I THINK MY BELOVED LITTLE GIRL HAS A PITUITARY TUMOR...

[Nix_Rats]

:rose2:

Hi everyone, I just wanted you to know that this site really helped me feel better about what my 19 month old Dumbo girl has been and is currently going through. She has had me on an emotional roller coaster for the last 3 weeks!! I never experienced this type of illness with any other of the many rats I've had(and have)...and to last so long with no improvement, at the same time, symptoms don't seem like they're getting worse and she can't walk straight for very long with out falling over but boy can she EAT! I tried everything from Echinechea & Vitamin C to Tetracycline, then Baytril, Vibramycin(from the Vet), and now (today) the Vet gave me Pediapred. I feel so helpless, but I've been consistently researching what illness this could be and I am almost POSITIVE, after research from The Rat Guide that my little "PEEKS" has a PT. I discovered the page on it last night and I video taped Peeks' actions on camera and wrote done what I though her illness was along with the suggested medication (from Rat Guide) which was DEXAMETHASONE (I included dosage) and I shared all that with my Vet. He agreed it COULD be a PT but he said it could be other things as well because it is hard to be certain without at least a blood test. The next option if the medication he gave me does not help, is to give PEEKS a blood test, leave her there overnight so they can get her ready and take some of her blood, all that fun stuff for just $100 (on top of the near $200 I have already spent for NO improvement). This was the 3rd medication he has given to me so I was feeling a little hopeless when I left the clinic. Anyways, when I got home, I searched the web for the medication he prescribed PEEKS (as I always do) because this is NOT the one recommended on the information that lead me to believe PT is what she had and DEX was what she needed. That was when I came across this wonderfully helpful site that allowed me to exhale...I hope this medicine works! Reading about all the other cases like this one that had a positive outcome and so many people were talking about PEDIAPRED being the medication that will do the job! Now I feel more hopeful in knowing that she still has a chance!It hurts seeing her in her condition at times but she has been fighting it all the way and has proved to be a real TROOPER! She has lost 8 grams over a period of 3 almost 4 weeks but I am keeping her cage fully stocked with Baby cereal, bananas, soaked bread, cooked tofu, scrambled eggs, and/or anything that is yummy, nutritious, and easy to chew/swallow at ALL times and she never stops eating! She has a heat lamp now and a shaded area for cover if she gets to warm. I give her water w/ a full (tiny) syringe 6 times a day because she doesn't want to drink it otherwise. I have been letting her out on a blanket in her own safe area in the front room for 10-15 mins a day for exercise and that has seemed to decrease the battle when I give her the water and she actually drinks most of it. I brush her occasionally with an EXTREMELY soft plastic like brush and I talk to her and call her name all the time (aside from allowing her to rest). Her little cage is cleaned out every other day and honestly, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for her. I am realizing this the more I think to myself, "Oh, I can't spend that much!" or "I can't drive that far!", or "I can't miss work to do that!" and sure enough, I have already done all three of those things and am prepared to do more if need be. This is an emotionally difficult time for me so please do not hesitate to offer your thoughts, suggestions, and feedback for PEEKS and I...your hearts and prayers wouldn't hurt either! LOL
Keep your fingers crossed for this PEDIAPRED to work and I will keep you updated. I am going to go check on PEEKS now. I hope I didn't write to much, it's because I'm NEW and excited to be on here! Thanks so much for hearing me and THANK GOODNESS for this forum!!!

Kindest Regards,
Nikki :new:


NOTE: My AVATAR picture is PEEKS when
she was 4 or 5 months old.

 

[SQ]

If she is on pediapred, hopefully she is also on an antibiotic like baytril. Pediapred will lower the immune system. Also, if she is taken off the pediapred, it must be deceased gradually over time with the dosage being cut in half each time it is reduced.

Treatment with pediapred has helped some of my rats who had what we assume was a slow growing tumor.

With rats having pt, I found that they may need to be fed soft foods by hand. I fed them lab blocks that had been dissolved in water and cooled to mush, baby cereal, oatmeal, watermelon, peas and a bit of banana. I also found that giving a rehydrating fluid such as pedilite was helpful.

Sometimes they needed support to keep themselves clean. I also cleaned the cage, changed the bedding at least twice a day. I tried to keep them in a large one level cage so they would not get hurt and kept them with a couple of gentle friends.

good luck

 

[lilspaz68]

A blood test will not tell you much of anything at all, definitely not if it is PT. There are several things that have similar symptoms as PT, like inner ear infection and stroke, but these are all treated the same way, steroid and antibiotics. The only definitive way to diagnose PT is through a necropsy. Sometimes an x-ray can show the enlargement of the Pituitary Gland, but its still not definitive.

Prednisone is a great oral steroid for rats, I use dexamethasone because that is what my vet carries plus I am able to do sub-q injections.

It sounds like you have the palliative care/nursing under control you just need to get your vet on board.

 

[jorats]

Hugs to you Nikki!! I know it's so hard. We've gone through a number of PT sufferers and it never gets easy. You are doing so much for her already.
The best you can do now is keep her comfortable and love her lots and hope the meds give her more quality time.
She's a real beauty your Peeks!!

 

[Nix_Rats]

Thanks so much! I am trying to hang in there. I've got 11 other rats that need attention as well but as you must know, my mind is on my Peekie-Poo no matter who/what else I tend to and/or take care of in the meantime. It's impossible not to think about my Peeks condition.

 

[Nix_Rats]

http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s297 ... =PEEKS.flv

HERE IS THE LINK TO VEIW PEEKS VIDEO ON PHOTOBUCKET(ABOVE)...I AM EATING NOW...WILL TALK IN A WHILE.

 

[Vanessa]

Often members of forums, like this one, cannot offer a cure or a solution to your rat's health issues, but they can offer a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge from their years of having rat companions. Sometimes just having the knowledge makes the situation better because it makes you more in control, especially when dealing with a vet that might not have as much experience as others.
I'm glad that you are feeling better about the treatment Peeks is receiving, I have used prednisone myself in tumour situations successfully. It will sometimes extend their life, and provide quality of life, for quite some time.

 

[jorats]

I just watched that video. If it is PT, it's not very big. The pred might very well help her a lot. If it's an inner ear infection, the pred and antibiotics will help with that too.

I've noticed that the first symptoms of PT is loss of smell, if you offer her a treat, can she find it right away in your hand or does she look around for it? Can she hold a treat to eat it? Knuckling is also a classic symptom. In many rats, loss of rear end mobility is also one of the first symptoms.

 

[lilspaz68]

I agree, if it is PT it's not very advanced. She is acting more like a rat with inner ear infection, which is still the same treatment, abs and a steroid.

I have found that they are usually rather lethargic with PT, they might bump their head up when you stroke over it, a lot more bruxxing than normal, clubbing or as Jo call's it knuckling is common. Can you hand her a treat and is she able to grasp it at all?
I found them confused and often unable to figure out where the water bottle was...my one girl Lucky used to line herself up for the waterbottle nozzle then she would do a little lunge to the right and try to drink. I noticed at times that if they were eating baby cereal they would be very unaware of anything to the other side of their tilt. Your girl has a definite tilt.

They lose weight rapidly but even then you might find them feeling limp and lighter than they really should. My vet told me that this is sometimes noticed in cats and rats with neurological issues.

Can you tell us how else she is acting. At this point it could be PT or it could be inner ear infection, but the treatment is the same...

 

[Nix_Rats]

HEY FRIENDS, I HAVE ANOTHER VIDEO FOR YOU. LET ME TRANSFER IT TO MY LAPTOP AND I WILL HAVE THE LINK SOON. THE VIDEO YOU SAW DIDN'T SHOW HOW SHE HOLDS A LITTLE BALLED UP FIST AND TODAY SHE IS WORSE!!!!! SHE IS WEAKER AND IT IS HARDING FOR HER TO EAT FROM HER BOWL, SHE JUST RESTS HER HEAD IN THE FOOD! I NEED ADVISE, I THINK I SHOULD DISCONTINUE THE MEDICATION(PEDIAPRED) IF IT IS MAKING HER WORSE. PLEASE HELP! :help: :ambulance:

 

[lilspaz68]

prednisone will not make her worse. But you do need to make sure she is on abs while using it, especially if it is an infection, without abs she will continue to get sicker.

Could you please refrain from using all caps as well? It is considered "shouting" online. :wink2:

 

[jorats]

It does sound like the natural progression of PT but it's not the meds making her worse.

 

[Nix_Rats]

PLEASE CHECK OUT THIS LINK & LET ME KNOW IF YOU THINK I SHOULD CONTINUE WITH THE MEDICATION (PEDIAPRED)...


http://s155.photobucket.com/albums/s297 ... PEEKS2.flv

THANKS, PLEASE LET ME KNOW YOUR OPINION
A.S.A.P.

 

[Nix_Rats]

:sorry:



I wasn't shouting, I was just in a hurry and caps were on and it was just easier and faster. Again I apologize. Also, I read that PEDIPRED is a NON-steroid anti-inflammatory medication so if it is NOT considered a steroid then why would I need to give her an antibiotic (Baytril) along with it? Especially if Baytril never help her improve at all in the first place.

Nikki

 

[lilspaz68]

Pediapred is prednisone for babies. It is not what is causing this. Its just a coincidence, I promise you!

Your girl has either a progressive PT or inner ear infection and needs both the abs and the pred to fight it. BUT I want to warn you, its not an automatic cure. Some PT sufferers do not respond at all to it.

I have lost PT rats in a day or 2 from onset, some in 12 hours and others in 5 weeks...you can only try. That head tilt is much worse than before, I still say fight it likes its an inner ear infection. Get her on Abs NOW! Then at least you can say you tried.

IF its an inner ear infection and you have her only on steroids she will only get sicker because there's nothing fighting it.

 

[mamarat2]

Its very important when the rat starts showing these signs to get them onto antibiotics asap in conjunction with the prednisone. The pred will help to get the inflammation down but you need the antibiotics to kill what could be causing the ear infection.

 

[Nix_Rats]

Thank you. I will continue to give her both medicines (Baytril & Pediapred). I will keep you updated.


Nikki

 

[SQ]

How much does she weigh and what dosage is she getting?

 

[Nix_Rats]

At the vet yesterday, her weight was 290 grams and that was 8 grams lighter then her last visit wich was almost 4 weeks ago. Her dosage is .2 on the Pediapred and .15 cc on the Baytril.

 

[lilspaz68]

How is Peeks doing Nix?