (she raised lots of small animals and
had seen the symptoms before).
she gave him a series of shots over about a month (one a week i think).
she said it was something that was generally used in larger farm type
animals or something (sorry, i´m going from memory, this was a few years
back).
you may want to talk to your vet about this possibility, if the things dont
start improving.
also, i think the vet can give something like benydryl to stop
itchyness.
is your vet a small animal specialist?
i have to run, i´ll pop back in later tonight after i´ve given some thought
to the other problems
-ick
____________________
AloneSoul
Fanatic
Posts: 522 Registered: 6/7/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 28/8/2002 at 11:38 AM
I never really raised rats so this is area which I don´t know much about.
Take them to a vet, if they do have a illness, the vet will catch it. The
vet caught my dog´s lime disease just in time to treat it.
Best of luck to you.
OOh.. It´s so terrible when pets get sick!
Have you looked online for information? That´s what I usually do. A couple
of things I´ve found online is that the paper bedding is best for rats. All
of the other woods can irritate their respiritory system, and the oils are
none too good for them either. ANother thing.. have you ever fed them those
pre-made rat food blocks? They really should have some of those everyday.
As terrible as it is.. rats have been used in lab experiments for a long
time.. so scientists know exactly what they should eat, and it´s in the
blocks. But make sure they are rat specific blocks. I´ve had my ratties
for two years and haven´t had any problems with the bedding or the food
blocks. Like someone else said.. make sure your vet knows his stuff on
small animals. Some cat-and-dog vets will see small animals, but don´t
always know what´s best for them. This comes from a person who has had many
many little ones in the last 10 years. SOme normal vets see rodents as
disposable and don´t really take their time treating them like they
should.
Good luck with the ratties Bettie. I hope they get better!
____________________ She who dies with the most toys wins!
ickgirl
Member
Posts: 99 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 28/8/2002 at 12:40 PM
ok i´m back
i was thinking, also, the one(s) with the itchy scabby skin - if it´s not
parasites (which it could be the undetectable kind i mentioned before),
there is also the possibility of a weird fungal infection or something. i
know how frustrating it is when a pet is sick and no one knows exactly what
it is.
regarding the kidney failure sad! make sure lots
of FRESH water, and maybe hand feed that one, so you know she´s eating.
did the vet say what form of protein you CAN feed her? she will need some
i imagine, since rats are naturally omnivores. also, kidney failure means
an animal needs foods low in salt. Carrots, celery and spinach have fairly
high salt content for vegetables. maybe you could give them puffed wheat
or something? or puffed rice?
Man you guys are great.
THe vet did a skin scrape and found NOTHING.
THey are being given a pill form antibiotic that is a sort of all
encompasing antibody and parasite killer/antifungal of some sort. They
won´t take it through water anymore, so I´m gonna have to mash it in
bananna...they love bananna.
Ick: Nico (girl) is FAT...not obese, but a healthily plump animal...fur
loss is around the scabs, and the vetrinarian said the fur loss and the
sores were self trauma from itching. Her nails were trimmed and she was
given a cortizone shot to ease the discomfort until the antibiotics and
parasite medication could take effect.
As for lucy, she´s been very active lately which is encouraging, but she´s
also letting me handle her more than normal, wants to be on me which is
RARE that she wants to come out, which worries me.
I had to wait so long because the vet I saw specialized in rats and small
animals, and she seemed to have a lot of experience with them and their
various illnesses...and the fact that she was worried and very very
perplexed is rather frightening. She simply told me that if it IS kidney
failure there is little I can do but feed her LOW protein (she has to have
some, but to avoid the high contents of complex proteins such as in nuts
and corn) and hope the antibiotics kill the remaining infection and her
kidney restart on their own.
I´m going to look online tonight and see what I can find, and I"m going to
ask a friend of mine that works in a small animal specialty clinic what she
thinks and what would be good to feed them.
I´ve removed their old food, and they get a dish of brown rice, and I toss
lettuce, banannas, and whatever choppings are leftover from dinner.
I didn´t think about the salt bit....
I´m going to go do some more research guys...you´ve all been very helpful,
and I´ve got every finger and every toe crossed that she´ll pull through,
and that it´s just a lot of old garbage coming up on them all at once, that
is curable, than having been born with immune system deficiencies.
If anyone thinks of anything else, please put something, even if it´s
redundant or think it´s silly.
I know nico and lucy will appreciate it as much as I will.
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Ianthe99
Member
Posts: 96 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 28/8/2002 at 09:50 PM
You might want to watch giving them lettuce. There´s almost no vitamin
content in it.. it´s mostly water. Too much can give them the runs. Look up
a website called "Just the rats ma´am" It´s one we found a while back.. it
seemed to have some good information.
____________________ She who dies with the most toys wins!
Mutant_Duckie
Member
Posts: 68 Registered: 13/7/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 29/8/2002 at 08:42 AM
once my rat´s skin turned green... i mean like BRIGHT green. turned out the
bedding i was using had some kind of dye in it. never bought that bedding
again. Lol.
Then for about a year he had tumors.. but they went away on their own. Go
figure.
GAWD i miss that little fella...
I think they actually are...nico´s skin is slowly getting better...or at
least it is not getting worse, and the open sores have scabbed over. I
think the cortizone made her a LOT more comfortable.
Lucy is getting more active and it´s VERY hard to give them their medicine,
tho frusterating it I"m seeing it as a sign of hope.
I was quite suprised that the vet called me today! Bright and early just
to see "how our girls" are doing. I´ve never had a vet call me back.
She said that it was indeed a good sign that they were so squirmy and
active, especially lucy.
I do´nt give them much lettuce, but they like it so it´s like a fat free
treat, and with lucy´s kindeys the high water content is good for her
kidneys in case she´s not drinking as much as she should be..but it´s still
sparingly given. They are diggin the brown rice, but still get their usual
grain mix minus the corn (yes, I take the time to pick it out )
You guys have been great, and very informative and I really think my girls
are going to be okay, but I don´t wanna get my hopes up.
It´ll make it that much harder if I´m wrong.
But as for now I"m hopeful, and it looks as if it´s going to turn out in
their favor
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Ianthe99
Member
Posts: 96 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 29/8/2002 at 11:48 AM
Right.. as I was writing my post about the lettuce earlier.. I was thinking
it might be good for her little kidneys. I´m glad they are feeling better.
My rats (Tsukiomi and Musashi) send your rats good wishes!
____________________ She who dies with the most toys wins!
Aw, ratty love to sick ratties.
They squeak their thanks...
Gotta go wrangle them for their medicine
*ugh*
If it weren´t such a pain in the ass, I´d be happy they´re such a
struggle.
As horrible as it sounds, they´re easier to medicate when they´re sicker
;P
But like I said, I´ll take what I can get.
THe last time lucy was sick, she was getting better but I didn´t know it
until she bit the fuck out of my finger (BAD...I mean REALLY bad, like
blood everywhere and shit, scared the fuck out of me) and after I calmed
down I thought "now THERE´S the lucy I know...she must be feeling
better".
Damned if you do, damned if you don´t ;P
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Psychopixi
Fanatic
Posts: 376 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 30/8/2002 at 03:48 PM
Aww, I hope your ratties get better quickly. I´ve never owned rats, when it
comes to small animals I don´t do so well. My friend owns a rat
called Tilly and she´s the sweetest thing ever! Really clever as well. Best
of luck to Nico and Lucy!
____________________ Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life.
Thanks man. I´ve always done best with small animals, but I´m generally
good with animals in general. I"ve NEVER had problems with rats before,
the two I had before my girls both died happy and fat of plain boring old
age. Both I could tell were dying that night, and I sat up with them
bawling like a moron so they wouldn´t go alone.
I´m such a sissy
The one thing I just can´t keep alive are fish.
Even plain old non fancy goldfish. I´ve NEVER had fish that lasted long,
which sucks ´cause I loooove fishies too.
Rats are more personable tho....and it took me A HALF AN OUR to get them to
take some of their meds. The vet told me to make more of it than they need
because then even if they don´t take it all, they´ll still be getting
enough.
*sigh*
I just hope they´re getting better. Nico´s skin is VERY much healed, just
waiting for the last of the scabs to go away and her fur to start growing
back!
Nico looks better, and is more active every day, but I´m still a little
worried. She may be putting on weight, but not as quick as I´d like her to
;P
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Ianthe99
Member
Posts: 96 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 31/8/2002 at 10:48 PM
Whoo hoo! Yay for some ratty recovery!
____________________ She who dies with the most toys wins!
____________________ Trapped in time. Surrounded by evil. Low on gas.
Mara
Member
Posts: 161 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 1/9/2002 at 11:34 PM
*hugs bettie* :cry:
____________________ Alot of people have good stories that take place at a lake with friends and
boats and noodle salad just not anyone here
Anonymous
Posts: 116 Registered: 14/4/2002 Status: Offline
posted on 2/9/2002 at 01:23 AM
Sorry for your loss. Alltough I don´t know you, and certainly not your
pets, you´ve painted us a vivid picture of them. I hope she didn´t have
too bad a time at the end.
____________________
Meranda_Jade
Fanatic
Posts: 511 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 2/9/2002 at 06:28 AM
*hugs* I´m so sorry bettie...
____________________
Monolycus
Fanatic
Posts: 580 Registered: 31/12/1969 Status: Offline
posted on 2/9/2002 at 08:53 AM
I am so sorry, Bettie. *hug* :-(
____________________ "I believe that woman is planning to shoot me again."