Toby - Nearing The End ? :(

My boy has had resp issues since he was 11 months old, now at age 25 months ..it's not getting any easier for him.

He has no resp issues no more, but just raspy breathing when excited ..whe I take him out he gets very excited and needs to stop and take a break ..in the cage he is fine, unless he runs over to get a treat ..he dose not gasp ..just makes funky sounds ..his inhaler helps a lot ...but I have noticed latley it's worse ..so I am keeping a close eye on him ..once it gets to the point he isnt happy no more, or cannot breath well ..I'll have to help him accross the bridge.

I think it might be heart related (He did have xrays done, nothing showed, also his extrimities are not cold or blue) but my vet does not like heart meds for rats and thats that! so all I can do is keep my boy comfotable.

Daily steaming also helps him.

He is loosing weight also, just like Oscar. With this familys history ..I'm lucky they got to this age ..fingers crossed that my men stay around for many more months :heart:

I know I should not have favorites ...but Toby has always been my special little man.

He is a happy little rat despite his sounds and his breathing is a little faster than normal (his side move in and out more frequent when he breathes)

I think those funky sounds make it sound worse to me that what he is.

 

[SQ]

I am so sorry.
If your vet is at all open, the vet could consult with my vet or else post for info on the internet site for vets.

 

[mamarat]

Poor baby. He is so gorgeous.

 

I am so sorry.
If your vet is at all open, the vet could consult with my vet or else post for info on the internet site for vets.

I have showed his multiple things on heart conditions for rats (including the book by Debbie D) ..but he stuck on not using them sadly ..If Im not mistaken, Jorats vet dose not like heart meds either.

Toby has been like this for at least 5 - 6 months now ..not bad ..just with the sounds when excited & his breathing is faster than a normal rat. He is a very happy rat despite all this, he loves life!

 

[jorats]

I've had rats deal with URIs all their lives... it sucks but some of them just have really bad genes. As for the heart issues... It's really too bad both our vets are stuck on the idea of not treating. But it's really hard for a vet to justify heart meds when xrays don't show anything and if there are no other symptoms that they themselves recognize as heart issues.

 

That's the thing ..if something had shown on the xray then maybe he would consider the heart meds, but with no obvious signs he won't!

& he might be right , it could just be resp/scarred lungs ..I worry way too much for my own good.