Hi, I have a 1 and a half year old male rat, he has been acting off this past week, while his cage mate is absolutely normal. He has a slight head tilt, cant climb in his cage when before he was very agile and was always climbing around, he just lies at the bottom of the cage, and walks around in circles, he is eating and drinking, but when I gave him his usual treat last night he couldnt hold it in his front paws. He eats with his head flat on the floor, I took him to the vet and he said it was an inner ear infection, and gave me antibiotics, they havent worked at all I think it could be a piputiry tumour, and financially at the moment I have no money to take him back to the vet, as my hours have been cut in work and I have bills to pay etc, I will go back as soon as its payday, I feel awful on my little boy but I dont know what to do....
Really need some help with my boy rattie
- Thread starter sophieb03
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victoria
Well-Known Member
Can you take a video? It actually does sound like an ear infection and not PT. What medication did he get? How much does he weigh, what are the concentrations of the meds and how much are you supposed to give him?
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
I will wait to hear the answers to these questions before replying since Vic ably covered them all.
A video would really really help us help you if you can get one.
A video would really really help us help you if you can get one.
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
Two more questions...
1) What concentration is the chlorpalm (chloramphenicol palmitate)?
2) Did you mean to say 0.5 ml twice a day? Not 5 ml's twice a day?
Chlorpalm is a very strong, very penetrating antibiotic, not generally used for minimal infections. How long has he been on the chlorpalm now? How long are you supposed to give it for? Inner ear infections can be very persistent and usually need long term treatment to cure the active infection. The head tilt he has now, may resolve completely, only a little or not at all, but as long as the active infection is gone, he will adapt, and became a happy healthy "tilty"
1) What concentration is the chlorpalm (chloramphenicol palmitate)?
2) Did you mean to say 0.5 ml twice a day? Not 5 ml's twice a day?
Chlorpalm is a very strong, very penetrating antibiotic, not generally used for minimal infections. How long has he been on the chlorpalm now? How long are you supposed to give it for? Inner ear infections can be very persistent and usually need long term treatment to cure the active infection. The head tilt he has now, may resolve completely, only a little or not at all, but as long as the active infection is gone, he will adapt, and became a happy healthy "tilty"
Sorry yes I ment 0.5ml had to do it off the top of my head but just checked the meds, hes is on it 3 times a day every 8 hours, the vet told me to mix it with water first then oral, just incase he has a bad reaction or anything, I hope he will be ok, I love him toi much and its breaking my heart seeing him like this, do you stil need a video?
dspch911
Senior Member
I've never heard to mix it with water. If its a ear infection you will need it longer than two weeks. The fact he cannot hold food in his front paws would concern me and I certain hope that is not a sign of PT and just a result of a bad ear infection. Healing vibes to your ratties, but watch closely for more signs.
Oh I didnt think itd work myself with water so I have given it too him oraly, I researched pt syptoms and it said one sign is not being able to hold food, thats what triggered off my panicing state before, I hope its no pts, hes not even that old yet and I dont want his brother being on his own
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
A video will still help a lot.
Did you mention the concentration? The standard is 50 mg/ml
Did you mention the concentration? The standard is 50 mg/ml
hopefloats
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does his limbs move on that side ok? Can you do pictures and a video of this?
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
When a rat has inner ear infection, they are in pain, they are wobbly and dizzy and probably nauseous...hopefully that's all this is.
victoria
Well-Known Member
You should add an anti-inflammatory, that may help him feel better. If the vet won't give you Metacam/meloxicam, you can pick up infant ibuprofen (not the children's formula - it's less concentrated) from the pharmacy and try that. The dosage is 10-30 mg/kg every 4-6 hours, 15 mg/kg is a good dose to try if you're trying to see if it helps. If you don't know how to figure that out, we can help you.
I had a rabbit with an ear infection that we suspected was not eating in part because he was dizzy/nauseous. Vet told me to try Children's Liquid Gravol dosed at 3 ml/kg 2-3x per day. It would be very hard to get a dose that high into a rat but you could try a lower dose and see if he improves. There's alternative drug available by prescription but I can't recall the name.
I had a rabbit with an ear infection that we suspected was not eating in part because he was dizzy/nauseous. Vet told me to try Children's Liquid Gravol dosed at 3 ml/kg 2-3x per day. It would be very hard to get a dose that high into a rat but you could try a lower dose and see if he improves. There's alternative drug available by prescription but I can't recall the name.
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
A minimum dose for him should be 0.55 cc every 8 hours.
If you are unable to take a video, can you take pics of him one after the other, then we can see what he's doing.
When he's unable to hold his light treat, is he also curling around to the left trying to hold it?
Like Calla failing her cheerio test?
http://lilspazrats.wikispaces.com/Health+Care-+Pituitary+Tumour+-+Failing+the+Cheerio+Test
If you are unable to take a video, can you take pics of him one after the other, then we can see what he's doing.
When he's unable to hold his light treat, is he also curling around to the left trying to hold it?
Like Calla failing her cheerio test?
http://lilspazrats.wikispaces.com/Health+Care-+Pituitary+Tumour+-+Failing+the+Cheerio+Test
