Ear Infection or something worse?

[fenshae]

Stock's got me a little baffled.

I went to give everybody their after-work love last night, and was greeted by seven rats pressing their nose through the cage saying HI MOM! Which, of course, left me with one rat curiously absent. I called for Stock and eventually he trundled his way out, looking a bit worse for wear. Very puffed-up looking and walking sort of gingerly. One eye was super porphy, and he was tilting his head to the side of the porphy eye.

But I've had headtilt before and this isn't showing up quite the same way. For one, he straightens out his head sometimes -- he only seems to tilt some of the time. Two, he's not doing any of the tumbling/weaving/gator rolling I'm used to. He sits up on his haunches to eat and passed the cheerio test...sort of. When he sits on his haunches he keeps his nose very close to the ground, like he's doubled over whatever he's holding.

And, most baffling of all, his face seems puffy. I thought at first maybe it was just his fur being puffed out, but I kept smoothing his fur over and looking at him. I can't discern any specific bumps, but his face realy seems swollen in the cheek area on both sides.

Anyway, naturally this has to happen on Memorial Day weekend.

I don't know if Sulfatrim is a strong enough drug if it IS an ear infection, but I figured it couldn't hurt so I put him on that since I had it lying around after Beryl. Any other ideas?

 

[jorats]

It almost sounds like my mom's rat... It ended up being PT. But there are so many things that share these symptoms. I'd probably start the sulfatrim since it is a long weekend. If it's an ear infection, it's a good start.

 

[fenshae]

That was my thought -- I started him up on the sulfatrim, he's had two doses in him so far. We'll see how he looks when I get home from work. He's still pretty mobile (he totters around like a little old man, he's lost a lot of muscle mass in his back end) and he is still very nimble -- like, he was climbing up onto the top levels of the cage, jumped from my shoulder onto the top of the couch, etc. Much more coordinated than I would expect with either an inner ear infection or something neurological. But then again if it's early then whatever it is will probaby be more pronounced.

I'll see if I can cannibalize some batteries for the camera tonight and get up pics, or better yet, video. Or if I can figure out how to use this stupid smart phone...

 

[jorats]

Sending healing vibes... and hoping the sulfatrim does the trick.

 

[fenshae]

Well, as luck would have it, there is absolutely nothing in the house with batteries that have enough juice to power the camera. Technology is not my friend today it seems.

BUT he's perked up a bit. I don't know if it's the sulfatrim or what. His head isn't so much tilting as his body is leaning. Two nights ago he sat up in my lap and power-nommed his way through an entire potato chip (I wouldn't normally be giving the rats potato chips, but when you're sick you get whatever you'd like lol) so he has no no problems holding things, though he did hold it very low to the ground. He also stands up on his hind legs to take the meds and can balance well there.

I think he maybe is just aging very fast. He walks so funny now. It's hard to describe, but he walks very deliberately, one paw at a time, and lifts his paws up very high when he does it. Also the paw on the side he's tilting to he will pick up and hold in the air for a few seconds then remembers to put it down. I checked the paw over for any sign of a sprain, swelling, anything -- nope, and he doesn't flinch or register any reaction when I touch it, so I don't think he's favoring it. It's just this hesitation when he walks. I really need to take a video.

I wonder if it could have been a very minor stroke that only affected the one side?

 

[jorats]

I wonder if perhaps he had a stroke? Many rats recover well from strokes.

 

[fenshae]

That's really what I'm starting to think. Either that or it WAS an ear infection and the sulfatrim is clearing it up. He's almost totally normal now. Still tottering around like an old man, and he does still lean a little to the side, but he doesn't look as "off" as he had been. He's losing his back end, though. Most of the muscle mass is gone and he sits on his haunches now with his feet splayed.

On the bright side, HED rats make the best danglers

 

[jorats]

Oh that's definitely a possibility and the best one at that.