Norman might be getting HED- video now

[Pixie]

Two days ago when I had Norman & Fiona out I noticed that Normans walk sounded weird. Normally I can here him pad across the hardwood, but it was more of a dragging sound. Upon closer inspection I noticed his right hind leg doesn't seem to be functioning 100%. When I held him up his left leg wildly tried to kick me to let him go, but his right hind leg only made a couple attempts and then hung there. I also noticed that his toes on that foot are curled closed. Not tightly closed just loosely closed, while his left foot toes where spread open.

It doesn't seem to bother him too much, he is still eating and drinking. He stays on the main level more then usual, but he has also been up on the shelf and in his bucket too, so he seems to get around okay.

Norman is a rescue, and it is estimated that his age in somewhere around 2 years, but we don't know for sure, and he is around 700g.

If anyone has any advice or tips on caring for a rat with HED please let me know? My poor big bug :sad3:

 

[MMak]

I'm not overly experienced with that.. but it sounds like it could be HED to me..
If it is, I'd start setting up the cage a little differently so it's easier for him to get around in. (Lower shelves, hammocks, etc)
You could also start him on some Glucosamine/Chondroitin, there are a ton of topics here on using it... I just recently started using it on one of my oldies and it's helped a lot!
There's no harm in using it, it's a natural supplement You could start him off with 1/6th of a tablet & then move up to 1/4th. Especially if he has arthritis, it could be beneficial.
It's tough seeing them slow down... but you go through ups and down (or, atleast, I know I do). Keep your chin up! :cuddle:

 

[Godmother]

It's more usual, I think, for HED to happen on both sides and to come on gradually. Maybe Norman had a stroke? Some rats respond well to Prednisone after a stroke. There have been some other threads on the topic, too. Meanwhile, if you modify his cage he will get around OK.

 

[MomRat]

Our boy Dominic's HED came on so strongly on one side before the other, with one leg curling under him as he turned and then just staying under his belly, that he used his tail as a supplemental leg and gave himself sores on his tail we thought were ring tail. Treatment with neosporin and an increase in humidity didn't do much, but the week his other leg mostly gave out, he stopped getting new sores and the old ones healed completely. So it's not unheard of.

 

[mamarat]

I've had a few who started with just one leg too.

 

[victoria]

Doesn't Norman have a lump on his back?

 

[Godmother]

Good to know that it can start on one side. I have a bunch of two+-year-olds, so HED is in my near future.

 

[Pixie]

Thanks everyone. Normans lump is on his right shoulder and hasn't affected his mobility. I am going to start him on glucosamine tonight.

 

[MMak]

Thanks everyone. Normans lump is on his right shoulder and hasn't affected his mobility. I am going to start him on glucosamine tonight.

If you can find one with chondroitin added, that seems to be the best

 

[Pixie]

I have Glucosamine chondroitin but it is a powder inside of a gel capsule. I think I can break open that capsule and sprinkle it onto baby food. The capsules are 900 mg, do you think I can sprinkle the whole thing onto the baby food and let both Norman and Fiona eat it? It shouldn't hurt them should it?

Thanks

 

[MMak]

I have Glucosamine chondroitin but it is a powder inside of a gel capsule. I think I can break open that capsule and sprinkle it onto baby food. The capsules are 900 mg, do you think I can sprinkle the whole thing onto the baby food and let both Norman and Fiona eat it? It shouldn't hurt them should it?

Thanks

As far as I know, they can't OD on it... however I've recently been told that they can get diarrhea if they take too much too fast.
Also.. if their sharing a dish, theres a chance that one may not get enough of the supplement. If you can, I would split the capsule in half and take about 1/3-1/2 out of a half capsule..per rat. Atleast to start off..

If you do a search on the forum, you'll find a bunch of topics on it. I just recently gathered my info on doses from here (and the ratguide)

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

Since the glucosamine can cause and upset tummy I open my capsule and mix it with equal parts water and Nesquik and give 40 mg/kg (http://ratguide.com/meds/herbals_health ... ulfate.php).

 

[MMak]

Since the glucosamine can cause and upset tummy I open my capsule and mix it with equal parts water and Nesquik and give 40 mg/kg (http://ratguide.com/meds/herbals_health ... ulfate.php).

Thanks for the link, Amanda. I actually meant to use that in my last post as thats where I got my dosage info from.
There's all kinds of things you can mix it with.. if your rats enjoy their baby food then I'm sure that will work just fine! Only thing is once you open a jar, it doesn't last long in the fridge (can't quite remember...only 3 days or something?). Although, you could always freeze small portions for a couple months.
I mix Marco's into his soaked lab blocks & Glucerna.

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

Yeah you can mix it with whatever your ratties like. The only reason I mix with Nesquik and water is because my boys will then take it right from the syringe so it saves me having to separate my boys to administer meds.

 

[Pixie]

Norman's HED is worse and much more noticeable. I tried taking a video of him walking in in the bath tub. It isn't the greatest quality I took it with my iphone. Plus this is also the first time I have introduced Logan and Norman and that is why they are in the bath tub. His coat also seems to be getting scruffier, and he doesn't seem to be cleaning himself as much.

Note you don't actually see him walk till the last 10 seconds of the video

[youtube:9lz8jhyl]FDA2p6-T_5k[/youtube:9lz8jhyl]

 

[henry's_mum]

awwww, Norman is still SO shy huh? always trying to hide from everyone!
he's a big love, i'm sorry he's had such a rough go of it.
Rats age SO fast, it's like over night in some cases....
:hugs:
I'm hoping to hear from the NHS this week about coming into Port Hope, so i'll keep you posted, but i'd LOVE to come see the big man!
He's thought of daily here at Henry's Haven, and in some cases I tell the boys here who try to bite me that, they should take after Norman, look at the WONDERFUL life he got after he stopped biting me!
Norman isn't someone you can NOT think of, he had a HUGE impact here!
Love that wee bugger!

 

[Pixie]

Thanks Lyndsy! I love him so much, it is so sad to see rats age, but I knew when I adopted him that his time maybe limited. I'm not writing him off anytime soon. He is still getting around and eating and drinking! Hopefully we still at least a couple months left. Until his time comes, I plan on appreciating every day we have together and making the most of it.

 

[smilez_n_hugs]

Have you started him on glucosamine?

Also if you can feel tremors in the muscles of his back legs then I would suggest also giving him omega 3,6 fatty acids. I saw quite an improvement with my boy's HED when I started supplementing him with both (I could feel his tremors). And I would bet you have more than just a few months with him, I have known of many rats who have lived full lives with HED they just learn to adapt and might need a little extra help cleaning themselves.