I really need urgent advise

656 Views 8 Replies 4 Participants Last post by DustyRat, Nov 2, 2014

Akarah

Discussion Starter · Nov 1, 2014

Not a good day with my boys. I posted a thread earlier about Rascal's fall. Now, it's Justin. My boyfriend took the boys out the cage for free range time. He called me and said, 'listen to this'. Justin's breathing sounded horrid. I'm going to try my best to explain this - I'm a first time rat owner, I've had my boys for for just over two months. They are almost 4 months old. The sound was like a loud gasping, grinding, wheezing sound mixed together. I was busy bathing my daughter, and I dropped everything and the first thing that came to mind wads chocolate drop. Just as I was about to give Justin the chocolate drop, he gave a big sneeze and the sound was gone. I gave him the chocolate drop anyway. I did the rat telephone thing, and I'm new at this, but all I could hear was his heart pounding away. After a few attempts I thanked I picked up abit if wheezing. I compared his breathing to Rascal, and Justin has a little bit of a wheeze. There are no signs of poryphin. He is active, eating, drinking. The vet is closed. It's Saturday night here in SA. And the soonest I can get him to the vet is Monday. I'm so new at this. And I'm being a panicky mom. But his breathing before his big sneeze was scary. Any advise would be greatly appreciated!!

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nanashi7

· #2 · Nov 1, 2014

Run a hot hot shower and hold him in the steamy bathroom for 5-10 minutes. Do this til Monday to help him breathe and continue to provide a chocolate chip if he has more attacks.

As long as he is kept breathing, warm, eating and drinking he'll make it to Monday.

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Akarah

Discussion Starter · #3 · Nov 1, 2014

Thank you so much!!!

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Akarah

Discussion Starter · #4 · Nov 1, 2014

So far, he hasn't had another attack. I had them both on the dinner table sharing my shrimp and egg salad. He ate and was so happy. I'm steaming my bathroom up to sit with him in there. How often should I sit with him in a steamy shower? 2/4 times a day? I'm not sure?

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nanashi7

· #5 · Nov 1, 2014

Once or twice a day more if it helps.

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Isamurat

· #6 · Nov 1, 2014

He may well of got something stuck in his airway, hence the horrible sound. If he looks well and doesn't do this again I wouldnt bother with streaming him or the vet. If he gets this bad again I would go for the emergency vets for antibiotics, it could be sudden onset pneumonia and without high end abs ihe may not make it, a few days can make a difference.

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Akarah

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 1, 2014

I did the shower thing. Oh boy, for some strange reason he didn't enjoy it in that bathroom. He was stressing big time, tried singing to him and calming him. No way, he pushed me away and kept wanting to get to the floor. He started wheezing a little, nothing like the first sound he made made, but he wheezed. Once he was out the bathroom and back in his cage, he was allot more relaxed and no wheezing from what I could hear. I gave him another tiny chocolate chip. What on earth brought this on? He was perfect this morning. Anyway. Will keep an eye on him, and hope for the best.

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Isamurat

· #8 · Nov 2, 2014

Steaming can make some resp issues worse, f they've got fluid on the lungs say, it can also make them feel like they can't breath as well, I the to try it but if it makes them worse not o it again

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DustyRat

· #9 · Nov 2, 2014

Another option to use is a humidifier as it can be aimed at the cage for as long as you like. That is what my vet recommended for one of my girls.

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