After having two of my buddies go, I keep a close eye on Scout more than ever now. I notice he has a bit under his nose almost like a kid with the sniffles... is that okay? Call me paranoid, but after Moose and ****er passing from respiratory, I'm being extra careful with my old man.
What is an acceptable amount of porphyrin?
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eagle
Well-Known Member
Is it there all the time or mostly during the morning? Do you see any other signs of resp issues?
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
Some rats exude more porphyrin than others, but as long as they clean it up during the day and it stays clean you are fine. Older rats often are lazier and may leave a bit under the nose, in the corners of the eyes, etc. Just keep an eye out for other symptoms. For eg. my old gal Tika has been showing a lot of porphyrin over the past few days, consistently and all day long. Last night I noticed the way she was drinking her Ensure and today I gave her a cheerio for the cheerio test which she failed. 
To the people who know, failing the cheerio test, means she is unable to grasp the cheerio equally and ably with both paws to eat it, she either must rest it on the surface for support or one paw slips and she drops it. It also means she has started PT (pituitary tumour). :sad3:
To the people who know, failing the cheerio test, means she is unable to grasp the cheerio equally and ably with both paws to eat it, she either must rest it on the surface for support or one paw slips and she drops it. It also means she has started PT (pituitary tumour). :sad3:
mamarat
Well-Known Member
Although with some of my rats with HED that's how they hold their cheerios and even some of my older rats do that too. And lucky for me they don't have PT, they're just old. Sorry about your old girl, Shelagh.
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
mamarat said:
Oops, thanks for pointing that out mamarat! Yeah HED rats also hold their cheerios like that as well, I should've mentioned it. Tika doesn't have HED.
MissGuardian
Well-Known Member
Once again.. What is HED?
You should make a dictionary in here with what all the shortenings are for-_-
You should make a dictionary in here with what all the shortenings are for-_-
blytherue
Well-Known Member
Hind end degeneration, lol I remember being confused myself and made a post viewtopic.php?f=36&t=14472&hilit=Lingo
lilspaz68
Well-Known Member
MissGuardian said:
HED = Hind End Degeneration, usually the spinal nerve degenerates and the rats lose mobility in their hind end starting with just a bit of wobblies, to a rumba sway when they move, to dragging a hind paw, onwards slowly to complete paralysis. Most don't make it that far being older rats to begin with. Its more common with males, but sadly in Ontario we see a lot in females
MissGuardian
Well-Known Member
Ah.. My oldest might have thatlilspaz68 said:MissGuardian said:
HED = Hind End Degeneration, usually the spinal nerve degenerates and the rats lose mobility in their hind end starting with just a bit of wobblies, to a rumba sway when they move, to dragging a hind paw, onwards slowly to complete paralysis. Most don't make it that far being older rats to begin with. Its more common with males, but sadly in Ontario we see a lot in females
Scout definately has HED... he literally pulls his bottom half along everywhere it seems. Being on my desk helps cause it's a smoother surface so it's easier for him to drag, but he only lifts his hind legs (at great effort too) if it gets caught on something like my mouse cable lol
