[bambi]

Hello, I have posted on this notice board a few days ago, thank you all that helped me.
Just to bring you up to speed, my little girl has either a Pituitary tumor, or a stroke which has paralysed the right side of her body.
She had her first steroid injection yesterday.

Can someone please tell me
Is she to have steroids everyday?
how soon should we notice an improvement?
What if steroids don’t work, then what?

Thanks.

A very unhappy Bambi.x

 

[twitch]

i'm not sure what to tell if you the steriods don't work. i think they should if its either a stroke or tumor. with kakushi i noticed a signifcant difference in just a few hours after medicating, she has a tumor. she went from not wanting to do much more then sleep to eating THREE bowls of food and, though wobbly, exploring the couch adn trying to get in trouble. she gets an oral steriod of 0.2ml of prednisone once a day. the dosage you recieve could very well be different depending on weight and how the mix the drug or if they dilute it. she's very eager to take it though and so is no trouble in adminstering orally.

 

[lilspaz68]

It looks like it should be daily but some injections can cover days.

You should see an improvement within 24-48 hours...is she on abs as well to counter the immune-suppression effects of the steroid?

Most improve, some don't and linger, others will have another stroke and die quickly.

I am sorry, I really have my fingers crossed for you. Paralysis of the side sounds like a stroke.

 

[Ratty1100]

Pituitary tumor is even worse, i think. Heard of rat who lived half year after stroke. 2 years 3 months it lifespan was, if i´m correct. But he was wobbly to the end of its life.

Improvement usually is seen during the same day, after taking the steroids.

 

[bambi]

lilspaz - what is abs??
my girl is on dexamethasone only. Im so upset, after reading your replies that she should respond in 24 - 48 hours..... today is day 2 and shes not showing much improvement.

(

 

[lilspaz68]

abs are antibiotics.

You have to use them with the dex because steroids suppress a rat's immune system and your rat could get sick easily since their immune system is not working properly.

Oh dear, the dex is faster acting then prednisone as well. Was there any improvement at all within 24 hours of the shot? Its probably wearing off
I inject once a day myself.

is she dehydrated? that causes a lot of problems.

Can you check for dehydration with the scruff twist?

 

[bambi]

no the vet has not given antibiotics, the vet also admitted he doesn't know alot about rats!! so we are taking her tomorrow to another vet who we know is very good with rats.

she is sleeping at the moment, but i will check for dehydration once shes awake.

i dont see her as much as my family as the girls don't wake up til about 9pm, so i rely on what my family tells me. They reckon she has improved... in that the rate at which she pulls herself along is faster. but the movement in her leg/arm is still not back. Its day 2 of steroids today.

thanks so much, il make sure we get antiboitics tomorrow.
anything else u can recommend?
many thanks!!!!!

 

[lilspaz68]

Oral prednisone and baytril should be just fine. I just went through a stroke recently with one of my rescue girls. her story is up here somewhere.

If she is dehydrated tonight you can try a few things. You can syringe a rehydration formula into her (a little at a time). Try to get as much as you can into her. She'll let you know when to take a break and when she's done.

Homemade rehydrating formula: 10 oz warm water, 1 tsp sugar, 1/3 tsp salt. Mix well, refrigerate extra, warm up to feed.

Or you can try strawberry Ensure or Boost as its a liquid food.

Tell us the dosages and remember you will need a weight on her, the concentration of the antibiotics/meds (? mg/ml) as well so we can see if they are accurate.

good luck tommorrow!!