[schnebbles]

This guy has been ill for a week now. He's losing a lot of weight. I brought him home tonight (cannot keep him, although I wish I could, he's sweet) - what should I try? he breathes heavy sometimes and is just really skinny.

I got tetracycline fish medicine to have on hand. I can't be taking work rats to the vet either so I need to work with what I have. I gave him a few pieces of greens, banana and a mix of some food and treats to try and get him to eat. Not really sneezing. I've heard him a couple times but not much.

thanks!

 

[schnebbles]

He will not eat. I've tried baby food, treats, greens, oatmeal and I don't think he's eaten. I don't know if he's drinking any of the water. He makes little sounds when breathing, I can't decipher just what it sounds like. I feel so bad for him.

 

[kksrats]

Does he sound raspy or rattly if you hold his chest to your ear? If so it's probably a URI. You can definitely treat that with tetracycline http://ratguide.com/meds/antimicrobial_agents/tetracycline_hydrochloride.php. However, if there's no indication of respiratory issues, it may be a heart issue for which there's really not an easy fix.

 

[Gribouilli]

Did you give him the tetracycline fish medicine? How many doses so far?

 

[lilspaz68]

If he's not moving, not eating or drinking the tetracycline is likely.not going to be enough to save him Will the petstore humanely euthanize him in this case?

 

[schnebbles]

I put a little of the tetracycline in his water but I really don't know how much he's drinking. Last night I put some different kind of tetracycline in his water that I have for my chickens. He moves around but in the little tank he is in he just sits there on top of a basket I put in there. When I have him up to my ear it almost just sounds like a ticking noise when he breathes it's hard to describe but it could be respiratory. My work does not have any way to put him to sleep and I feel like he's just starving to death so I was going to try to just make him a little more comfortable at home where I can hold him

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[Gribouilli]

Use syrup to mix the med in. I don't know how many doses a capsule is or your rat's weight but just give him the dose in syrup, not in water. If he is not drinking it isn't going to help and even if he was, chances is that he was not going to get enough of it. Furthermore he might not drink at all because of the taste if the water now making things even worse. I never used the tetracycline but I used the fish amox (amoxycillin) and I always mixed it in Torani syrup and it works great.

 

[kksrats]

Sounds like he needs some easy calories. A liquid diet is a good start. As gribouilli said, mix the medicine with something sweet. This might get his attention and will give him some fast calories that might give him the energy to eat. I like human infant soy formula for liquid diets because it has everything they need and rats usually go nuts for it. Milk replacers for kittens/puppies are ok as well.

 

[schnebbles]

He died Poor guy. I'll have to keep these things in mind for future reference. He was a sweetie too. So sad. I thought for sure he'd lick some of the meat babyfood I gave him.

 

[Gribouilli]

I'm sorry for your lossPlease make sure to keep an eye on your other rats. Unless you kept the sick rat in another house than your other rat, they could get sick too. In the future always use syrup to mix their meds in, never in their drinking water. Sorry again he didn't make it.

 

[schnebbles]

thank you. I will watch my girls for sure. I think it was something more than respiratory because he'd been sick at work for a couple weeks, I should have brought him home sooner. I was only bringing him home to try and get him better and find him a home.

 

[lilspaz68]

I am so very sorry