nebulizers

[coreline]

long time no post! I've had a very, very long year. my lovely group has all left me one by one and I am now down to my last, sickly girl. she really deserves a pat on the back though. she's made it through so much. she's survived having a poorly attempted spay by an ER vet, only to have the spay done in the same week by my regular vet. then multiple abscesses internally and on her side (2 surgeries in one month for that). then not being able to breathe through her nose for a week! I've nearly lost her so many times.

now she's 2 1/2 or so, has failing kidneys (partially from all her abscesses), a galloping heart beat, and some major lung problems. I really doubt she is much longer for this world unfortunately. which will break my heart. I've loved all my rats, but she's stolen my heart. she sleeps on my bed for part of the night now because she's so sick.

anyhow! there is a nebulizer question in all of this. I have had a nebulizer since I got my first group of rats 6 years ago. best $70 I've ever spent. but it's very loud and I think it's time to replace it. I've noticed it being near impossible to nebulize my girl because she panics. she NEEDS to be nebulized because it dramatically reduces her mouth breathing sessions...unless she panics.

can anyone recommend a good nebulizer and/or place online to order one? I did a search and got one brand name, but am having a hard time locating it online.

 

[Bundyrats]

Sorry I can't help with the nebulizers but I'm so sorry to hear about your gorgeous girl. I hope she goes well through the last chapter of her life. :hugs:

 

[jorats]

I would check out the latest infant nebulizers. Those should be less loud. Or you could wrap a towel around the compressor, making it less noisy.
I'm so sorry for your girl but wow, what a fighter! Rats are amazing. Humans would have given up with all that she's gone through.

 

[hopefloats]

You cant really wrap a towel around the compressor. It pulls air through the filter to be able to have air to use for the meds. it also has vents and you wouldnt want to burn it up by wrapping it. I put my rats in a carrrier cover it and i hold the compressor part so it isnt so loud sometimes. My rats dont generally freak out over the actual noise but the fact they are locked up and getting the steamy stuff. Depending on where your vents are, you can set it on something softer to stop extra noise but I havent had rats totally flip out of the machine itself.

 

[crumbilina]

Mine is kinda loud too so what I have been doing is nebulizing close to a closet. I run an extension cord into the closet for power and then run the tube out. All these fit under the door when the door is closed. I turn it on inside the closet and close the door. It really muffles the noise without restricting airflow to the compressor. Maybe try that before buying a new one?

 

[coreline]

I would check out the latest infant nebulizers. Those should be less loud. Or you could wrap a towel around the compressor, making it less noisy.
I'm so sorry for your girl but wow, what a fighter! Rats are amazing. Humans would have given up with all that she's gone through.

I know I would have! it wasn't even until maybe 3 weeks ago that I saw a decline in quality of life. after losing all of the rest of the group (including her sister to a stroke over the winter and the daughter of that sister to a major heart problem last month), I'm just in awe. I've had a lot of rats over the last 6 years and I've never seen one survive to this degree. they are all definitely fighters, but I've lost rats to stuff she's made it through. I am in awe of this rat.

I'll check amazon and maybe on Monday get a hold of the pharmacy I bought mine from before to see if they sell infant nebulizers.

Mine is kinda loud too so what I have been doing is nebulizing close to a closet. I run an extension cord into the closet for power and then run the tube out. All these fit under the door when the door is closed. I turn it on inside the closet and close the door. It really muffles the noise without restricting airflow to the compressor. Maybe try that before buying a new one?

oooo I'm definitely going to try this! mine is pretty loud and if it goes on the same surface as the carrier she's in, it also vibrates the table. it's a pretty wicked loud/annoying thing for such a tiny machine!

You cant really wrap a towel around the compressor. It pulls air through the filter to be able to have air to use for the meds. it also has vents and you wouldnt want to burn it up by wrapping it. I put my rats in a carrrier cover it and i hold the compressor part so it isnt so loud sometimes. My rats dont generally freak out over the actual noise but the fact they are locked up and getting the steamy stuff. Depending on where your vents are, you can set it on something softer to stop extra noise but I havent had rats totally flip out of the machine itself.

normally my rats freak about the small space and the steam too, but she's a pretty relaxed rat. she's really funny, what normally has bugged my other rats doesn't bug her. she hates the noise the most. if she hears the noise (ie testing to make sure it's working before I start it) she freaks, but doesn't mind the carrier unless she's feeling really, really sick.

 

[jorats]

You cant really wrap a towel around the compressor. It pulls air through the filter to be able to have air to use for the meds. it also has vents and you wouldnt want to burn it up by wrapping it. I put my rats in a carrrier cover it and i hold the compressor part so it isnt so loud sometimes. My rats dont generally freak out over the actual noise but the fact they are locked up and getting the steamy stuff. Depending on where your vents are, you can set it on something softer to stop extra noise but I havent had rats totally flip out of the machine itself.

I've put a towel over mine... worked ok. But ya, shouldn't cover the vents on the compressor.