i'm starting a new topic for this as the other one was quite ,ong and mostly off topic. in the topic this one is based from the question was "They want to know if a shower is safe for your rats as long as the waters a nice temp and you don't step on them. Will the water give them a possible ear infection?"
many different opinions arose. some said that the shower would cause ear infections, myco flare-ups and aspiration pnumonia. others said it was no more dangerous then giving your rats a bath and still others brought into question the benifits of steam and perhaps its dangers. we could not agree on which was right as all we had was theroies and personal stories. so i promised to do further research on it.
the first thing i did was check the Rat and Mouse Gazette: Medical Corner (http://www.rmca.org/) as this site is often referred to by many rat owners and forums when a health issue arises. i found no pertitent articles and so emailed them. the following is that correspondance, posted with permission.
--- "Raven Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> on a forum i frequent there has recently been a post saying that
showering with your rat can and will cause ear infections, myco
flareups and apiration pneumonia. <snip> and if they were an issue
would they not be the same with bathing rats? are ear infections with
rats the same as with humans. some humans are more suspectable and so
get them anytime their ears go under water while other humans have no
problems? <snip> if the splash from the shower or the accidental
dousing of the head in either a bath or shower can cause this
wouldn't the mositure from inhaling steam cause the same problems?
<snip> i'd like to know as my rats seem to enjoy the shower and i
find it far easier to clean them after they've relaxed in the shower
with me for a bit <<<
Hi Raven,
I've got to say that I haven't really heard of these problems in
combination with showering, either. So I think it's a matter of yes,
they CAN occur, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that they
they "can and will". If your rats don't get water into their ears (or
only very little) and don't inhale any water, I wouldn't worry about
ear infections or aspiration pneumonia. (These ARE things that people
who bathe rats are warned to watch out for, btw. So yes, there's this
risk with bathing, too.)
Yes, some rats are probably more prone to (ear) infections than
others are. This is the case with everything, I think... respiratory
infections, tumours, etc.
You've got quite remarkable little ratties, btw. I know there are
ratties who like pea-fishing etc in water, but there aren't many that
like swimming in bathtubs (mine FLEW out of it the one time I tried
it, LOL) or playing under a running shower, I think. Cute.
As for the myco flare-ups, I dunno how they could be caused by a
shower. Indirectly, through stress, perhaps?
Re. the steam. Inhaling steam isn't the same as inhaling water. For
one, there's less water in steam than there is in water (if that
makes sense). Secondly, if the air temperature stays the same, the
water stays in the steam, I think. At least partly. Perhaps one of
the other volunteers at Ratinfo can explain this more clearly.
I hope this answers your questions.
Greetz.
Cyzahhe
please keep in mind that is only one source so far and that i will be continuing my research. i will post all articles i find, for or against showering with rats so we may be able to make an educated decision on this issue.
many different opinions arose. some said that the shower would cause ear infections, myco flare-ups and aspiration pnumonia. others said it was no more dangerous then giving your rats a bath and still others brought into question the benifits of steam and perhaps its dangers. we could not agree on which was right as all we had was theroies and personal stories. so i promised to do further research on it.
the first thing i did was check the Rat and Mouse Gazette: Medical Corner (http://www.rmca.org/) as this site is often referred to by many rat owners and forums when a health issue arises. i found no pertitent articles and so emailed them. the following is that correspondance, posted with permission.
--- "Raven Wilson" <[email protected]> wrote:
>>> on a forum i frequent there has recently been a post saying that
showering with your rat can and will cause ear infections, myco
flareups and apiration pneumonia. <snip> and if they were an issue
would they not be the same with bathing rats? are ear infections with
rats the same as with humans. some humans are more suspectable and so
get them anytime their ears go under water while other humans have no
problems? <snip> if the splash from the shower or the accidental
dousing of the head in either a bath or shower can cause this
wouldn't the mositure from inhaling steam cause the same problems?
<snip> i'd like to know as my rats seem to enjoy the shower and i
find it far easier to clean them after they've relaxed in the shower
with me for a bit <<<
Hi Raven,
I've got to say that I haven't really heard of these problems in
combination with showering, either. So I think it's a matter of yes,
they CAN occur, but I wouldn't go so far as to say that they
they "can and will". If your rats don't get water into their ears (or
only very little) and don't inhale any water, I wouldn't worry about
ear infections or aspiration pneumonia. (These ARE things that people
who bathe rats are warned to watch out for, btw. So yes, there's this
risk with bathing, too.)
Yes, some rats are probably more prone to (ear) infections than
others are. This is the case with everything, I think... respiratory
infections, tumours, etc.
You've got quite remarkable little ratties, btw. I know there are
ratties who like pea-fishing etc in water, but there aren't many that
like swimming in bathtubs (mine FLEW out of it the one time I tried
it, LOL) or playing under a running shower, I think. Cute.
As for the myco flare-ups, I dunno how they could be caused by a
shower. Indirectly, through stress, perhaps?
Re. the steam. Inhaling steam isn't the same as inhaling water. For
one, there's less water in steam than there is in water (if that
makes sense). Secondly, if the air temperature stays the same, the
water stays in the steam, I think. At least partly. Perhaps one of
the other volunteers at Ratinfo can explain this more clearly.
I hope this answers your questions.
Greetz.
Cyzahhe
please keep in mind that is only one source so far and that i will be continuing my research. i will post all articles i find, for or against showering with rats so we may be able to make an educated decision on this issue.