Suddenly dead

[mamarat]

That's great for Avalon. :happydance:

 

[Annbritt]

The reply of the Elisa test came in today. It's neither SDA nor Myco. So we don't know what caused all those deaths

 

[LA]

Oh my, that's terrible not knowing.

 

[Annbritt]

Yes, it is awful not knowing what it is
Bati is in London at the moment, but she has someone watching her rats and medicating all of them. I don't think she has had any deaths while she is away, so things are getting better.
I feel lucky, I haven't lost anyone at all, and only had a few ill. Both Bati and the other breeder, who has had this, has lost a double-digit of rats.

 

[mamarat]

How sad.

 

[lilspaz68]

Ann...can you go thru all the clinical symptoms and timelines again? I'll start looking for anything beyond myco and sda for you. I will need ages of rats that passed as well. For eg. 2ish, over 1, under 1, baby.

If its all on one page it will be easier than going back through your horrible situation post by post.

I am soo sorry.

 

[Melissa]

I'm so sorry to all of those that have lots their babies during this hard time.

 

[Annbritt]

It has been rats in all ages, from a 3 week old baby to rats over 2 years old. All ages in between.

It started monday the 20th of August, with Myrina (the other breeder) losing 5 rats within a day, they basicly died between her hands, they were both young and older rats.
She told me on msn, that she had lost 5 rats, so I went to check on mine, and found Avalon with pneumonia.
We warned everyone who had been in contact with her, she had just send a couple of rats to me, which Bati had transported, and she had brought some rats for another person as well, as brought a guinea pig from me to yet another breeder. Those 2 haven't got any sickness though.
Thuesday, Bati lost her first rat, a male over 2 years old. She had 2 more with illness, she lost one of them, but the other one got over it.
The signs has been like pneumonia. Myrina has had a single one with swollen glands. They got sick from one day to another. Myrina got an autopsy on the first 5 she lost, and all showed signs of pneumonia.
Both Myrina and Bati kept losing rats. It seemed to have slow down at Myrina's, while it got more aggressive at Bati's. Bati lost 7 on the 29th of August, I don't know the age of all of them, but 2 of them were 1½ year old females. I can't remember when Myrina lost the last one, but it was the 3 week old baby. The last entry I've been able to find of Bati's lost rats is a single one on the 30th of August, that was so ill, that the vet had to put him down, he had nose bleed (not phorpyrin, but real blood).
2 days later Bati went to London, and I don't think she has lost any while she is away.

I don't know if this is important, but when Myrina handed over the rats, that Bati transported to me and when the illness broke out, both she and her family were ill with the flu. A few days after Bati lost the first one, she got ill too. So we have thought about the possibility of a streptococcus infection, but we don't know how that works.

I don't know if any of this helps.

 

[lilspaz68]

Can you ask anyone what their (human) symptoms were?

When I asked around my vet tech friends and showed them the post you did, they said you should culture for strep both the humans and the rats.

 

[Annbritt]

The humans (at Myrina's) have been cultured for strep and they didn't find anything, but it doesn't mean it hasn't been there, I think.

 

[lilspaz68]

Hmmm...would explain a lot. The symptoms of pneumonia, the bloody nose with the last boy. Rat Bite Fever is much more involved and has totally different symptoms like a weird rash, the actual healed bite would swell up again, etc.

I do think it could be strep pneumonia. How awful for all of you.

Did they test for anything else with the Elisa? Like CARBacillus, etc?

 

[Annbritt]

I don't know, I'll ask.

 

[Annbritt]

I haven't got any answers yet, though I've been told that the rats were tested for strep too, and there was nothing.

 

[Bati]

I'm back from London, everybody is still alive, but they are still sneezing and Benjamin is a little down the hill. Ofcorse an attack of mites have broken out - can I use Ivometin or Revolution or should I wait for them to get stronger (was told that those two are strong and a little dangerous. Would prefer to try Revolution, as Ivometin is so tedious to give)

 

[lilspaz68]

Use the Revolution. Its safer overall with toxicity, and ease of use for you. Your poor kiddo's are stressed enough without the mites too.

Wb Bati.

 

[Bati]

Thankyou for the answer I wanted 8) I'll ret revolution tomorrow (didn't trust my ratsitter enough to do it )

 

[Annbritt]

It's not over here yet, Noodle has suddently gotten ill :cry:

 

[Fidget]

Oh geez, Bati. I'm glad everyone is hanging in there, but you & they sure didn't need bugs on top of it :evil: I'm sorry....

Annbritt, do you think Noodles illness is related to all this disaster? I expect you've started meds, I hope that's all that's needed.

My heart is sure with you both, and your babies.

 

[mamarat]

Awww poor Noodle. Good luck Annbritt.

 

[Melissa]

Poor Noodle! I hope you guys will be ok.