Keeping an EYE on Butter Bean RIP

[Godmother]

He's a fighter! Glad he got to spend time with his buds.

 

[Hazel]

So very glad to hear he is doing so much better!

 

[M0onkist]

Realized I hadn't heard anything about Butter Bean lately - how's the boyo doing?

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

I just found this thread, what an ordeal. I hope BB is still doing well.

 

[Carol Weekes]

So glad to know that he's doing much better. He feels good and you can relax as a rat Mum. They are such noble, brave animals and never cease to amaze me. They truly are mentors for us humans. Hugs to Butter Bean (such a cute name for a cute fellow). :joy:

 

[jorats]

I've been meaning to update. Thanks for asking about him.
Thank you Carol, Butter Bean was named by a member here. It does fit him.

I was going to update on Thursday, little guy has a recheck at the vet.
He's got good days and some bad, but mostly good. I had him separated mostly and that got him very depressed so I had no choice but to put him back with his buddies. His wounded eye is opening now, the suture let go but it's still in. He still has a lot of trouble with eating, he can only eat mushy stuff. His teeth are overgrowing again but not too bad. Little guy has a crooked mouth. He's a champ though, still trucking on. :heart:

His eye:

He was bruxing here so you can see his crooked mouth.

Still a sweetheart.

 

[Rachael]

Aww. He looks like a really sweet boy. :heart:

 

[M0onkist]

Crooked mouth perhaps, but it is a crooked mouth that does steal my heart away!

His eye looks almost like it's intact... is that just a trick of the camera though? From the way the eye looked before I thought the whole ball had ruptured.

 

[Joanne]

Poor Butter Bean! Did you say he has an abscessed tooth? Can the vet remove it? or does he have a problem with his jaw?

 

[jorats]

It's a good thing we had an appointment/recheck this morning. Butter Bean took a turn for the worse. I really noticed it this morning. He had classic PT symptoms or inner ear infection.
He was circling, confused and stopped eating. My vet is pretty sure he has an ear infection. So we are stopping the clavamox and doing Baytril with Zithromax. A high dose of zithro.
In a week, if he continues to deteriorate, we will add pred to his list of meds. Poor Butter Bean now has quite a head tilt. But the vet said his eye looks really good. I think closing it with a suture was really what helped heal it. She prescribe polysporin eye drops for him up to 4 times a day.
We still need your healing vibes!

 

[Unepuce]

Just went through the thread... poor poor Butter Bean! I so hope your vet is right and it's a inner ear infection and not PT!!! Tons of healing vibes coming your way, handsome boy! :heart:

 

[rhapsody]

I still have some healing vibes to spare! Sending them your way!

 

[Carol Weekes]

I'm sorry to hear that he's taken a turn for the worse. Poor little guy looks so tired. How does the vet discern between ear infection and PT, given the symptoms are so similar? I guess you treat for the first one first? I've had success with chloropalm 250 for stubborn ear infections and even with that it sometimes took a full month of it, plus pred, to clear up head tilt and ear problems, so keep at it. I hope your little guy starts to feel better soon. They are so strong, given the things they go through. It breaks our hearts just to see them like this, but they are the ones living with these medical issues. Hugs to Butter Beans!

 

[mamarat]

Poor BB, sending healing vibes.

 

[Bundyrats]

Sending healing vibes. Come on Butter Bean!

 

[Mairead]

Poor baby.

 

[M0onkist]

Oh, healing vibes to sweet Butter Bean!!

 

[jorats]

How does the vet discern between ear infection and PT, given the symptoms are so similar?

My vet checks for a couple of things and does a couple of tests. She lifts the rat up to see if his back legs will try to reach the table for stability. A PT rat's back legs usually doesn't. She will gently pinch each foot to see if there's a reaction. A PT rat is weak and won't try to pull his foot away with much strength and determination. She also checks the same with the front paws, how strong they are, when they are held, how hard to they pull away. He did very well on all of those so she's pretty certain it's an ear infection.
My vet really doesn't like chlorpalm but I will definitely mention it to her if zithro does nothing.

 

[victoria]

I'm so sorry, ear infections are terrible. I know Chlorpalm is supposed to be good for ear infections but I have always had bad experiences with it - rats have awful diarrhea no matter what I do, lose weight. I really hope the abs help :hugs:

 

[dspch911]

Poor sweet Mr. Bean his pictures brought tears to my eyes he looks so sad.... Many well wishes for Mr. Bean from me and the boys.... Get Well Mr. Bean your buddies miss you too..... :cuddle: :heart: :cuddle: :heart: :cuddle: :heart: