Head tilt

[Melissa]

Ok, now it seems that Solis has a bit of a head tilt. He has been sleeping a lot and not hanging out with his brother. What would normally happen with something like this? What kind of meds are prescribed?

I don't know how much longer I can deal with my animals getting sick.

 

[Lise]

Usually an ear infection.

Definitely antibiotics plus or minus a steroid depending on the vet. My vet originally prescribed just baytril for Tevy, but we ended up going with baytril & doxycycline when the baytril by itself wasn't working. She was on antibiotics for a whopping 6 weeks!

My vet didn't want to prescribe steroids (can sometimes do more harm than good) but after my prodding she did give me a weeks worth of dex and then you have to wean slowly off of the steroid. Tevy still had a permanent head tilt so I'm not really convinced the steroid helped at all, since I started her on it immediately. The antibiotics are the really important part!

Time is of the essence though, the sooner you get Solis started on antibiotics the faster he will get well and the greater chance of his head tilt going back to normal.


Oh and we all go through hard times, hang in there! It is an unfortunate part of rat ownership. I went through a year where I spent over 2 grand on my rats vet bills and thought no one in my care would ever be healthy. After my chronic respiratory rats all passed away, knock on wood, vet trips have finally become farther and farther between. And I can actually enjoy owning rats again! Your time will come too!

 

[user 78]

As Lise said, time is really of the essence. The sooner you get them on a strong antibiotic the better. From what I've been told, the steroid is only good if you're able to get it to them immediately, to help prevent major inflammation and damage caused by that.

My girl Mac started exhibiting signs of an inner ear infection late one night. I dosed her with infant motrin and baytril, got her into the vet the next day. My vet gave her a steroid shot and we continued the baytril. She was perfectly normal after that.

 

[SQ]

Solis needs to go to the vet asap.

As previously mentioned, he needs to be put on antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory, either a steriod (such as predisone) or an NSAID. I believe that the anti-inflammatory will prevent and reduce inflamation. You need to get him on both asap.

Head tilt can be caused by an inner ear infection, pituitary tumour or stroke but the treatment for all 3 is the same ... antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory.

The above info is from Debbie D.'s Rat Health Care book (see http://www.ratfanclub.org if you want to order a copy). For an antibiotic, she recommends using either enrofloxacin and amoxicillian together, or chloremphenicol.

She says that antibiotics given for myco. need to be given for a min. of 6 weeks.

 

[Melissa]

My doc gave me enough zithro so I can give him some of that. I don't know if it's just me, or if there really is something wrong. I'll try that twice a day and see what happens.

 

[Lise]

It does start off barely noticeable, and then it progresses. I remember saying "does that head look slightly tilted?? Naaahhh" in the morning, and then when I got home from school "holy crap her head IS tilted!".

Zithromax is for respiratory infections, not for ear infections. In fact on ratguide a side effect is ototoxicity -- EAR damage... so I would not give it!!! If anything it could make the situation worse.

 

[Melissa]

Hmm, the box said it is for ear infections. Off the the vet again I guess.

 

[user 78]

If you're able to get Baytril in pill form it lasts quite some time and is very easy to dose, either as a crushed powder or by making your own suspension. I would go ahead and see if your vet could give you some straight doxy [powder form] just in case. He can give you the instructions for making that into a suspension as well.

 

[Bronwyn]

How is Solis now? Any different?

 

[Melissa]

I don't think he has anything going on, maybe I'm paranoid. I can upload a video Friday so you guys can help... hopefully nothing changes until then. He is actually more active now.