Bluey's Breath

[adyoo]

All,

Should Bluey get a pneumothrax? The vet says she has a chance but Quickey who was gasping died on the table from the procedure.

Bluey was just breathing hard, an x-ray showed her heart in her right lung area, she's been on oxygen for over a day. Vet is weaning her off today but wants to "let the air" out. Says he's done it before. Another vet had done Quickey.

I think I should just bring her home.

Thoughts? :sad3

adyoo

 

[SQ]

Never heard of this procedure with a rat.
If she has air outside of the lung that made it collapse, then it makes sense, I guess ...
Will that cause her heart to return to its proper position?
I assume that your choices are to do the surgery or to have her humanely put to sleep?

I assume the vet knows the collapsed lung is due to air and not to fluid, and she does not have an enlarged heart?

 

[jorats]

I've never heard of this procedure either. What exactly must they do?

 

[lilspaz68]

Bring her home. ANOTHER vet did this before? Not this vet? Or not successfully? Rats lungs do not collapse because they don't get into car accidents, etc like humans in an ER. If your girl is not in such a critical place bring her home! Has your vet thought her heart might not be enlarged because of a heart condition instead??

 

[SQ]

If her heart is enlarged, then she needs to be on heart meds

I had a rat whose lung collapsed, her heart shifted position and she was unable to breath outside of the oxygen tank.
She had to be humanely put to sleep.

I guess whether or not you can take her home depends on whether she can breath ok outside of the oxygen tank

 

[purinpurin]

Lungs can collapse even if the body is not outwardly affected (ex. car accident) for a number of reasons. I am no expert about rats, but I am 100% certain that there are other explanations for a rat's lungs collapsing without an accident being the cause. In some cases, cysts and/or blebs bursting around the lungs can cause them to abruptly collapse. If your vet has done the surgery before successfully, then I think it is better to entrust to him the care of your pet.

If your vet doesn't seem sure, then like lilspaz says, don't do it; it is too high of a risk. :S

Consult another vet too, if you feel indecisive. Pneumothorax may not be what's afflicting your rat, however, it is very dangerous to leave it as it is if it's true. It can lead to a number of pulmonary problems, some that may not be "worth" operating for (ex. it's too dangerous, the rat is too old, etc.).

A pneumothorax is painful. If a surgery isn't an option, then putting your Bluey to sleep could be the only other option, unfortunately. As I suggested, you might want to consult another vet just in case there are other ways to ease her pain.

 

[lilspaz68]

It just worries me that the vet sounds like he wants to do the procedure more for the sake of the procedure than actually helping the rat

Good to know about lung collapse, just not something I have ever heard of, so I assume its pretty rare?

 

[purinpurin]

*Nods* I haven't heard of it happening too often; most people who go to the hospital for treatment for pneumothorax is because their lung collapsed due to physical shock (as you said, something like a car accident). For humans, a couple small cysts or blebs bursting here and there may lead to an infection, but usually it wouldn't lead to a whole lung collapsing.

But, for rats, their cysts are often as large as human cysts... Their little lungs wouldn't be able to handle things of that size bursting around them. :S

And yeah, if the vet wants to do the surgery just for the sake of doing it, then it's probably better not to do it. I'd like you to know there are risks involved with the procedure (putting in a chest tube to "let the air out"). Although it sounds simple enough, if done incorrectly, it can cause haemorrhage, infections... Your vet should know all about it. I guess it all depends on whether or not your vet is experienced with rats.

Thinking about it now, for the left lung to collapse (I'm assuming something burst between the left lung and the heart, pushing those two apart and creating an air space) and even further, push the heart away, your rat is likely in serious pain. Has your vet asked you whether you want to put Bluey on pain meds after he lets her off the oxygen? She will need whatever pain meds work best for rats, as well as support for breathing. Unfortunately because animal treatment is so different from human treatment, that's the best I can come up with right now...

 

[adyoo]

Bluey turn around after a month with no treatment except TLC and medicine Buddha mantra.

She is 2 years and 8 months old, still going strong.

She likes to eat banana, mango and my cooking.

Just wanted to give and up date.

 

[jorats]

That's good news! What is medicine Buddha mantra?

 

[mamarat]

That's fantastic! A lovely oldie!