Oscar - HED - Just a Bad Day?

Got up this morning to find Oscar weak with a rough look to him this morning ..paws were also covered in porph.
I have him out on the couch now, I gave him some pear juice and ensure for hydration and he has eaten a good bit of baby food carrots. He refuses to eat any of his favorite treats ..he takes them in his mouth, goes to hold them, but just puts them down. He is able to sit and clean his face and he is able to hold on to the end of a syringe to drink ensure out of it.
Oscar has recently started showing signs of old age ..his back end is loosing muscle mass.
Also, by his hind legs look drawn in a bit ..
He is also on Baytril and Doxy ..almost done his 6 week course for a resp infection ..no signs of breathing issues now.

He is also cleaning his front paws ..I guess where they are covered in porph.

ETA:

These are the things I'm thinking:

HED (back legs seem weaker)
Choked?
PT (maybe? but I don't think ..balance is fine, etc)

 

[lilspaz68]

You need to add another option...

4) Aging fast?

 

This aging stuff is so new to me ..I hate it. I don't now what to expect with aging rats ..I worry so much about them ..how can't I? they are my babies ..this is so hard :sad4:
I'm sorry I'm being such a repeat.

Back legs

 

[lilspaz68]

Has he cleaned up his nose yet?

 

Cleaned up his nose?

His nose was always clean ..but he is cleaning his face ..sitting low to the ground tho ..I have not seen him clean his back, neck, etc

 

[lilspaz68]

Ahh so the paws covered with porph means he's just being a lazy old man and hasn't cleaned them off yet. I assumed his eyes/nose were porphy too. he looks older to me, but still in decent shape.

No lung sounds, etc? Rats have to learn how to eat hard items again when they have HED, maybe he hasn't figured it out yet? Does he groom his face with just one paw at a time?

 

Well he is 24 months + 10 days.

His eyes and nose were not covered, which I found weird but they could have been before I seen him.

So you think it's HED + Old Age? I'v never delt with HED before anic: ..right now is lives in the double CN ..should I move him to a one level cage with some buddies?

He cleans with two paws but don't go past the nose.

 

[lilspaz68]

Well he is 24 months + 10 days.

His eyes and nose were not covered, which I found weird but they could have been before I seen him.

So you think it's HED + Old Age? I'v never delt with HED before anic: ..right now is lives in the double CN ..should I move him to a one level cage with some buddies?

He cleans with two paws but don't go past the nose.

yeah he's trying to learn a new way of doing things. Sometimes they will end up eating or grooming while lying on their sides.

A rat normally sits up on his hind feet, and eats grasping with 2 hands. With the HED he will be sitting on his rump, with his hind legs pushed up to balance like a tripod, but its still not too secure, so they will groom with one leg down as extra balance/support, and eating can be a bit tricky. I have seen oldies pick up food, hold in their mouth, and realize they cannot eat the way they normally do, so they will drop it. As long as his appetite is normal I shouldn't worry too much. They scrub the inside of their forelegs over their nose/eyes and the porph transfers to there, a nice normal rat usually cleans the inside of their wrists off but oldies can get lazy in their grooming habits.

 

ETA: Breathing seems good, currently still on Doxy + Baytril for the resp infection he had 5 weeks ago, just one week left for meds to finish the 6 weeks.

Okay, so he dose drop the food once he realizes he can't eat it right, his paws were all covered in porph on the insides this morning ..this is all new to him so I guess he is adjusting. I will keep a good eye on him, and if need be I'll move him to a one level rabbit cage with his brothers Teddy & Toby.

 

[ChrisK]

It will probably be helpful to also have soft foods and liquid foods available for him. Baby formula is packed with vitamins and minerals and my old ratties just love it... but just make sure there are no contraindications with the meds.. i.e. doxy means no calcium for two hours before/after..

You're doing great!

 

Thanks ChrisK.

I have blocks and dishes with water on every level of the CN + I have two water bottles on the main floors, very low for easy access.
I have the ladders covered again now, and there is mounds of shredded paper in the cage for comfort.

I am unable to put soft food in the cage at all times because the 7 other gulls that share the cage with Oscar will eat it all :giggle: ..but I will be taking him out every so often for feedings.

 

[DadRat]

We have had good results adding a little fish oil to our oldest boy's diet for his HED issues. He seems more neurological (legs trembling) that arthritis as he has aged. He still shuffles along pretty good though.

 

[Unepuce]

Just out of curiosity Dadrat - how much and how frequently do you give fish oil?

 

[jorats]

The little guy should adjust pretty well. I've had so many with HED. At the very beginning, there's no need for changes. You observe your rats so well, I know you will be able to make things easier and more accessible for him as he progresses.

 

Thanks Jo!

 

Oscar is acting normal again ..like nothing was wrong. He can sit to eat food and clean. He can jump small gaps from couch to couch, his paws are not dirty and his dose not look weak of look rough .....it's like there is nothing wrong ... was Oscar just having a bad day? or has he adjusted to it already?

 

[ChrisK]

I don't know the answer to that, but I'm glad to hear he's doing well today. From the little I do know of HED, it can be kinda like that in the beginning -- a gradual thing with bad days and good days.

Glad Oscar is better today!

 

[jorats]

Rats can have "off" days. But keep him under close observation.

 

Oscar is always having problems ..from chocking, to bad days now to extreme weight loss .my poor old man: viewtopic.php?f=21&t=25147&p=348411#p348411