8 months old with heart problems.

[Rachael]

Has anybody ever had rats this young with heart problems?

They are both sisters, 8 months old. The vet can feel fluid in their stomach and their breathing is a bit off, they are prone to respiratorys. If they popcorn around for a couple of minutes and go crazy having fun, then they have to lie flat out, get their breath back. The first time Lois did this I lifted her and she was floppy and getting her breath back, but a few minutes later she was okay. They tire easily, are lethargic.

They're going to start on Frusemide tonight, just wondered if anybody has had rats that young.

 

[lilspaz68]

I lost Ortiz at 13 months of age. I didn't know he had CHF until later on...he was an untouchable halfie...he started losing serious weight and I was giving him abs from a syringe through the bars thinking he had a URI, but of course it never responded. Poor Ortiz A lot of his family had CHF but I was able to moderately treat most of them and they did improve on heart meds.

 

[Rachael]

I lost Ortiz at 13 months of age. I didn't know he had CHF until later on...he was an untouchable halfie...he started losing serious weight and I was giving him abs from a syringe through the bars thinking he had a URI, but of course it never responded. Poor Ortiz A lot of his family had CHF but I was able to moderately treat most of them and they did improve on heart meds.

poor little guy.

I am hoping they respond to it, I feel bad as Star has been vocal since about 8 weeks but I think recently when I have been lifting her she's been tender rather than protesting.

There's 10 in the litter and the boys have respiratorys on and off too (have them all with me) so I will keep a close eye on them.

 

[PitLuvs]

Our G'kar is only 10m and he's on meds for heart problems Sad when they are so young.

 

[Rachael]

What meds is your boy on?

 

[Godmother]

The first time I had a rat with heart problems I didn't realize it until it was quite far gone. She wasn't as active as her sisters, and she was the only one of the family who didn't climb my pant legs when I was in their free range space.

If the Furosemide helps, then you can ask for benazepril, which is used for people with heart failure, and also some atenolol. Those two drugs make the heart work more efficiently and they reduce blood pressure also. The Furosemide helps keep the lungs free of liquid. Some rats can last a long time with the right meds.

 

[Rachael]

Thank you

 

[PitLuvs]

Ours is on Lasix, I hear its a last resort drug. He is fine, as long as he's kept pretty calm. Too much out time puts him into a episode.

 

[SQ]

Lasix is a diuretic and removes the fluid from the lungs.

If your rat has a heart problem, then like godmother said, it needs to be on:
1. a beta-blocker such as atenolol (1 mg/454.4 g, twice a day)
2. an ACE inhibitor such as enalapril (0.25 mg/454.4 g, twice a day) or benazepril
3. furosemide, brand name lasix (beginning dose 1 to 2 mg/454.4 g, twice a day)

4. and if you do an xray and the heart is enlarged, then digoxin ( 0.0025 mg/454.4 g, twice a day) is added to the above drugs.

Info from the Rat Health Care book (see book section of http://www.ratfanclub.org for ordering info., just ignore the small section on home euthanasia as it is inhumane)
Highly recommend you get the most recent copy of this book.

Burrell was 9 months old when he developed conjestive heart failure (chf).
He lived a good active life for about 8 more months.
I have had many rats with heart problems.
Some live quite a while on heart meds. Others only a few months.
Currently, Sunny is being treated for chf.

 

[Rachael]

Thanks SQ. Sadly my vet isn't able to do x rays,, they don't have a machine small enough to x ray small animals so if mine really need an x ray I need to take them to another vet.

 

[SQ]

Really?
My vet uses the same machine they use to xray cats and dogs.

 

[Rachael]

I find it a bit odd as well, but they're the best vets near me and I do like them apart from that. The old vet I used also said the same thing, that rats were too small!

 

[PitLuvs]

My vet says they can do xrays for $300, send them to Halifax which would be another processing fee and even then they can't do anything for G'Kar other than meds. She said about $500 by the time it's done.... crazy? We opted for no xrays.

 

[xxchelle]

That's crazy... my vet did x-rays on Beta when she was in labor for no charge, and head x-rays on Tilly for $10. Then someone else needed full body x-rays, I can't remember who, and it was $20.

My vet also did an ultrasound on Alt for free.

But I think this is all because of my rescue discount.

 

[lilspaz68]

Nope Chelle, your vet is just being nice to you. Dr Munn has done x-rays for free for me, because they cost a lot normally.

 

[SQ]

Hmm .... people in NS need to make road trips to NB ......
I think an xray is around $100, but I'm not sure.

 

[xxchelle]

It's crazy how expensive some vet procedures can be... makes me even more thankful to have a wonderful vet to work with for the rescue.

 

[PitLuvs]

Hmm .... people in NS need to make road trips to NB ......
I think an xray is around $100, but I'm not sure.

Of just move! $100 plus gas, hotel and food would put me at $500 LOL

 

[Rachael]

My vet isn't expensive thankfully.