Georgie's breathing

[Godmother]

I'm taking Georgie in this afternoon to see what else we can do about her noisy and laboured breathing. She has a good appetite, is fairly lively (but less active than her sisters), but has bad genetics.

Her mama and many of her sibs are already dead. Georgie is only seventeen months old. Her sisters with me are thriving, though they've had respiratory issues in the past.

Georgie did not respond to her last round of Baytril & Zithro. Her x-ray showed a huge amount of fluid in the lungs and (I think) enlarged heart. so we started Lasix and Benazepril (helped a lot at first), then Atenolol (no real difference), and a few days ago Digoxin (no difference that I can see). the vet increased her Benazepril to three times a day.

i reviewed Debbie D's flowchart the other night. We neglected to try the bronchodilator, so I hope that he will prescribe that. I will also ask about alternative antibiotics. I'd be willing to try Chlorpalm in case her problem is more the Myco than the heart.

i'd hate to go on holidays with her like this. I'd be afraid i'd never see her again. She's a dear little girl.

 

[Dahlas]

I hope she is okay......only seventeen months...Isn't it heartbreaking that you have to worry about them leaving so young....let us know what the vet says.......give her some kisses from me.

 

[lilspaz68]

Try a steroid to reduce inflammation of the lungs? I would throw that at her too...

I am so sorry, 17 months and some of her sibs are already gone? :sad3:

 

[Godmother]

Good news from the vet visit! Georgie's lungs have really improved since the addition of Digoxin and extra Benazepril. She makes some kind of whistling sound that he says is not from the lungs; he thinks it's voluntary. When she stops, he hears normal lung sounds!

Her breathing is still fast compared to the others, but she's not doing any costal breathing any more. I found that she had improved since this morning.

He prescribed Ventipulmin for her anyway, which I can have on hand to try if she has more difficulty. He's going to have another look at her Xray when he gets to the other clinic tomorrow.

Shelagh, your idea of a steroid is excellent. I always forget about that. And SQ now uses an oral version of Lasix which is better absorbed than the injectable, so that would give me another option. I want to keep my Georgie with me for a while.

Georgie is one of a pet-store-surprise litter. Her mama belonged to a student who didn't have a cage big enough for all those ratties. We lent her a small Martins for a while, and she later bought a 695. I don't think that the ones who stayed with her got vet care. She liked rats but did not know a lot about them and didn't have the time or the money. The mama and her friend died at about age one, of unknown causes. One of Georgie's sisters died suddenly a few months ago, but another sister is still OK. Linda has two other sisters, one of whom has chronic respiratory problems. Georgie, Stella & Charlene were near death's door, with almost no warning, not long after I got them. Turned out they had a bladder infection. It responded well to Zithro, but they probably would have died if they hadn't been diagnosed quickly. The girls have had their share of URIs. Stella is very plump but lively, Charlene is doing well, and Georgie has been troubled with breathing problems for a few months now.

Anyway, I feel good knowing that we are not out of options with Georgie-Porgie! :heart:

 

[jorats]

That's great news with her improvements. I second the steroid. It has done wonders.

 

[Dahlas]

Great news Godmother :joy:

 

[mamarat]

:joy: So happy for you and Georgie. I love her name.

 

[Godmother]

Georgie was breathing AOK this morning. It's like a miracle.

mamarat, I like her name too. I sang the song "Georgie Girl" all the way home when I brought her home to be with her two other sisters (whom I'd adopted the week before).

 

[mamarat]

That is so sweet. I love that song too. I'm always singing to my ratties too.

 

[Moon]

Glad that Georgie is doing so much better