Dopey- not sure but it isnt good.

[hopefloats]

Dopey is about 18 months old now. He has some sort of heart defect, that I believe took Toby in June, his brother. My poor old guy has been showing his age. Not wanting to come out as much. Sleeping a lot.

I got home from work at 11pm it is now almost 3am. He was fine then. I gave him meds and he was in his favorite hammock. He came running up as usual.

Right now he is very winded. everything he does takes all his effort. He was trying to eat and he just let his food lay on the ground, then he kinda tossed it with his mouth.

He is not coming to me, usually the second I say dope-dope he is there searching for his treat. His one hand is fisted.

he had his hand extended but one was in a fist.

I am guessing maybe a stroke? since his hand is fisted up?

you can tell he is having a hard time keeping his balance.
[BBvideo 425,350:2uvnum1y]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJzXl3ObWWk[/BBvideo:2uvnum1y]

It is late and victoria was helping me, but it really doesnt look like PT, she knows more about that than I do so i am totally taking her word. I do think it is something to do with his heart. He is cold. Not my warm naked boy he usually is.

Right now he is resting in the cage. I put him under a plastic igloo since they seem to hold heat. Wrapped him in some fleece and I am letting him rest and do whatever it is he needs to do. I took the other boys and put them away from him. Only left his bested bud Finley.

I need to sleep.........I will hope for something to improve in the morning

 

[hopefloats]

His body temp appears to be coming back up. But he is shivering.

 

[lilspaz68]

His body temp appears to be coming back up. But he is shivering.

Poor Dopey to me he's just an older adult at 18 months of age. He looked like he was choking a little in the video.
What do his lungs sound like? I am not really seeing anything neuro that stands out.

 

[jorats]

He was definitely choking in the video!
How is he now? Maybe that's all that it was?

 

[hopefloats]

There was no drooling at all, I watched him for hours and he never made the motion. He was off balance, freezing and he was shivering. I gave him ensure last night and he drank that but he was struggling with moving.

Today He is just off. He is warm but not my perky little boy. His eye are different. He just snatched a piece of pasta from me, and ran off to eat it.

He is aging.... My poor old man. I just wish i could do something when this happens, this is the 2nd time I seen it with him and I cannot figure out what it is.

 

[Aida]

Try putting him on a heat pack if he's cold, and if the design of the cage allows you.

This is the second time? Weird...

 

[hopefloats]

I thought about it but with him not having hair and not willing to move I thought it would be to much risk to his skin. He is drinking some ensure now... He already has one skin issue. I am treating his ears for infection so maybe he had an ear infection that just hurt? I dont know...I will watch and see.

 

[lilspaz68]

I thought about it but with him not having hair and not willing to move I thought it would be to much risk to his skin. He is drinking some ensure now... He already has one skin issue. I am treating his ears for infection so maybe he had an ear infection that just hurt? I dont know...I will watch and see.

If you have any metacam and he's not on a steroid see if its pain related and give it to him.

 

[hopefloats]

I will try that. I hope it isnt.

 

[jorats]

I remember one of our rats doing that. There's no drooling but they do the motions of trying to dislodge something in their throat. Gosh, I hope it's not a growth, a mass or tumour in the throat.

 

[hopefloats]

I am gonna check him over after I eat. I had to go through and clean all the cages.I gave him some metacam, he drinks and eats fine. he keeps wiping his mouth on the ground though. I dont feel anything there. I am at a loss. He is still not being dopey.

 

[hopefloats]

I dont feel anything. I couldnt wait LOL his belly is mushy not hard I dont feel any type of lumps anywhere. He is digging at his ears pretty bad. You can see the scratch he made. If i can find my flashlight I will look in there. I did put drops of baytril in there hopefully he has an ear infection? \

I am just boggled. But maybe I dont know what old rats act like?

 

[jorats]

Naw, if your gut is telling you something is off then something is off. Does he wipe his mouth only after metacam or at any other time too?

 

[hopefloats]

No he did for a while after I gave him the metacam. I know that stuff smell like urine i am sure it taste just as bad. He is running up to get my andy capps fries though LOL I have gave him extra ensure today, to see how he does with a boost.

He is walking up the ramp better. Something happened last night, but I wont ever know what. I know his body being that cold is not a good thing. When he had his hand fisted, i moved it and it was limp, like it just rolled over to where i put it. That is why I thought a stroke.

All I can hope is I see something that gives me an answer.

 

[KayRatz]

I am just boggled. But maybe I dont know what old rats act like?

Eighteen months isn't really that old... It's maybe a little past middle aged at worst. Maybe your guy is unique though?

 

[hopefloats]

it is old. Considering most rats are lucky to live much past two.

 

[SQ]

Hope he continues to improve

btw, if you think he has a heart problem, you could test dose with enalapril (0.25 mg/454.4g twice a day).
If it helps, then atenolol (1 mg/454.4 g twice a day) is added.

 

[hopefloats]

Hope he continues to improve

btw, if you think he has a heart problem, you could test dose with enalapril (0.25 mg/454.4g twice a day).
If it helps, then atenolol (1 mg/454.4 g twice a day) is added.

it is a defect not so much a condition so it isnt something that medicine will cure or help. he has a funny noise in his heart sounds like the that pda that dogs get? something like that.

 

[kscanuck785]

poor dopey...
you've had your plate full lately, I feel for you Peggy

 

[hopefloats]

I know and Pixie had the worst owie stretches I ever seen on a girl all weekend she had extra metacam and couldnt get it controlled. I think she is a drama queen, she was still playing but my god that girl can bend her body in ways i never seen LOL

dopey has been sleeping all day. But still warm. I hope I can get a bit of a break from these guys for a few days at least. i still have him with finley only, but will be opening the cage up in a bit for them to get the buddies back before I cant do it again LOL