What's that SOUND?

[fexpress]

So, Pez is on her way to the vet tonight. She's been making the oddest sounds on and off for the last few days. Sort of like a really intense bruxing sound, but with a kind of coo behind it. We've listened to her chest and don't hear anything, and she's not sneezing or "porphorinny" or anything...if anything, she seems overly healthy for her, running, playing, eating tons (she's normally the most quiet of the 4). She just starts making this sound, then it goes on for an hour or two, then it goes away for maybe 12 - 18 hours, then it starts up again. If you listen to her, it really sounds like it's in her face, but she doesn't seem to be grinding her teeth, or at least you can't observe grinding. It's the most bizarre thing.

The only thing I thought was a bit odd was a couple of times in the last few days when I've listened to her chest, I've thought her heart sounded a lot louder than I'm used to. At any rate, we're going to take her in at 5:00 tonight, just to make sure nothing is amiss.

Has anyone experienced anything like this before? She otherwise seems super-healthy right now.

 

[mamarat]

Fingers crossed for your cutie. Let us know what the vet says.

 

[lilspaz68]

Good luck! I have heard things before but I am not sure its what Pez is doing.

 

[fexpress]

The vet thinks it's just vocalizations. It's not her heart, lungs or teeth that the vet can see. She said if she gets worse she'll give us some antibiotics, but at the moment, there's nothing for her to treat as it's all in her face.

The funny part is her nickname has always been "Little Piggy"...and now she SOUNDS like one!

 

[mamarat]

I know some of my rats make a grunting sound, I call it their macho sound when they're trying to be dominant.

 

[RattusNorvegicus]

Anyway someone could post a video of the "normal" grunting? I am sorry to hijack but my Edicius does it, although I really don't think it's vocalizing since she does it when I am holding her/pressing on her chest. And sometimes, rarely but sometimes it turns into wheezing like sounds.

 

[mamarat]

Could you be holding her too tight? Or she doesn't want to held?

 

[RattusNorvegicus]

I definitely don't hold her too tight, and she absolutely loves being held. She does make the noise without being held, it's just louder when I hold her. Her cage mate Emily did the same thing until she was put on an antibiotic for her ear infection, and now she doesn't even sneeze.

 

[fexpress]

I don't have any input into what "normal" sounds like, but I'm beginning to think Pez aka Piggy has seasonal allergies. The few times she is still grunting it seems to end with a couple sharp sneezes at the end...and then she is silent again. Vet says it's all in her nose, there is still nothing in her chest. And it's not spreading to the others. The thing is, we haven't changed anything at all in the cage, or detergent or anything like that, so I'm thinking it could even be the pollen outside (I'm very allergic to spring pollen and I've had major allergies for weeks now).

Vet said there's nothing she can do for her unless she gets worse, because there's nothing to treat (lungs are totally clear and no wheezing, and she's still very active/eating/gaining weight and is in great spirits).

Bizarre.

 

[RattusNorvegicus]

I planned on taking her to the vet in a day or two, but I will try some Benadryl first.
Hm..