[Zhuria]

Okay, so this is only my second time posting here. I have had my first rat, Rocket, for just over two months. I was finally able to get him a cagemate about two/three weeks ago.

Here is what transpired:

Went to the pet store, purchased a young male rat. But when I left, he began having awful diarrhea and seemed slightly lethargic. There was an awful smell. I brought him back and forced them to let me exchange him for a different one. To my dismay, this one also had the diarrhea, but he was a lot more active healthy-looking. I took him home.

I got him home and put him in a new cage in my bedroom for quarantine. The diarrhea disappeared as soon as I got him home and I attributed it to stress. He was very healthy, happy, inquisitive, etc., just like Rocket was before him.

I continued quarantine for about a week before I accidentally broke quarantine by forgetting to change my shirt after having the baby in/on it. At this point I threw up my hands and said "screw it" because I knew my quarantine was probably pointless anyway, being in the same house.

I introduced them, all went well, etc.etc.

Then, just a few days ago, I went to put Rambow (the baby) in with Rocket and saw his face was covered in wet porphyrin from his eyes to his snout. I started panicking immediately. Today it is dry around his nose but wet around his eyes and oddly, down his stomach. He has diarrhea again.

Rocket seems fine. Aside from the occasional sneezing. I've been watching him like a hawk and have put Rambow back in my room.

Any help and info would be appreciated. I'm so worried for Rambow and especially for Rocket.

Bits of pertinent info: they are on Yesterday's News and SueBee's diet. I cannot take them to the vet, as there are none here who treat rodents.

 

[lilspaz68]

Re: SV? URI? *panics*

what else do you feed (veggies, fruit), how old is the baby?

A lot of it sounds like stress...is he active? Is he eating/drinking fine? No sounds from his lungs (URI)?

 

[Zhuria]

Re: SV? URI? *panics*

They mostly get carrots and apples as that is usually all that's in the house. I'm not sure of his age, honestly, if I had to guess I would guess 6 weeks.. Not sure.

He seems to be active but I'm not sure about the eating and drinking. He is not in the same room as the computer so I can't watch him as much, and they for some reason dump their food on the floor so I can't really tell (and he drinks so little, being so small)

Would I be able to hear any sounds with my naked ear (if there are any)? Or should I try with a stethoscope?

I wish he was out here where I could watch him constantly, but I'm afraid to keep him in the same room as Rocket

 

[lilspaz68]

Re: SV? URI? *panics*

Rocket and he are already exposed to each others germs. At this point I wouldn't worry too much. Can you keep their cages about 10 feet away from the others? I think thats far enough for a rats sneeze.

Fruit can cause some very loose poop. I would keep your wee one on the suebee;s mix alone and then give him the fruit in small portions once his poop has firmed up.

You could feed your wee one the BRAT diet (very easy to digest and really good for diarrhea)
Banana
Rice (brown is best for the fibre)
Applesauce
Toast

Even the rice will help a lot.

 

[Zhuria]

Re: SV? URI? *panics*

Okay; just checking, but are you saying it's probably okay (or, rather, it doesn't matter at this point) to keep his cage close to Rocket's, or keep it 10 feet away? I don't have any other rats, just these two; I wasn't sure if you were referring to Rocket, or any other rats when you said 10 feet.

Will try the BRAT diet ASAP.. Unfortunately I cannot get into town right now due to snow storm so all I have is toast and possibly some white rice. It's worth a try right?

 

[ration1802]

Re: SV? URI? *panics*

Just sort of nosed in on this thread in passing, sorry about being so brief.

Boiled rice really works when my rats get runny tummys. Try it over a 12 hour period and it should show improvement. Or that's what I've always done. I'd say if it continues after a 24 hour period you might have try and find a vet willing to look at your furkid.

Watch for dehydration too.

 

[lilspaz68]

Re: SV? URI? *panics*

keep his cage 10 ft away from other rat cages. A sneeze is an explosive force and can carry pretty far in the air. Its just a small preventative at this point.

Definitely worth a try, my oops mom had diarrhea 1 week after the birth (its almost normal) and being a picky eater, only ate a bit of toast but devoured the white rice (all I had at the time as well), and it worked well. You'll see a difference pretty quickly.

If the rat is sick (diarrhea is not a common symptom for most illnesses) then it will continue no matter what.

With the porphyrin, does he clean it up on his own and it stays gone or is he just producing way too much?

 

[Kimmiekins]

Re: SV? URI? *panics*

Rice and chicken (boiled, NOTHING added) are what I give all my (meat eating) animals when they have diarrhea. Sort of like the BRAT diet. White rice, if it's what you've got, will be fine enough.

I'd concentrate on keeping him hydrated. Check for dehydration by gently pulling up on the skin behind the neck. If it settles back to normal quickly, he's okay. If it takes a little time, he's dehydrated. Also watch his urine output... If he stops peeing, he may be dehydrated.

Personally, I'm worried about the fact that both the rats had the runs and one appeared ill. I'd take this guy into the vet, just to be sure. There are rat-treating vets in Nova Scotia. Here's one that (at least, used to) see rats (they may be able to help locate one closer to you as well):

Dr. Eric Carnegy
Carnegy’s Animal Hospital
7 Langbrae Drive, Suite 5
Halifax, Nova Scotia B3M 4N7 Canada
(902) 457-1575, (902) 445-1202 FAX
http://www.carnegyanimalhospital.com/

 

[Zhuria]

Re: SV? URI? *panics*

Thanks everyone I think he's a little dehydrated, but not too badly. Is the best way to get some fluids in him just a good old eyedropper/syringe?

He gobbled up some of the toast and I'm about to prepare the rice now. He is eating his SueBee's mix as well, so he's getting food but not water, for some reason. Drink, you little frigger!

The porphyrin, I'm not sure. I've seen him trying to clean his face off but it doesn't seem to do anything. I washed his face earlier and couldn't even get the dry stuff off, but his eyes and belly are clean, at least. He looks pretty pitiful though. BUT he's active and playful. And eating.

Kimmie, thanks for the link! I'm going to e-mail them and ask if they know of any closer rat vets. There's no way I can go to Halifax unfortunately; it's three hours away, it's snowstorm season, and my parents would never allow it. *runs off to e-mail*

 

[Zhuria]

Re: SV? URI? *panics*

Okay, here's an update.

He's eating well. I don't think he has diarrhea anymore! I believe he is also drinking; but I'm also sort of bottle feeding him more water to prevent dehydration, just in case. No such thing as too much water, lol.

The porphyrin is still there. I've washed him twice now but it just keeps coming back. All around his nose, and to a lesser point, his eyes and stomach.

What it seems like to me is, he's washing himself, and he's got too much porphyrin in his saliva, so it's staying all over him. Does that make sense?

What do you guys think?

 

[lilspaz68]

Re: SV? URI? *panics* [Edit: Excess porphyrin?]

is he a pale coloured rat?

 

[Zhuria]

Re: SV? URI? *panics* [Edit: Excess porphyrin?]

Yes he is, he's a solid beige with ruby eyes

 

[lilspaz68]

Re: SV? URI? *panics* [Edit: Excess porphyrin?]

Can you get a pic?

 

[Zhuria]

Re: SV? URI? *panics* [Edit: Excess porphyrin?]

I'll go do that now

 

[Zhuria]

Re: SV? URI? *panics* [Edit: Excess porphyrin?]

Needless to say, he was not happy.

 

[lilspaz68]

Is it just a reddish stain on the tips of his fur?

 

[Zhuria]

Pretty much; it's all through his fur, he's all wet - and it's like that constantly.

His nose was full of crusty dry porphyrin the other day, but I guess I washed it off and it hasn't come back yet.

 

[lilspaz68]

Pretty much; it's all through his fur, he's all wet - and it's like that constantly.

His nose was full of crusty dry porphyrin the other day, but I guess I washed it off and it hasn't come back yet.

Him being all wet concerns me...is he constantly grooming/licking himself?

 

[Zhuria]

When he's not sleeping or eating, he seems to be washing his face a lot.

 

[Zhuria]

Okay. He has been eating and drinking GREAT. No diarrhea. He was in fairly good spirits until today.

And he's wheezing and rattling. So I guess it must be an URI.. And I'm worried, a lot. He's somewhat lethargic and seems depressed. It probably doesn't help that he's alone

I was wondering - do you think my vet would give me Baytril even though they don't treat rodents? Can I just go in and say "PLEASE give me some Baytril, my rat is dying?" I know it's used for cats and dogs as well, so surely they'll have it?

I'm not even sure he'll make the night, at this point..