Breathing difficulty old rat.

[handmeafish]

I was checking on all the rats this morning, and Dumbledore is stretched out breathing really hard. He doesn't have any poryph discharge, and he doesn't sound congested. I could hear him breaking at first and was thinking he had a really bad uri, but now he does not sound congested at all.
I tried to give him a small piece of chocolate because I've read that will sometimes help, but he wouldn't take it.

I can try to get him into the vet in the morning, but is there anything I can do for him for now.

He's really old, as far as I know, and he was just treated for a URI not too long ago. I think the move home probably stressed him out...

 

[Moon]

If you aren't hearing congestion, I don't know that there's much you can do until you hit the vet's. If he was congested you could try steaming him, but in my experience, laboured breathing with no congestion is symptomatic of pulmonary abscesses. Antibiotics and steroids help with that.

 

[jorats]

Chocolate really doesn't help with lung issues, unless it's the very dark chocolate and even then.
But... the fact that he refused a piece of chocolate seems alarming to me. Hopefully once you get him to the vet and get a good listen to his lungs you'll be able to know more. Until then, keep him warm and hydrated. Sometimes a bit of metacam or tylenol or ibuprofen might help him feel a bit better.

 

[handmeafish]

Do you think that I should try some ibuprofen tonight? I don't have metacam, but I can get either baby Tylenol or ibuprofen.

And I gave dark bakers chocolate that my roomie was going to put in cookies, just one chip. He did eat it later in the day.

He seems to be okay for now, but still breathing hard. He comes to the cage and is curious, but does not want to come out. I've just been letting him sleep
Hopefully I can get him in tomorrow.

 

[jorats]

I'd wait to see what the vet thinks.