Drooling - not choking

[Piucca]

Jinx my old rat has been making strange noises for about a week.
I thought "Eh she just has the sniffles.".
Last night / this morning her whole chin is covered with drool and she smells... funny.
It doesn't smell like infection, so I am not worried about an abscess.

She has been eating normally, drinking normally, and is not more or less lethargic.

I'll keep this thread updated in case she is just choking on something.

Update:
june 8 2012 - 11:00am) Gave her a bit of milk, he tongue looks... shorter, also taking her a bit longer to drink it.

 

[lilspaz68]

She might've been choking and that's the end result, the droolly chin. Is her breathing okay?

 

[jorats]

I'm with lilspaz, usually drool means choking.

 

[Piucca]

Still drooling the next day.
Her breathing is still "ok", still getting over her cold.
She seems perfectly happy other then the drool.
I am thinking now it maybe an abscess that has yet to pop.

I'll keep this updated

 

[TheRatQueen]

Have you felt her throat at all, is there a lump/blockage that's giving her grief?

 

[jorats]

Are you seeing any neurological symptoms like lack of coordination, confusion, loss sense of smell?

 

[Piucca]

I have felt her neck and jaw and feel nothing there, she doesn't pull back either.

No neurological changes.

Still drooling.

She is how ever enjoying a flax seed and peanut butter cookie I made for her

 

[jorats]

That is strange with the drooling and no other symptoms.

 

[Scythe]

I have a rat who does this sometimes... just drools for no reason, at random times. Not excessively, but he'll run by me and i get a swipe of wetness from his chin. It comes and goes, I never catch him choking on anything, his mouth is fine, nothing changes health wise.

Is there such thing as loosemouthed rats? Like the Newfies and St Bernards of rat world? LOL Those sound like my kinda rats :cheeky:

 

[Piucca]

Jorats:
That is why I am a tad confused. She is very healthy other then the drool o.o;
Maybe she is just getting old?
I know cats act a way right before death, I never heard anything about rats.

Scythe:
I know in dogs drooling is a sign of nervousness, not sure about rats
This is the first time she has ever done this in 3 years and 3 months.

 

[mamarat]

I had an older boy and the vet never did figure out why he drooled. He still ate and played ok for his age. And he was never sick.

 

[Piucca]

Thanks mamarat

third day, still drooling.
still happy-go-lucky

 

[jorats]

Hopefully it's nothing serious. Keep an eye out for any other symptoms.

 

[Piucca]

Still drooling.
Now if she had been a younger rat I would have taken her in right away.
Today I found that her mouth is is too small/swollen. Too small to eat right or dull her teeth.
So much so she doesn't want me to touch her mouth area at all, which is unlike
her since I can do just about anything to her.

If she is in pain I want to try to at lest get some pain meds to ease the pain.

Not sure what is going on, she is going to the vet tomorrow.

 

[jorats]

Good luck tomorrow and please keep us posted.

 

[mamarat]

Good luck at the vet.

 

[lilspaz68]

Good luck with your baby, hopefully its something like a small abscess that was taking its time erupting, can be cleaned out and taken care of ASAP.

 

[TheRatQueen]

Any updates?

 

[Piucca]

The vet didn't know what was wrong with her mouth.
Right now she is on her deathbed. Thank you all for your help and support.

At lest she had an awesome life.

 

[TheRatQueen]

I'm so sorry to hear this!!!! xoxo