An experienced opinion needed - please help?

[Michgsy]

Hi... I have a rescue rat called Alfie. I am not sure of his age but I adopted him 1.25 years ago as an adult rat so he would be of a fair age. He came in as a stray and no one collected him for 3 months.

He seems to have got old really suddenly. He sleeps a lot, has lost his agility/confidence and I have had to purchase him a large flat retirement home as he was struggling in his big, tall cage. He doesn't seem to open his eyes fully and whilst he is still eating but has lost weight, he doesn't pick up his food any more. He gets a bit of a spurt on when walking in and out of his home but tends to circle (big circles).

I thought either a pituitary tumor or ear infection or maybe even just old age or dementia. He has been to the vet, she can't find anything wrong with his stomach, his breathing, his teeth look fine and his eyes bright (when she opened them, no porphyrin. She doesn't think he has an infection but has given me Baytril and critical care as he mostly wants to eat yoghurt and bananas only.


He doesn't seem to be in pain but he is making a strange movement that I have not seen before inasmuch as he bats his head up underneath his hanging bed and he has also done it under my chin when I have been cuddling him.

The Baytril does not seem to be having any effect 3 days in. I just want to know that he is not in pain. It is hard to watch him struggling. If he has a PT, does anyone know if that causes pain? I won't have him PTS if it is just because he is old or has dementia etc. as long as he is not in pain. I live on a small island and unfortunately the vets here don't have lots of experience with anything other than cats or dogs so quite often you will get "antibiotics just in case" and "you will know when the time has come to let him go." :*(

 

[SQ]

Please post some videos of Alfie walking, holding food and eating. (post on youtube and put the link on here)

It sounds like he is head bumping?
If you give him a small piece of food such as a kumut puff, a pea, a cheerio, etc is Alfie able to hold it in both front hands and eat it?

I would suggest a combo of antibiotics such as baytril + clavamox or baytril + azithromycin (10 mg./Ib) orally twice a day and a steroid such as prednisone.
Antibiotics + a steroid or anti inflammatory is the treatment for both an inner ear infection and pt

If he does have pt, then you can also try adding cabergoline to the other meds to see if it will help - it helps the most common type of pt.

a large one level cage, soft bedding cleaned frequently, low hanging hammocks, two accessible sources of water including a water dish that can not be upset, a shallow dish for food and his favorite things.
If he has friends he does not need to be separated from them.

Here is some info from the vet approved medical site for rat owners
http://ratguide.com/health/auricle_ear/otitis_media_otitis_interna_labyrinthitis.php
http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/pituitary_tumor.php
http://ratguide.com/health/basics/signs_of_pain_in_rats.php

 

[Michgsy]

Thank you - yes he is head bumping - I was trying to google what he was doing but I didn't know what to call it. He doesn't hold his food anymore. I have seen him do it a couple of times with one front paw to steady it but not to hold it up to eat it.

Thank you - I have done all of the housing things that you have suggested.

I will ask for those meds thank you so much and I will post a vid next time he is out and about. Thank you so much.

 

[SQ]

Did you try Alfie with the wheelbarrow test - see the previous link I posted re pt

feed Alfie soft foods:
- his rat blocks ground up and soaked in water to make mush, organic soy infant formula (or kitten milk replacer, etc) thickened with a bit of baby cereal - these will be easier for Alfie to eat and will provide him with the nutrition he needs as well as help to keep him hydrated - he may be able to eat them out of a shallow dish, lick them off your finger or he may need you to feed him a drop at a time into the side of his mouth using a 1 ml syringe (without a needle)

- in addition, he may also like cooked vegs such as cooked and mashed sweet potato, cooked carrots, cooked squash, frozen/thawed peas - you might have to take the skin off of them for him, cooked whole grains such as cooked oatmeal or cooked quinoa, and fruit such as a piece of ripe banana and a piece of watermelon, and greens such as mixed greens, baby kale, or a piece of broccoli

You will also need to help Alfie groom himself when he becomes unable - he may like being brushed with a soft tooth brush
You will also need to check daily for penis plugs
Some people clean their elderly rats with an unscented baby wipe
I put warm water in the sink, support my rats head and upper body with one hand, and use the other hand to flex their legs (my vet calls it physio for my rats who have problems using their back legs) and make sure their lower body and tail get a good soak ….. then I dry them off and cuddle them in a blanket

Here is a picture of Sandra who lived quite awhile on meds for pt, she lived with her friend, Rhys who was unable to use his hind legs

I hope this info helps

 

[dspch911]

Sounds like PT, I've had a few and I currently have one we're treating with cabergoline, doxy, prednisone, and hemp oil. There is no cure for PT and its a terrible disease. Sorry you're going through it.

 

[SQ]

How is Alfie?

If he has pt then you will want to try to put him on antibiotics such as baytril, plus a steroid such as prednisone
In addition, if he has the most common type of pt, you may want to add cabergoline to the other two meds
(the only way to find out if it will help, is to try it)

While there is no cure for pt, if the tumour is slow growing, the meds may give him several months of good quality time with you

http://ratguide.com/health/neoplasia/pituitary_tumor.php
http://ratguide.com/meds/antimicrobial_agents/enrofloxacin_baytril.php
http://ratguide.com/meds/endocrine_hormones/prednisone_prednisolone.php
http://ratguide.com/meds/central_nervous_system_drugs/cabergoline.php

Please post a video

and if you decide to have Alfie put to sleep at some point, you will need to make sure it is done properly as most vets do not know how. I can tell you how

 

[Michgsy]

Hi guys,

Thank you so much for your help. Unfortunately Alfie has passed away but I have attached the video I made for learning. I have 3 other rescue rats.

I asked the vet for the suggested meds but unfortunately she was not helpful. I had Baytril and ordered Azithromycin and Prednisone but was unable to source Cabergoline in the UK. I had Metacam which is a painkiller and anti inflammatory so I was also giving him that.

Food wise I was doing the things kindly suggested. He was mostly just going for the yoghurt with his rat block in and some critical care powder. Cleaning wise I was using a wipe. He hated water and foam and even being wiped even before he was ill.

Unfortunately the day the meds turned up was the day I had to have him put to sleep. He was sleeping in the morning when I left home but came back about 11am and he was awake but struggling to get out of his bed. I lifted him out but he had trouble standing and he was whimpering which I had never heard before, he was really flat and I didn't see things improving. I really didn't want to have him PTS (I was dreading that big needle in him) but it seemed cruel to leave him. I don't know if I did the right thing but I gave him a lot of Metacam which he gladly drank - it is very sweet. An hour later he was quite out of it but still with us. The vet gave him some gas and air and then put him to sleep so he didn't know anything about it which was comforting.

So gutted. I hope I did as much as I could for him. It's amazing how something so small can take up such a big part of your heart. Massive thanks for your help xx

 

[Nadia]

Oh no so sorry about Alfie!! I’m sure you did everything you could! R.I.P. Alfie

 

[RatsRule]

Oh dear I am so sorry for your loss!! May he Rest In Peace because he was probably a good boy .

 

[SQ]

For future reference, here in Canada I get cabergoline from a human pharmacy by prescription from my vet ………….. it is used to treat several health issues in women so it likely available where you are as well