Coupage is a physical therapy technique used on bigger animals in order to loosen respiratory secretions. Recommended by my vet, I also do this on my rats when they are in a gasping phase of their illness. Rats with severe mycoplasmosis or pneumonia most likely also have pulmonary abscesses. The pus in these abscesses is quite thick so the hope of it clearing the lungs is not realistic but what it can do and what I believe does happen is to displace the pus and allow a better air flow in the lungs. This helps for a short time, it’s not a treatment you want to rely on, it’s something to do when your rat is panicking and gasping. I have seen my rats come out of a fit thanks to coupage.
My method:
I hold my rat next to my chest, I use two fingers and tap firmly on the side of the rat just behind the front arm. Then I turn the rat over and do the other side. I keep doing this, turning the rat over until I feel that he is no longer in severe distress.
The tapping should be firm, like if you were burping a baby.
Apr 04