I think my old girl is dying! Or maybe not?!?

[Jems71]

OK I am going home now...I am scared!
I pray that she had a decent day...and if she passed it was quick and peaceful.

 

[SQ]

If it is a neurological problem the treatment is the same regardless of the cause.
Aggressive and early treatment with both antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory.

 

[Joanne]

It's Wednesday - what happened?

And how would antibiotics help a neurological problem? Antibiotics only kill bacteria...

 

[jorats]

Prednisone weakens the immune system so antibiotics are needed to keep the rat healthy and not susceptible to other nasties.

 

[Jems71]

She seems to be doing a bit better, moving around more...and using all her legs to move but its more of a dragging, pulling/pushing and sort of wiggle/rolling type of move...her front ends seems stronger than the back end at this time....but she is still a bit wobbly...less than she was at first and her face doesn't seem as twisted to the one side.
I feed her ensure and baby cereal and she will eat about 6-8mls in the morning (7am) then as soon as I get home (4-5pm) she eats maybe 8-10mls and she eats 6-8mls again before bed (9-10pm) I am putting water in this as well so help with hydration, as she will not take water alone not even with some tasty sugar or strawberry syrup...
After she eats she tries to clean her face is doing better with this. Of course I help with a warm damp cloth...then she lays in my lap and bruxes for a bit then off for a nap...
I would like to think she is bruxing cause she is happy that I fed her and took care of her and helped her clean up but sadly I think its cause she is not happy about not being able to run around...
As far as the vet goes I still have one lined up for Saturday not my choice of vet but hoping at least to get some antibiotics...my vet has been out of touch not sure whats up there...
I know its common to give them antibiotics when using pred...but my dog was on pred for quite a while and vet was not too worried about him getting sick...she didn't want him in parks and what not...or around strange dogs...to be safe but...and my niece is constantly on pred but not given abs with it...I worry that the vet will say no to the abs if there is no infection right now...
I wish Twitch's vet was still around...

 

[Joanne]

Prednisone weakens the immune system so antibiotics are needed to keep the rat healthy and not susceptible to other nasties.

So why would you put rats on antibiotics when other animals (including humans) are not put on antibiotics?

Sorry, I just like to understand everything...

 

[SQ]

An anti-inflammatory (usually a steroid) is necessary for neurological problems.
The steroid will affect the rat's immune system, making it very susceptible to becoming ill.
An antibiotic must be given if a steroid is given to help the rat from becoming ill.

If this is not done with other animals, including people, I have no idea why not. You might want to ask a doctor or a vet.

 

[Dahlas]

An anti-inflammatory (usually a steroid) is necessary for neurological problems.
The steroid will affect the rat's immune system, making it very susceptible to becoming ill.
An antibiotic must be given if a steroid is given to help the rat from becoming ill.

If this is not done with other animals, including people, I have no idea why not. You might want to ask a doctor or a vet.

One thing I do want to correct.....antibiotic's can not prevent you from becoming ill.....They can only treat buggies that are already there.....some people feel that if you give them early you can stop things just starting from going from mild to bad fast..and that is fine....but being on antibiotics can't prevent you or you animals from getting sick....and it is using them wrong and making ourselves and our pets resistant to them.
They are a treatment not a preventive medicine......


I don't mean when you they go on pred or some other reason their immune system maybe lowered.

Hope your girl is doing better....keep us posted

 

[Jems71]

She good this morning, still unable to get up and walk but she is crawling better...she ate alot this morning compared to the last couple days she had been eating anywhere from 6-10mls of ensure with baby cereal mixed in and some water too, this morning she ate 15-17mls and seemed to have a bit more control of her head and front legs...One thing I did notice that I have not really seen much...when I came in and was talking to her before I picked her up, she was lifting her head up and really arching it way back and was tilty to one side the right side, same side she had been more effected on in the beginning...

I have to agree with Dallas about misuse of antibiotics is causing alot of super bugs out there that are becoming resistant to treatments. I was talking to my sister who is a nurse and she says people who have taken antibiotics frequently when young and other wise healthy (years ago they used to be given for common cold viruses and mild infections that would normally clear on their own) these people tend to build a resistance and now need stronger or different one often not yet approved for use. The hospitals are loaded with superbugs such as MRSA which has mutated and become a superbug it is resistant to anywhere from 15 to 30 different antibiotics...so when it's diagnosed, a doctor has only a very small number of meds available that are able to kill it. We all carry MRSA its in our fauna of bacterias but because of over use / misuse of antibiotics this particular bug has gained super powers and has become deadly even to normally healthy people. This MRSA is just the bug I am familiar with because have dealt with it in my grmpy and my cousin and my mother and sister both work in health care, so its the only example I can give you...

I will talk to the vet...because of my girls sings, this could be inner ear infection and will need antibiotics, so running a course of them in this case would be good...but if its PT or stroke I am not sure my vet will want to give abs for long term....I guess I will see.

 

[jorats]

Prednisone weakens the immune system so antibiotics are needed to keep the rat healthy and not susceptible to other nasties.

So why would you put rats on antibiotics when other animals (including humans) are not put on antibiotics?

Sorry, I just like to understand everything...

That's a good question. My vet said that rats are so susceptible to respiratory illness from just stress that it's best to have them on antibiotics.
My dog was put on pred for two years and that's pretty much what killed him. If he wouldn't have been put on pred he would have died sooner though.

 

[Jems71]

Prednisone weakens the immune system so antibiotics are needed to keep the rat healthy and not susceptible to other nasties.

So why would you put rats on antibiotics when other animals (including humans) are not put on antibiotics?

Sorry, I just like to understand everything...

That's a good question. My vet said that rats are so susceptible to respiratory illness from just stress that it's best to have them on antibiotics.
My dog was put on pred for two years and that's pretty much what killed him. If he wouldn't have been put on pred he would have died sooner though.

I will have to remeber when talking to the vet to remind them of how susceptible rats are to respiratory illnesses...
I think I will arm myself with a list of vets that are used by members of the forum...incase they want to call and ask questions...My vet would... :giggle:

 

[jorats]

That's a very good idea, having your vet contact other vets. You can also tell him there is an online vet forum for exotics I believe. I wish I could remember the name. My vet is on that forum and helps out the best she can.

 

[Joanne]

That's a very good idea, having your vet contact other vets. You can also tell him there is an online vet forum for exotics I believe. I wish I could remember the name. My vet is on that forum and helps out the best she can.

Would you be able to get the name of that forum so I can give it to my vet? I am assuming that 'regular joes' are not allowed to join...

 

[jorats]

No, regular people can't join, they must prove they are vets. Let me see if I can find it.