ok, i was walking in petco, and i dont think i read it correctly but i think i saw a bottle of rodent shampoo, it was the wierdest thing, also i couldnt imagine giving my tiny dwarf shampoo, my parents didnt believe me, so im starting to question if it is a real product, if it is real, if i used it om my rat, how would i do it?and will it make him smell better?how can i make him smell better?question 2 is: one of the 2 rats has red pyrophin, i cant spell it, anyway, its been almost runney like blood, he snezes and it shoots out, looks like blood on cloth, but i know its not, i changed his cage and i want to know how much better i can expet him to be now that his cage is nice and clean, its a fishtank, 10g with a wierd cage thing on top, to make sure i got it cleaned, i washed it down, then rinsed it with the hose with a presure nozle, blasted any soap or debris away, squeaky clean, and almost knocked the paint off the cage part. so how much better will he be now that the cage is clean?
2006-09-25 01:04:12 · 2 answers · asked by Bob7k 3 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
the rats in the question are males, 2 and fairly aged, about 1 and 1 1/2 years old, only one is having the problem, they have had antibiotics injected, but no pills, i cant get those, im kinda in a rumble with the vet right now :(
2006-09-25 01:05:45 · update #1
Mycoplasma pulmonis is a bacteria present in the nasal passages of rats. The only rats guaranteed to be free of the mycoplasma bacteria are labratory rats kept in a perfectly sterile environment. For this reason, mycoplasma pulmonis is the most common cause of respiratory infections in rats. Although there are several other bacteria that can cause the same symptoms, the usual culprit is mycoplasma.
When a rat gets old, or gets stressed, the mycoplasma bacteria has a chance to take hold and multiply. Pneumonia is when the infection gets into the lungs. With rats, a "cold" (i.e., sneezing and sniffling), can quickly lead to pneumonia which can cause permanent damage to the lungs and even death if left untreated.
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DIAGNOSIS
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If your rat is sneezing more than usual, listen closely to his breathing. If the nasal passages and chest sound clear, keep a very close watch on him, but it shouldn't be necessary to start treatment unless he starts acting more tired than usual, or stops eating or drinking. Allergies and dust are also possible causes of sneezing.
If there is a clicking sound from the sinuses, he is congested. This could progress further, so treatment would be a good precaution at this point.
If there is a gurgling, congested sound from the chest, you have a sick rat. Get him to a vet immediately! Rats succumb to these infections with amazing swiftness. A rat with no symptoms one day can have full blown pneumonia the next. This is partially because of their high metabolic rate, and because there is often a secondary infection caused by a different bacteria or virus.
Does your rat have red stuff on his nose, or around his eyes? This is called porphyrin. Porphyrin is a red mucous that is produced by a gland behind the eye (the Harderian Gland) which dries the color of blood. It's often mistaken for dried blood by people unfamiliar with rats. Porphyrin staining is often associated with mycoplasma infections because the infection puts stress on the rat, and stress will cause the discharge of porphyrin from the eyes and nose. This doesn't always occur when a rat is suffering from an infection. If you have a really laid-back rat, he may not get stressed out! There is also the possibility that your rat is being stressed by something else.
If your rat's fur is standing somewhat on end making him look puffy (a bit like a cat when it's been treed by a dog) and he's hunched up, he's feeling sick, uncomfortable, possibly in pain. Get him to a vet immediately!
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TREATMENT
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The standard treatment for mycoplasma infections is a round of antibiotics. If the antibiotic is going to work, you will see an improvement in about three days. If there is no improvement, you should go back to the vet for a different antibiotic. Antibiotics commonly used for mycoplasma infections are:
Tylan (the powdered form of tylosin)
Tetracycline
Cefadroxil (for secondary infections - best used in combination with Gentocin)
Chlorampenicol
Baytril (enrofloxacin)
Doxycycline
Baytril and Doxycycline in combination
Gentocin in combination with Cefadroxil
Amikacin in combination with Cefadroxil
Although rats are commonly used as research animals, there is little information available about proper dosages for medicating them. When Baytril first came on the market, the mg/lb dose given to rats was too low, so it appeared that Baytril didn't work very well for them. Even today, several years later, the proper Baytril dosage for rats is not commonly available to vets. Very few reference books list dosages for rats for any medication. If your vet seems unsure, the RMCA has a Drug Usage Chart for Rat Respiratory Illnesses and Other Conditions by Mary Ann Isaksen and Daryl Mabley, D.V.M. available on their web site (www.rmca.org). The Drug Usage Chart can be found on the Gazette page as a sample article from the May/June 1997 Rat & Mouse Gazette.
In addition to the antibiotics, there are a few other things you can do for your rat.
Make sure his cage is sheltered from drafts.
Humidity in the room is as good for stuffed up rats as it is for stuffed up humans. A humidifier is a definite plus! Steaming him occasionally can also help (i.e., take him in the bathroom when you take a shower).
The ammonia smell from old bedding irritates the nasal passages, and makes the rat more susceptible to infections, so changing the bedding in his favorite sleeping area daily may help.
If you have several rats, you may want to move the sick one to a private cage or tank if he is really, really ill. This way, he won't have to compete for his food, and won't have buddies jumping on him trying to get him to play. Whether or not it's best to do this will depend a lot on the rats' personalities. Normally, the company is good for them, even when they are sick.
A heating pad set on low under one end of the cage or tank so that he can sleep in a warm spot if he wants is a good idea.
Echinacea can help boost the immune system. There is a liquid echinacea which is made for children that is fruit flavored and alcohol-free. Give one or two drops twice daily. Echinacea shouldn't be given all the time, so one week on, and two or three off could be used as a schedule. There are no hard and fast guidelines yet on how to best use this herbal supplement, but it can help with sneezes. Goldenseal is a similar herb which helps boost the immune system, and works well when given along with the echinacea.
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2006-09-25 01:28:49 · answer #1 · answered by stevehart53 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I personally just use baby shampoo to clean my rats when they need it. Its a lot cheaper and I think the rodent shampoo is a rip off.
What are you using on the bottom of the tank? The poryphin could be an allergic reaction to it. Plus with a tank the ammonia from their wee builds up very quickly, the tank would need to be cleaned daily to compensate. Even with a tank topper, there still isn't enough air circulating at the bottom to get rid of the ammonia. A 10 gallon tank with a topper is barely big enough for one rat, let alone two, so its no wonder one of the rats is sneezing so much and has poryphin.
How do the rats reach the top? Is there a ramp? Are there levels higher up that the rat can sit on to get away from the ammonia? As rats get older, they climb less and spend more time at the bottom of the cage.
2006-09-25 12:37:09 · answer #2 · answered by kiffie 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋