Big problem with Yuki - Seems like she's going to puke

[SQ]

Vet asap ...
Rats get ill very fast and die very fast.There are some things experienced rat owners can treat themselves but when rats are ill, you really can't wait long before seeing a vet.

 

[DarkBlade]

Sadly, the vet isn't close... It's 2 hours from here and I don't even have a driver's lisence. Plus, I have college. I don't know how i'll do it, but if I don't have a drive, I'll only be able to go this week-end or next week, since it's the march break.

 

[Dahlas]

I had a little girl who seemed perfectly healthy......she started gasping like that one night and died very quickly. I was devasted. It was unbelievable. :sad3:
I will be thinking of you and your girl and sending lots of healing vibes your way.

 

[ryelle]

I skipped college a few times to take my boys to the vet when it was an emergency. My pets come before anything else when they are sick especially when it could be life threatening

 

[DarkBlade]

True but my mom doesnt think that way. She says "They are rats, buy another one when they die. It's just a couple bucks. Enyways, they don't last long"

Evil Mom :sad3: Sadyl, she's my only drive

I had to fake cry last time to make her take me to the vet for Zumi :doh: Yes, I was very desperate.

 

[DarkBlade]

So these last 2 days have been very good for Yuki :joy: Her sides and belly weren't moving at all, except for normal breathing. I had trouble seeing it move so it's a good sign. Sometimes, she still does noises but it's not bad at all. She's very active too, like she used to. But... I'm still not taking any chances. Taking her to the vet. At the same time, I'll go check if Zumi's doing better from the vet's opinion.

 

[mamarat]

Good luck, I hope it's nothing serious.

 

[Godmother]

Maybe your vet would prescribe you some "in case" meds, e.g. Baytril, Doxy capsules, Metacam, Clavamox. If you are so far away from a vet you will need to have a good first aid kit. Do you have Debbie Ducommun's Rat Health Care booklet?

It must be scary to be so far, especially in the winter when big storms make it hard to travel.

 

[DarkBlade]

It's very hard with those storms. We had 55cm of snow yesterday! And, I have a bottle of Baytril here used by Zumi and some Doxy with cheez wheez but from what I heard, it's not good to mix dairy with Doxy so Im kinda scared to give that to Yuki. But I have a good month of Baytril bottle for Zumi. I could give some to Yuki but I still need to keep most for Zumi.

By the way, I have an appointment for march the 5th but it's so far away, I'm worried. I dunno what I should do in the mean time, give some Doxy, some baytril maybe?

 

[Godmother]

some Doxy with cheez wheez but from what I heard, it's not good to mix dairy with Doxy

Bet there isn't much dairy in Cheez Whiz!

I guess it would be safe to share the Baytril with Yuki since you'll be seeing the vet soon and can get more. Good luck! I hope you were able to travel today.

 

[Moon]

Doxy on it's own doesn't do much. Baytril is most important, the doxy is a good additive.

Lilspaz recently posted that the doxy is not as affected as other meds by dairy, and as Godmother said, there's not much real dairy in Cheez Whiz! So I think it would be safe.

It's too bad that you can't get to the vet sooner!

 

[DarkBlade]

There sorry for the absence. I went to see Dr Dunnet yesterday and she examined Yuki and Zumi. Zumi made alot of progress from what she said. She's still at a medium level of Myco but she was very bad before she started her baytril so, it's getting better! Only problem is that she doesn't like the new baytril with cheese flavor :gaah: Forgot to tell Dunnet to put some peanut butter flavor X_X

Enyways, for Yuki, she said she was very worried when she heard about what she did at my home. But, when she checked her, she said her myco was very mild, which was suprising. But enyways, Yuki seems to like her Baytril, she keeps pulling the syringue in the cage instead of drinking it. I have to make her understand that she'll get the liquid the same way as her water. Poor baby, she goes nuts. :laugh4:

But I keep seeing Dunnet over and over doing her odd face when I told her that Gallon gave me a month refill of Baytril. She told me that after 2 weeks, it's better to stop giving it to the rats and do a refill cuz it can get untrustable after those 2 weeks.

 

[jorats]

I hope they continue to improve. Dr. Dunnet is right, the Baytril should be a prescription refill... But essentially, flavored Baytril is good for 3 to 4 weeks.

 

[DarkBlade]

Alright, now I have a problem. I forgot to tell Dunnet that Zumi doesn't like cheese flavor (I know, she's an odd rat) and she gave me that one cuz usually rats like it. Yuki loves it to death, she tries stealing the syringe, it's funny. But enyways, I tried mixing the Baytril with things Zumi likes to eat but she detects the Baytril and refuses to eat it. Plus, I called the vet just now and they can't do a peanut butter flavored Baytril today cuz Dunnet and Gallon aren't in. Tomorrow it's closed and after that I'm gone to Bathurst. :gaah:

Have any idea on what could make Zumi eat her Baytril ? She was doing too fine to stop it now. :cry4:

 

[Veggie]

Mix it with some strawberry jam
That helps the flavor a bit ..

When i had to give Stitches baytril she went insane. She would squeel and freak out when she was near it. What a drama queen

 

[Moon]

You can keep trying different things to hide it in. The one that almost always worked for me was baby cereal made up with ensure instead of water. It worked 90% of the time on my Maggie who I swear could find meds in almost anything else. You make it a bit thick and mix in the meds. Some people have good luck with soy milk, and others swear by cool whip. I also found sweet potato baby food worked sometimes.

And, with some rats, as much as we hate to do it you just have to force it into them.

My girls always end up with banana flavour at they hate it, but I make sure it gets into them. The last time I did a run of meds I just popped it in the girls mouth, but gave them a teddy graham cookie right afterwards. They loved the cookies so much that after a couple of days they didn't fight me with the syringes at all, since they knew the cookie was coming.

 

[Godmother]

Rats can smell the alcohol in Baytril and most are sensitive to the bitter taste. You may have to do some trial-and-error to find what your rat likes best. I have had luck with a mixture of something really sweet (Strawberry Nesquick or honey or mashed banana) and something fatty (olive oil or a bit of peanut butter). One rat would eat her meds only if I added chicken broth to the sweet stuff. Cool Whip can be helpful, too.

Right now I make up a week's worth of medication-hider to keep in the frig. I mix mashed banana, a bit of baby cereal and Strawberry Nesquick, and a teaspoon of olive oil or peanut oil. At medication time I mix some of that stuff and some Cool Whip with the meds, and they gobble it down.

You might want to get your vet to sell you some of the unflavoured injectable Baytril. It lasts for a long time.

 

[DarkBlade]

Ohhhh great ideas. I tried stuff. Finally, she ate her meds mixed with peanut butter although she had trouble with it. She licked it a bit then turned around, cleaned her nose, waited 10-15 seconds, then eats a little more. So I think the peanut butter won't last long. :? She seems unsure if she wants to eat it or not.

 

[Godmother]

You'll need to dilute the peanut butter with a bit of liquid so that she doesn't risk choking. She will enjoy it more if it isn't too sticky.

 

[Moon]

You'll need to dilute the peanut butter with a bit of liquid so that she doesn't risk choking. She will enjoy it more if it isn't too sticky.

Yes, that is key. If it is too sticky they go crazy cleaning it off themselves. My girls hate getting honey on their paws, as they all learned the day they got into the honey... it was pretty funny.