I'm Confused -- Its PT....

[crumbilina]

My white rattie has been acting a bit strange lately. Hopefully I can get some help here!

Its very strange and I just noticed recently since they have been in their new cage.
She has fallen quite a bit in the new cage. Usually when she is climbing on the walls and is trying to get onto the ledge or when she is trying to get to the hammock off of the partial floor. I also noticed that when she eats, she leans forward and she supports herself with the piece of food on the floor with her 2 paws holding it down, then she nibbles. I also think that she may have lost weight, although I cant be sure of this one as I don't have a scale. She just feels lighter (so it may be my imagination too).
I have checked her for head tilt and it doesn't look like there is a whole lot there. She seems to always have a level head except when she sniffs something.
What confuses me is that she is able to sit and groom herself without falling over... well for the most part (she fell backwards when she decided to groom in a hard to reach area which isn't very ladylike!) So I don't really understand what the problems is. If her equilibrium is off because of an inner ear infection would she still be able to groom herself like that?

*sigh* I have researched what could be wrong, but I can't find an answer. Maybe someones experience can help...

HAHA I wish there as a "rattie illness" dictionary or book.... that would be so awesome! Would at least give me an idea before a trip to the vets so I can have a real conversation with the vet!

I will most likely take her to the vet whenever I can get an appointment... hopefully soon or this weekend that would be good!

Anyway, any insights?

PS: She is about 1.5 years old

 

[victoria]

If she's losing weight it may be that she's having trouble eating solid food because of her issues with balance. She may have a pituitary tumor or something neurological or nothing at all. Try supplementing her diet with soft foods (baby food and cereal, Ensure, yogurt) until you take her to the vet to get her checked out.

 

[lj]

That's exactly what I thought....pt. I'd definately get her to the vet asap.

 

[crumbilina]

*sigh* That's what I thought as well, but didn't want to mention it. I had read about it before. Ill make an appointment tomorrow morning if her vet is open!

Thanks!

 

[xxchelle]

PT is my first instinct. I remember when I took Hoochie to Shelagh's, and she had PT, one of the things Shelagh mentioned to me is that she felt "lighter" than she looked like she should.

 

[victoria]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who suspected PT... I thought I might be jumping the gun. Best of luck at the vet. :hugs:

 

[crumbilina]

Thanks! It looks like I'm gonna need it

O well, Deal with it as it comes... Hopefully its just an ear infection... I'll just keep her company and give her lots of good treats until I get her to the vet!

 

[LA]

I have had two rats that started showing slow signs of PT exactly like yours. Something was off. I suspect PT as well.

 

[SQ]

PT or another neurological problem would be my guess.
Meds may be able to buy her some good quality time depending on how fast the tumour is growing.

You need to feed her soft foods such as mushy lab blocks and baby cereal mixed up with soy infant formula.
This needs to be accessible in the cage at all times.
If she can't eat this by herself, then you will need to put some onto your finger and try to get her to lick it off.
You will need to do that several times a day, each time until she is full.
She would likely also enjoy vegs like peas.

If she is falling, you need to modify her cage so that she can not fall and get hurt.

all the best at the vets.

 

[Maple]

Sadly she is at the age when all the issues seem to surface.
Good luck at the vet.

 

[Moon]

She's at the perfect age for PT to show up. :cuddle:

 

[crumbilina]

Thanks everyone,
This is what I figured so it isn't a shock. xxchelle is going to take her to her vet (if she can get an appointment) as the vets here in Guelph seem to be... not very specialized in rattie (thank you sooooooooooo much xxchelle!!!). We'll see what he says, but right now I want to keep her fed as it truly seems as though she has lost a lot of weight.

I can't believe I didn't notice the weight loss until now!! *sigh* She seems so light!!

One question I do have: I will be going grocery shopping today and would like to know the best stuff to get her so she will eat. Can you please include brand names as this may make it easier to find. Also if you can include flavours that seem to be the best, that would be great too!

She is comfortable eating out of my hands and a syringe so hopefully the transition will be smooth. I have still seen her eat tonnes of dry food (which is why I really can't explain the weightloss) but she struggles! Its so sad . But alas, such is life. I'll just help her out a bit.

Thanks!!!

 

[Moon]

The PT growth itself can tax the body, causing some weightloss, and in our rats just a couple of days with difficulty eating can make a big difference as well, so a big change can happen quickly.

As for stuff to eat...

Baby cereal, I prefer Milupa but Heinz makes them as well and there's a few more.... Raspberry yogurt flavoured as always been a big hit with my kids. Just about anything with a real flavour to it will go over well.

Baby food.... well, you simply can't go wrong with sweet potato baby food. But mine have never turned down a baby food, whether it just be green bean or something fancy like one of their "dessert" flavours. You don't want to be going for too many meaty ones as you still don't want too much protein.

And Ensure/Pediasure/etc. Never met a rat to turn down strawberry ensure, but my kids also thoroughly enjoy the vanilla. Boost doesn't seem to get the same response, for some reason. Both Shoppers Drug Mart President's choice do a reasonably cheap Ensure facsimile. Go for the ones in the bottles, easy to re-close.

 

[crumbilina]

The PT growth itself can tax the body, causing some weightloss, and in our rats just a couple of days with difficulty eating can make a big difference as well, so a big change can happen quickly.

As for stuff to eat...

Baby cereal, I prefer Milupa but Heinz makes them as well and there's a few more.... Raspberry yogurt flavoured as always been a big hit with my kids. Just about anything with a real flavour to it will go over well.

Baby food.... well, you simply can't go wrong with sweet potato baby food. But mine have never turned down a baby food, whether it just be green bean or something fancy like one of their "dessert" flavours. You don't want to be going for too many meaty ones as you still don't want too much protein.

And Ensure/Pediasure/etc. Never met a rat to turn down strawberry ensure, but my kids also thoroughly enjoy the vanilla. Boost doesn't seem to get the same response, for some reason. Both Shoppers Drug Mart President's choice do a reasonably cheap Ensure facsimile. Go for the ones in the bottles, easy to re-close.

Thanks so much! I got all of this for variety and gave her some ensure/PC meal replacement mixed with a bit of oats. She LOVED it and was able to eat it by propping herself on the side of the bowl and just lapping it up . I was so happy to see her eat. She also had about 4 syringes full (4mL) of baby food peas this morning. She was very hungry!
She seems happier now too. I guess food for rats is like food for people, the world is just a better place on a full stomach.

Anyway thanks to everyone for their help and I will update after she goes to the vet!

 

[Moon]

Oh, the other thing you can do is grind up some lab blocks and sprinkle it on your special treats for her, so she's still getting all her vitamins and whatnot. Powdered labblock mixed in ensure goes over very well

 

[Maple]

My heart bleeds for you crumbilina this is not an easy thing to watch. Both you and you baby are in my thoughts. :heart:

 

[crumbilina]

Everyone here has been very helpful, it is helping a lot... Thank you! Seeing a sick animal is never fun but at least I can be happy that I can now make sure that she is comfy, nourished and happy.

She was waiting for me this morning to get some food, and she polished off ALL of her baby cereal throughout the night! Making things easy for her to eat has her pretty happy. She sits there bruxxing and lapping up whatever is in the bowl! It is soooooo adorable! She doesn't look sick when she does that!

Hopefully when she goes to the vet she will get some yummy tasting meds that will help her at bit!

 

[crumbilina]

She goes to the vet tomorrow! Hopefully she gets a good one that knows about rats.

We'll see what happens.......

 

[crumbilina]

We have confirmation.... It is PT.

The vet started her on prednisone and sulfatrim.

I feel terribly for her. Poor little one. She is adapting well though, she uses her tail and cage ramp to prop herself up when cleaning and she is using techniques to help her eat solid food (so she can still eat some of her pumpkin seeds!).

Ill continue to feed her the baby food and Ensure. I also bought them some frozen blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and raspberries. After I double/triple check the forbidden foods list Ill mix it in with their cereal.

I feel really badly for her cage-mate/sister. She went nuts today when I took her sister to the vet. (Since I was at work I had to take her in the morning and leave her until I could pick her up after). She was searching the cage for her sister. I guess she gave up later because my boyfriend found her wide eyed in the sputnik (don't worry he gave her a treat). What am I going to do when her sister passes???? I won't think about that right now, her sister is still here... but still this is going to be so brutal on her too!

Oh dear...

 

[lj]

:hugs: So sorry Jenny. Here's hoping she stays with you for a while yet.