Confusion?

[Melissa's ZOO]

So my oldest Lilly, according to my calculations is around 22 months. She has one cataract chronic URI, that no meds seem to get rid of.

Past few days she has slept non-stop, does not come out for playtime unless forced to. Last night when I went to grab her she smelled me and as I moved in to pick her up she bit me pretty hard and she has NEVER done that before. So I let her smell me a little more she put her teeth on me a few more times and then she let me pick her up. She did not want to be picked up and she struggled, I sat on the floor and put her on my lap, she got down and wandered around like she had never been to this place before, scared and leery of everything. She slowly walked around sniffing everything in that out stretched ready to run stance. If another rat ran past her should would jump like they scared the poop out of her. She just seemed confused and disoriented.

Her fur is also starting to thin out?

So my question is confusion one of the first signs of PT?

If so Baytril and Prednisone now and if it progresses Baytril and Dex?

 

[jorats]

Can she hold her food? How does she walk? Straight or clumsy like?

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

She has no problem holding her food or walking. She is much slower than she used to be but she is older now, she seems to have a little rearend trouble but it is usually only when she first wakes up and gets moving.

No clubbed paw, no push back like I have seen on many posts on here.

She is still a food hound and she is not dehydrated.

 

[jorats]

Mmm... doesn't sound like pt then. But I have found that older rats do get something like dementia. My Loki seemed to have it and she would bite down sometimes too.

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

I did not think about that, dementia does sound more like it and if I remember right it can come and go in people. One minute they know where they are and the next they have no clue.

She is fine tonight she did not bite me and she enjoyed the ear rubbing she was getting. She still did not come out for free range, but if she is happy where she is I will not push it on her.

Thanks for responding Jo. :wink:

She has old lady porphorin nose a lot here lately. But her URI seems to have gone away with an occasional flare up.

 

[minnow]

Was the onset fairly sudden? If it was, I have to wonder if it might have been a CVA - a stroke. The confusion, disorientation, and gradually coming back to (close-ish to) normal would match a mild stroke, if the onset is sudden.

 

[jorats]

You've got her comfortable and lots of love. They sure are sweet though, even at that age.

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

Was the onset fairly sudden? If it was, I have to wonder if it might have been a CVA - a stroke. The confusion, disorientation, and gradually coming back to (close-ish to) normal would match a mild stroke, if the onset is sudden.

She has had good nights and bad nights for the past 5 or 6 days so I don't think it was a stroke, since it seems to come and go. I would think if it was a stroke it would be sudden and she would gradually get better. But I have never experienced a stroke with a pet before. So it is possible.

It is a roller coaster with Lilly. One minute she is lively and happy and the next I have to check to make sure she is still alive(I dread those moments).

 

[Melissa's ZOO]

You've got her comfortable and lots of love. They sure are sweet though, even at that age.

Yes, she is comfy. She loves her Fuzzbutt cube and rarely sleeps anywhere but in it.

I agree I do love my oldies they are so sweet and cuddly. When the little ones are non-stop, run, explore, stop and say Hi to mom, run and run some more.

 

[lilspaz68]

Sounds like old age. I prefer to call it senility LOL.
She sounds lovely. Some rats are perfectly fine but will age quickly in a matter of days and go from Adult to Old quickly

 

[jennifervb]

The darling little lady!!! I wonder if she would like liquid Lecithin...

Lecithin is a vitamin which supports the brain function.

I'm certain that the last thing the poor girl wants is to BITE her human!!! :shock: