Flea is gone

[Ratgirl@RatRitz]

I really feel for you Jo, the situation must be terribly frustrating

 

[user 78]

While it's very nice to have a vet that cares so much... it sucks that they won't 'forget' things sometimes, heh. Meanwhile my vet throws meds at me and lets me stumble through figuring everything else out. I guess it's a tie as to which can be more frustrating.

 

[jorats]

It's extremely frustrating.

 

[lilspaz68]

I don't think I have it anymore but I will look to see if I have my old bottle of dex at home. It had some at the bottom, when I got my new one.

 

[jorats]

Flea didn't get her dex today. I'm watching her... so far, she's doing great.

Do you think there might be a chance that she's going to be ok on the every second day? Maybe it's all she needs?

What's the usual dose for dex?

 

[lilspaz68]

0.5 mg to 2.0 mg/kg PO, SQ, then decreasing dose q12h x 3-14 days.

I have always hoped that every second day would work but in all the rats I tried it with they didn't do well by the middle of the 2nd day.

 

[jorats]

Ok, checking the calculations, she's getting the high end dose. Hopefully then maybe skipping a day won't hurt. Or am I just grasping at straws here?

 

[lilspaz68]

Ok, checking the calculations, she's getting the high end dose. Hopefully then maybe skipping a day won't hurt. Or am I just grasping at straws here?

We will all have our fingers crossed for you and little Flea :grouphug:
Now you have to just wait and observe.

 

[jorats]

So far so good, she's still doing great.

 

[wonderrodent]

Does the dex taste pretty bad? How do you give it to Flea?

 

[jorats]

I think it must taste bad because she's really fighting me on it. In the beginning, I was just syringing in her mouth. That was all fine because she had zero strength and she was so confused she just lapped it up. But now, she's strong and won't take it. I'm going to have to hide it in food, maybe baby cereal. Which is going to work great cause she seems hungry all the time, that is a side effect of the dex.

So far, having dropped down to every second day, this being her first day with no dex, she's still looking great.

 

[lilspaz68]

I was told it tasted bad and that is why injectable dex isn't usually given orally. I put mine in baby cereal and/or strawberry ensure...worked very very well

 

[jorats]

I'm going to do that.

btw, I just checked on her and she's still doing great!

 

[Ratgirl@RatRitz]

Which is going to work great cause she seems hungry all the time, that is a side effect of the dex.

Ravenous appetite is also a symptom of PTs themselves.

Glas she's still doing well!

 

[jorats]

From what I've noticed, it's like they "act" ravenous but completely forgets about it.

 

[Ratgirl@RatRitz]

*nodding* yeah, like they often need a reminder to eat, a poke in the right direction.

One of my boys has started with PT symptoms in the past 24 hours *sigh*

 

[jorats]

 

[jorats]

Just checked in on Flea... she hasn't had her dex yet, she will today at 9am. But... she and Archie were playing like pups. :shock: Running, popcorning and being all excited. I've never seen such movement in that cage since, well since they were young.

 

[lilspaz68]

This is wonderful news for all of us. Maybe every 2nd day might work for others too. :thumbup: Yay Flea! :congrats:

 

[jorats]

I'm just waiting for it to catch up on her.

Each pt growth is different so maybe Flea's is reacting differently too.
My mom is bringing in her Lucy today to ask for Dex. She's clearly got pt, but more advanced I think because she's already walking in circles. I bet that for her, she'll need it every day.