ok I just kinda need to vent this to people who understand where i am coming from so please bear with me i am a little upset right now. So yesterday one of my youngest boys Gir started with heavy breathing so i immediately started him on amoxicillin. Well by today he was sounding a bit better but now all of my other boys are sounding bad of course they all went on AB's as well but i am really concerned that Jackson doesn't have it in him to fight this. I will be taking them to the vets on tuesday when they are open seeing as there is no real emergency. The problem being that my husband basically blew it off like it was nothing if our boys have a virus and we loose some. I am a mess worrying about them gave myself a migraine and everything and he blows it off like it is nothing!!! i know he cares but a little bit of comfort would have been nice. I just pray that everyone makes it through this ok and I am hoping that it isn't a virus like SDA or anything maybe it is just a cold or something easy to del with. I am so worried about them it isn't funny! anyway thanks for letting me vent I will keep everyone posted as time goes by.
respitory problems
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yeah i know the only thing that has changed is a week ago i got my eight fosters but they were in perfect health as far as we knew. I haven't been in a pet store in months so i don't think it was that. I have no clue it may have came from the fosters but they are not showing any symptoms either neither are my four girls (kept at the seperate end of the house)
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Were the 8 fosters properly quarantined? Completely separate airspace (different house/apartment for 3 weeks)? Even if the rats are kept as far away from each other as possible, if they're in the same house, it's all the same airspace and it's not quaratine - they can still transfer viruses, especially SDA.
Some rats don't show symptoms. Some people/vets say that if a rat has had SDA in the past, they're immune to it in the future (or at least that exact type of SDA). If your fosters had SDA in the past 2-4 months, it's possible that, although they're over it now and aren't showing symptoms, they can still shed the disease and it can be spred to other rats.
Some rats don't show symptoms. Some people/vets say that if a rat has had SDA in the past, they're immune to it in the future (or at least that exact type of SDA). If your fosters had SDA in the past 2-4 months, it's possible that, although they're over it now and aren't showing symptoms, they can still shed the disease and it can be spred to other rats.
they were quarantined at my friends house yes but they may still be carrying it i am waiting to hear back from the person who was fostering them before i got them. I was only supposed to have them one week and now it has been two and this is happening i swear i am never fostering again LoL!
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The problem with viruses like SDA and Sendai is the fact that, if they're only sneezing, it's hard to diagnose before they start showing more life-threatening symptoms. The viruses progress extremely quickly and can be fatal in a matter of hours. Most people don't realize they have SDA until their rats start "mysteriously" dying. You can opt to get blood work done - only problem with this is the fact that the lab the blood has to be sent to is in another state (Missouri) and can take a couple weeks to get results back. If you'd like the lab's information, let me know. It's a specific serology that has to be done to know if it's SDA (or Sendai, or CARb, or KRV, et cetera), thus why it has to be sent out.
A rat that has SDA can be declared healthy by even a rat-savvy vet. You really have to pay attention to symptoms and whether all your rats are becoming effected. It's easy to just consider SDA symptoms unconnected or a simple URI.
A few months ago, the rescue I work with got SDA. It was a horrible time... Although none of the rats passed away, and most everyone recovered without any problems, during the worst of it (which thankfully only lasts a week once symptoms appear), Kaia had to give sub-Q injections daily to all her oldies and the rats showing symptoms at the time, along with giving 20 rats (numerous) medication twice a day. None of mine really showed symptoms, but because I was always over at Kaia's house playing with the rats, I started all of mine on antibiotics also. The key with SDA is to start the antibiotics BEFORE the symptoms show up, if there are rats in your care that ARE showing the tell-tale SDA signs.
The blood work for Kaia's rats came back showing that it was, in fact, SDA. Unfortunately, it's taken THREE attempts to get a good blood sample from my rats, so I'm still waiting on my results even though the SDA outbreak was back in January/February and it doesn't really matter now
A rat that has SDA can be declared healthy by even a rat-savvy vet. You really have to pay attention to symptoms and whether all your rats are becoming effected. It's easy to just consider SDA symptoms unconnected or a simple URI.
A few months ago, the rescue I work with got SDA. It was a horrible time... Although none of the rats passed away, and most everyone recovered without any problems, during the worst of it (which thankfully only lasts a week once symptoms appear), Kaia had to give sub-Q injections daily to all her oldies and the rats showing symptoms at the time, along with giving 20 rats (numerous) medication twice a day. None of mine really showed symptoms, but because I was always over at Kaia's house playing with the rats, I started all of mine on antibiotics also. The key with SDA is to start the antibiotics BEFORE the symptoms show up, if there are rats in your care that ARE showing the tell-tale SDA signs.
The blood work for Kaia's rats came back showing that it was, in fact, SDA. Unfortunately, it's taken THREE attempts to get a good blood sample from my rats, so I'm still waiting on my results even though the SDA outbreak was back in January/February and it doesn't really matter now
I will get the blood work done on tuesday definitely! I know what you mean about the results though LoL the rescue I volunteer for had the same thing happened at the rescue i volunteer for at around the same time and we are still awaiting the results. I have put everyone in my care on antibiotics just in case and there hasn't been too much sneezing it is more raspy breathing than anything. Like they have fluid in their lungs. Thanks so much Night you are a HUGE help i really really really appreciate it! I will let you know if anything changes right now jackson is hiding in his hammock. Poor thing hasn't come out all day!
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The facility you have the bloodwork sent to is RADIL of the University of Missouri. You can see the serology information here.
I would suggest you get some different medication, or maybe add some to the amoxicillin regimen. Although amoxicillin is a broad spectrum antibiotic, which is good for a lot of things in most situations, when it comes to things such as SDA, it stands no chance. The usual medications for SDA are baytril/doxycycline, and the rats with more serious problems are put on baytril/doxycyline/zithromax. A big problem with SDA is dehydration (thus why Kaia and I did the sub-Q injections for any oldsters or rats showing symptoms). Along with the sub-Q injections, we sprinkled electrolyte powder on their oatmeal/baby cereal daily.
I would suggest you get some different medication, or maybe add some to the amoxicillin regimen. Although amoxicillin is a broad spectrum antibiotic, which is good for a lot of things in most situations, when it comes to things such as SDA, it stands no chance. The usual medications for SDA are baytril/doxycycline, and the rats with more serious problems are put on baytril/doxycyline/zithromax. A big problem with SDA is dehydration (thus why Kaia and I did the sub-Q injections for any oldsters or rats showing symptoms). Along with the sub-Q injections, we sprinkled electrolyte powder on their oatmeal/baby cereal daily.
thankies! i am going to the vet as soon as they open on tuesday already called and made an appointment (love that the office has voicemail checked hourly) I was already planning on asking for something stronger this was just to cover till i got them there. i have been keeping a close eye on them and jackson seems to be the worsed off. His breathing is pretty labored I am going to go take him in for a steam right now and give him a bit of chocolate. If the meds don't kick in on him soon I will take him to the emergency vet clinic. I printed out this page LoL gonna take it to the vet with me haha
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Printing out SDA articles for your vet is a really good idea. I printed out this one and this one for mine when Kaia and I went through our SDA ordeal. The ELISA panel the first article mentions is the name of the blood work test that used to be done to see if SDA was present - the RADIL test is more accurate, is faster, and has more results.
The two most tell-tale signs of SDA are the ocular issues (bulging/squinting eyes), and the swollen lymphnodes in the neck. You can see pictures of both here.
Good luck! Keep us updated, and lots of good vibes to Jackson!
The two most tell-tale signs of SDA are the ocular issues (bulging/squinting eyes), and the swollen lymphnodes in the neck. You can see pictures of both here.
Good luck! Keep us updated, and lots of good vibes to Jackson!
I have the sda stuff printed out from before when you posted them (long time ago) i also just looked at the pictures on that link and none of my guys look like that. the steam helped jackson for now and he seems to be doing MUCH better he is probably going to sleep with me tonight LoL
[edit] also the only "eye" thing i have noticed is that around their eyes is a more pink color than normal not really bulging just very pink like where we put eyeliner is more noticable than normal. Almost looks like it is balding and I can only notice it on my light colored rats?? any ideas?
[edit] also the only "eye" thing i have noticed is that around their eyes is a more pink color than normal not really bulging just very pink like where we put eyeliner is more noticable than normal. Almost looks like it is balding and I can only notice it on my light colored rats?? any ideas?
well it is now day 2 of this junk and the boys seem to be doing a little bit better though not much. I have yet to see or hear them clammering around at all and usually now is wake up time. Steve hasn't touched his water bottle since yesterday and jackson, littleman, and iriquois have not moved form their hammock. I keep looking over to see breathing and the hammock is moving so that is a good thing at least. it sounds so bad in the rattie room right now all i hear is the crackling of their breath. I can't wait until tomorrow when i can rush them over to the vet's asap. I wish I could do the emergency thing but a 150 a pop nine boys i just can't do it. If there was only two that were breathing funny i could but not nine. It is a depressing time being here so I will go now and when I hear anything from the doctor I will let everyone know. Thanks so much for all of the helpful info you guys!
alrighty time for an update. . . the antibiotics started kicking in this morning so I called the vet and told him what was going on. He told me to keep them on the amoxicillin for now and if anything progresses to take them in right away (no appointment nessecary) the vet said it sounded like nothing more than a myco flare up and doing the tests won't matter until after the symptoms are gone for three weeks. He will then test them for it and see what happens. All the boys are doing very well tonight and jackson was even playing for once! LoL i guess i freaked out for nothing more than a myco flare up. Thanks everyone I really love that i can come here and get all the support and information you give!
So it has been a couple days and they are ALL a million times better. Everyone is back to normal and it seems to have been a myco flare up. They are still on the amoxicillin but there has not been one single sneeze! (well except the normal ones that come when they are sniffing something and well you know LoL) Jackson is back to his pain in the butt self with digging in my blankets and gathering stuff. Brining me all kinds of presents and iriquois is back to being a grumpy poop! LoL I can finally breathe a sigh of relief!!
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