|
Post by adoptaratcanada on Jul 4, 2009 0:17:56 GMT -4
Please scroll down to July 22 for update, thanksHe's been on one antibiotics for 2 weeks, followed by another for 2 weeks. He seemed to get worse after being off them around 5 days so he was back to the vet yesterday. His lungs are apparently not congested, but his bronchial passages were constricted, especially in one lung so he's now on a bronchodilator. However, today he was sneezing alot. He gets very noisy breathing especially when excited and just now they thought I was bringing dinner. Since he was so uppity I gave them all a yoggie in the hopes of calming him down. I don't know if he suddenly got worse, or inhaled some or what, but he got very noisy and was mouth breathing for around a minute (or maybe it just seemed that long -- I've never had a rat do that!! ) I'm just so stressed over his ongoing issues. Now I'm freaked out and wondering if I'll be making a trip to the emerg. tonight! I'm a wreck.
|
|
|
Post by pinky on Jul 4, 2009 11:45:11 GMT -4
Oh, man--maybe I missed something, but I didn't realize you were having issues with him. May he get better soon--and hope you can de-stress some.
Poor rattie boy.
|
|
|
Post by Hamsters82 on Jul 4, 2009 17:23:32 GMT -4
Oh Linda I'm so sorry. I hope Dukhat will get better. *hugs*
|
|
|
Post by adoptaratcanada on Jul 4, 2009 17:56:26 GMT -4
No, DF, you didn't miss anything. I've been so distracted with worry that I haven't been on much. He's been mostly noisy for the last several weeks (between that and other stuff I've been to the vet almost every week!).
Happily, today he sounds TONS better! My fingers are crossed - hopefully the meds are kicking in now!
|
|
|
Post by Die Fledermaus on Jul 4, 2009 21:36:28 GMT -4
>> No, DF, you didn't miss anything. <<
That's good, I just got here and have not posted before on this. For the past few days most of my times was spent at Coney Island and doing the usual ( and some not usual) Fourth of July related things. Right now I am watching fireworks on TV. More on that elsewhere.
Glad he is better.
I assume you realize your limitations and those of vets. I did everything I could for my poor rabbit 9see signature photo) including a major operation and meds and a month later he died quickly over 36 hours. A major bummer.
Have you ever considered pet insurance for these expenses?
At least you can access a vet who knows rats.
Best to you both.
|
|
|
Post by adoptaratcanada on Jul 4, 2009 22:14:22 GMT -4
I assume you realize your limitations and those of vets. Are you saying I'm not God? Seriously though, I really had to step back when Locutus was going downhill and accept that what he was experiencing was his condition playing itself out. It was a huge emotional learning experience and I hoped it had stuck, but I guess I haven't fully learned yet. I'm not sure how to stop being a worrier. People say, "you just can't worry!" or "you have to stop worrying!" Sound so simple I'd love for them to cure me. Have you ever considered pet insurance for these expenses? I haven't. I wonder if any insurance company would cover rats for respiratory conditions. At least you can access a vet who knows rats. Yes, this is the new guy that the rescue recommended. However, he's away till mid-month (ugh! this is what made me find another vet even though I love my regular one), but this lady we saw Thurs. is sort of the rat person in training. She's more serious about it, but they tell me the other vets there are starting to learn since so many people are coming to the main exotics guy. What comforts me most is that they are open 7 days a week and have several vets. My regular vet (I still take the dog and cat there) is one person, and because of the surgeries she does, and because she's often away on conference, and 2 days off a week (can't begrudge her that) her availability is really limited.
|
|
|
Post by Die Fledermaus on Jul 4, 2009 23:15:07 GMT -4
So you DO know what I mean. I was very stressed about Poppy the rabbit, and what his condition was. I got a lot of help and understanding (and no crap) at rabbitsonline.com. I posted stories about my dismal adventure on March 26th with him - see the Rabbit forum - my worst birthday ever. You should know the whole story; I posted it all. The worry thing is a serious problem - I also posted about Heather's disappearance last week; this had me climbing the walls. I try to be stoic; not easy. No insurance? Glad you can afford it all. Most vets around here know less about rodents than I do. But I posted about the one other vet, Poppy's operation, and demise a month later. Best regards.
|
|
|
Post by adoptaratcanada on Jul 12, 2009 17:14:16 GMT -4
I've been having one of those mornings, DF, where you "don't want to go into their room." Dukhat had another bad breathing spell for a few minutes and by the time I was ready to take him out the door it had settled down. He's been resting since. He was doing very well on the new medication, and yesterday started to sound a little bit worse. This morning he was about the same. I've been withholding free-feeding of dry kibbles (the new vet recommended Regal Rat, and I've always fed my rats one of the recommended-for-rats dog kibbles, Nutro Lite formula) because fo the dust I from them I was noticing in the bowl (more so with the RR). I started to hand feed Nutro to them so Dukhat wouldn't eat too much. Coincidence or otherwise, it was after that this morning that he ran into trouble. I'm not sure if anything else happened to cause it as I had stepped out of the room for a few minutes. Back to the vet tomorrow. I hope I don't p*** *ff my workplace. Especially after so many good days, this rollercoaster is running me ragged.
|
|
|
Post by Die Fledermaus on Jul 12, 2009 19:10:42 GMT -4
>> I've been having one of those mornings, DF, where you "don't want to go into their room." << I sure have been there with that. Especially Princess the Syrian (see Memorial gallery near the bottom). Every 12 hours I gave her Baytril, and each six hours between does she got pedialyte and yogurt. And she survived that issue. Read what I went through with Poppy the rabbit - Rabbit forum. Or what I went through with Heather when she vanished (Other Pets). And what happened with Leslie the GP was so much worse I never even posted it. I can barely think of it. Especially with his brother Sam still here. Hang in there. Do the best you can; that's all you can do.
|
|
|
Post by adoptaratcanada on Jul 12, 2009 19:40:12 GMT -4
Modified Subject: new development in Dukhat's condition...
...and I really welcome your input as I'm off the to vet with him again tomorrow.
I noticed his respiratory problem is worse after he eats.
I had removed the dry food I was free-feeding like Regal Rat and Nutro Lite to avoid him eating alot of it and possibly inhaling dust from chewing it. That was more back in his sneezy/noisy airways period of the last few weeks. Since was had improved so much on the new med (bronchodiltor theophylline) I started to hand fed it to them, a piece at a time (or in D's case, 1/2 piece at a time). He seems to have managed that alright.
I noticed him making more the "chesty" sounds again last night, and was EXTREMELY worried when he did some mouth breath this morning, which happened to be after some fruit, followed by some pieces of Nutro.
I've been giving them non-dust foods like fruit, veg, baby food, etc. I held off the baby food because after he got over his spell, he was resting. I thought I'd try him on some now and right afterward he was really working at the breathing again!
Although his heart hasn't come up with all this during vet visits, I'm worried about that now because I found him lying with head hanging over the shelf (this was *before* their supper.
He didn't seem to have inhaled any food (no coughing or choking) so I don't think that's it. What else might tie respiratory conditions with eating?
|
|
|
Post by Die Fledermaus on Jul 12, 2009 19:45:57 GMT -4
Is there any specific question you want me to post elsewhere? I really can add more other than give my good wishes.
Best.
|
|
|
Post by adoptaratcanada on Jul 12, 2009 20:19:07 GMT -4
Is there any specific question you want me to post elsewhere? I really can add more other than give my good wishes. Best. I guess that last paragraph sums up my question: He didn't seem to have inhaled any food (no coughing or choking) so I don't think that's it. What else might tie respiratory conditions with eating?
|
|
|
Post by Die Fledermaus on Jul 12, 2009 22:31:03 GMT -4
You want me to paste what? Everything? Pasting only the last sentence will make no sense.
|
|
|
Post by adoptaratcanada on Jul 13, 2009 1:09:14 GMT -4
You want me to paste what? Everything? Pasting only the last sentence will make no sense. Oh, right, ok, I'm just heading to bed and will check in tomorrow.
|
|
|
Post by Die Fledermaus on Jul 17, 2009 14:05:10 GMT -4
Well?? We are worried here. . . what's the latest?
|
|