Question About A Sick Rat

[APoetCalledAnya]

I am asking this for a girl who, I wouldn't call a friend, just someone I see every so often because we have like friends. I got all the information from her and promised I would ask the rat board for advice.

She bought a rat to feed to her snake. She noticed that it sounded stuffed up and thought it was sick so she didn't feed it to her snake. Since then it has a stuffed up nose (boogers drying around the nostrils), a squinty left eye that sometimes has dried eye boogers, it sneezes a lot and tries to blow its nose, and now it leans its head to the left side and appears to be off balance. I told her it sounds/looks like the rat has an URI. I told her she needs to take it to the vet to get some meds for the rat. She says she is not going to spend a bunch of money on a feeder. She says she is thinking of keeping it as a breeder. She says she asked the pet store and they told her she needs tetracycline for rodents. She couldn't find it and now she is giving it Ornacyn-Plus that's active antibiotic is erythromycin. This product is used to treat respiratory diseases in pet birds.

So, her question is. Is this medicine ok? Will it work to clear up the URI? The pet store told her it should be fine. But the rat seems to be at a stand still. It still runs around and hops about playing with the other rat she bought to breed. She says she thinks it is getting better because sometimes it doesn't sound as stuffy. I told her to feed it fresh vegetables and fruits to help some. The meds go in the water and the rat drinks it. But she doesn't know if it is getting enough. Should she use an eye dropper to give it the medicated water to make sure it is getting enough meds? Also, the pet store keeps swearing that they will be getting tetracycline for rodents in. If they ever do, can she switch the meds and give the rat that antibiotic?

(I personally think she should return the rat to the store so they can properly care for it and get it better. But, you know how it goes telling people what to do with their, not even a pet, a breeder. She doesn't care, it is just 4 bucks to her.) Any advice or help will be much appreciated. I noticed she could by tetracycline online in 250 MG caps. Should she do this and find the dosage for a rat? Does anyone know the dosage for a rat?

[candyraver]

That's asking a lot...a pet store treat an animal?
That's rare in MY experiences.They sell animals.Not all of them care the least bit if its healthy or not.
The rat has to be taken to a VET that knows how to properly care for rats!!!

No one mentioned this yet,so I don't know if i'm out of place by saying so,but your mentioning feeding rats& mice to snakes...I think that belongs under a reptile board (you can talk about reptiles too on the forum) this place is for pet rats.I don't have "issues" with the feeding of rats/ mice since snakes have to eat too,but I think some people may get offended by certain posts.
I personally isn't "offended" but I don't like the idea of live feeding of rodents since a lot of rodents get neglected in their short life span due to their being "food".
It's beyond cruel to not take this rat to a knowledgeable vet.

[mtmaughan]

Quote: Originally Posted by APoetCalledAnya She says she is not going to spend a bunch of money on a feeder. She says she is thinking of keeping it as a breeder.

She shouldn't breed a sick rat! If she's not willing to invest in caring for this rat properly, she should give it to someone who will, or back to the store if she must. She is just prolonging this rat's discomfort, and without proper care it may never get better. I think this is very cruel.

[candyraver]

Quote: Originally Posted by mtmaughan She shouldn't breed a sick rat! If she's not willing to invest in caring for this rat properly, she should give it to someone who will, or back to the store if she must. She is just prolonging this rat's discomfort, and without proper care it may never get better. I think this is very cruel.

I agree wholeheartedly.It's a living being,not a piece of trash ready for disposal.
If she don't want to properly care for it she shouldn't even have it!!!

ALSO [does this even have to be mentioned??] SiCK FEEDERS/BREEDER = SiCK PET!!

For her pets sake I sure hope she decides to pay a vet bill !

[APoetCalledAnya]

Well, Yes, I agree as well. But she won't take it to the vet so I am trying to help in any way I can. It is her choice, I am just trying to help the rat. Hopefully the antibiotics will work, even if they did say for birds.

And, I do not think this belongs on reptiles, I think it belongs in Mouse And Rat. Since I am trying to get help for a sick rat. I only mentioned the snake to try and explain why she felt it is not worth taking to the vet. I am not asking for help for the snake.

She doesn't want it for a pet. She wants it as a breeder. So, to her, it does not matter either way.

[Mousey]

If the rat is sick and being housed with another rat the new rat will also get sick. Plus if the parent rats are sick theres a good chance she wont have any breeder rats in the end. You can try to talk her into just returning them for healthy rats.

[uMgaziRatRescue]

You said she doesn't want to spend a lot of monye of the rat? I'm not 100% sure but I think if you can get her too look around online. I've hurd of low coast vets and vets that help people with financial issues. Stuff like that? maybe you can get her to take the rattie to a vet that way?

[Vanilla_Rat]

Even if this rat is a feeder or a breeder,what ever you want to call it,it does need to see a vet.The symptoms you mentioned are that of myco and most likely the head tilt is from an inner ear infection,stroke or brain tumor.

Tetracycline will only really help mild symptoms.Here is a website that explains it all!
Health Guide: Mycoplasma / Mycoplasmosis

NEVER BREED A SICK RAT! Even for food.Very,very bad idea.

[candyraver]

This post just peeves me off.I won't be responding to anything else.
Great link Lisa

[lilspaz68]

Without treatment that rat will probably die. The sneezing and porphryin discharge is bad enough but the head tilt? Gah!
There's no way that rat will ever be able to breed.

Too many posts mentioning rats being fed to snakes on ALL the forums these days. Was it necessary to hash out the details...couldn't we just be told that she is a crappy owner and doesn't want to go to a vet, etc? There's enough of those out there thats for sure. Sorry, venting. I do a lot for my rescues, and seeing animals suffering and neglected makes me ill.

[APoetCalledAnya]

I am sorry for upsetting people. I just want to help the rat. It upsets me to think about it but I feel so sorry for the rat and I want to help.
She is treating it with Ornacyn-Plus, the active antibiotic is erythromycin. That product is used to treat respiratory diseases in pet birds. That's what the pet store told her to use. Think it will be good enough to help the rat pull through? I already tried convincing her but she says she likes the darker sploches of off white on it.

[lilspaz68]

Quote: Originally Posted by APoetCalledAnya I am sorry for upsetting people. I just want to help the rat. It upsets me to think about it but I feel so sorry for the rat and I want to help. She is treating it with Ornacyn-Plus, the active antibiotic is erythromycin. That product is used to treat respiratory diseases in pet birds. That's what the pet store told her to use. Think it will be good enough to help the rat pull through? I already tried convincing her but she says she likes the darker sploches of off white on it.

No, once head tilt presents and aggressive antibiotic treatment isn't used, its very unlikely this rat will survive.

from ratguide.com
Brand
Ery-Tab, Mycin, Robimycin, Robitabs, Eryc, EryPed and EryPed drops.

(Ornacyn sold over counter for birds in pet store; however, though used in emergencies by pet rat owners, it is not recommended to do so. )

Indications:
Can be used in mild respiratory infections

I'm sorry little rat that you are going through this. Maybe in your next life you can be one of mine?

[Vanilla_Rat]

Lil' Spaz...off topic,but just curious...are you in the ONRMCA forums?

[lilspaz68]

Quote: Originally Posted by Vanilla_Rat Lil' Spaz...off topic,but just curious...are you in the ONRMCA forums?

Yes, ONRMCA, RatsRule, etc...who are you there?

[Vanilla_Rat]

Quote: Originally Posted by lilspaz68 Yes, ONRMCA, RatsRule, etc...who are you there?

My name is Vanilla there...but I haven't been on there in a couple months now.I knew you seemed familiar tho!