But the vet said he was so "listless" that he wasn't sure it was pneumonia or something more serious.

Pnemonia in rats is very serious.  That statement is a bit underated c

This is the part that has me confused.  Did he hear any sounds in his lungs? Is he congested? Wheezing? Breathing fast?  I dont know what made him diagnose him as having pnemonia.....did he mention that?

There are also many viruses that rats get that are bad and antibiotics can help fight off secondary infections.

As I stated to you on a different forum this morning, I would like to see him on a combo of meds like amoxil and baytril.

What about the rats he lives with??    Keep an extra close eye on any rats you have too.

You need to get this rat to the vet now unless you tell me that he lays on his side alot.....

when rats are having a hard time breathing they lay in odd positions from laying on ther sides to extending their neck out and also they will climb up on an object and hang partially over it to aid in breathing.

It sounds to me like this rat is having some distress.  Look close at his feet......are they nice and pink or are they darker, like bluish to purple? 

Please bring him back in and NOW....maybe you can call there while your driving and also ask about an ER vet to see if that may be better in this situation.

Good luck!   Please let us know how he is doing..

Yesterday I couldn't hear any sounds in his lungs, but the vet listened and said that he did.  He had this little book he was looking in, and he said there was some kind of 'rat and mouse sickness' that he might have, but that he could also have pneumonia so we'd try the medicine to see if it would help.  He said that the book he had, he couldn't find anything else about that anywhere but in that book.  Cricket isn't weezes but he's making a little noise when I get him out and hold him, but not when he's sleeping, and sometimes he breathes fast, but sometimes it looks more normal.

My other boys seem fine at this point, a little freaked out about Cricket I think because this hasn't happened to them before, but they are acting normal.

His feet are a good color, and they are relaxed now.  I thought it was odd that he'd have his back feet curled but sometimes he does that to his front ones as well. 

Right now I don't think it'd help to take him in, because the vet who works with rats isn't even there, and he's in the same shape he was yesterday, he'd probably tell me to take Cricket home and try the medicine at least until tomorrow or something.  Do you think I should take him to a different vet?

When I posted about his breathing and his feet, I'd just had him out trying to feed him, do you think it'd be normal for him to be a little out of breathe after being handled if he has pneumonia?  Now he looks a lot more relaxed.  I have the vaporizer in the room, but it's on the bed across from the cage, do you think it'll help him there?

I suggest a shot of Amikacin injections for several days along  (3 max) along with amoxil and baytril at the vets.......the ER vet along with oxygen treatments. 


A rat and mouse disease?  He may have meant SDA which....well thats a shot in the dark.  I wont go there yet....too long and detailed...but your other rats would have it too by now if he had SDA or Sendai. 

You could find another vet but I feel he may need someone now....it has been just about 24 hours since he started the meds...and usually in 3 days there should be an improvement, but they should NOT get worse....if anything they stay the same and slowly improve.

I still suggest the above meds along with oxygen therapy and leaving him overnight for treatments if this is possible.  Keeping him warm is vital. You can do this with bags of heated rice too, by filling a bag with rice, putting it in the sock and nuking in the microwave to warm it.  It will generate heat nicely and I bet Cricket cuddles close.  Make sure its not too hot though of course.

The stools may be green due to the bacteria and the baytril mix...or he may have had something green?  Treats or snacks? 

I wish I could help more.  I have been through this stuff so much I know it like the back of my hand, unfortunately.  Even the so called Rat and mouse disease that your vet suggested....24 rats had it, 17 were kept in the hosptial and a total of 9 died...all within about 8 weeks.   It was really bad for all of us! 

If you need me...just PM me or post here. 

Sandy

Now that I think of it...maybe your just real scared and all of this being posted makes me believe he is getting worse yet since its the first time your rats have been very sick it is scary for you so you are looking at a sick little boy and its just....scary.

Hopefully he is not getting worse and if you think he isnt, thats all I can go by. Baytril is a GOOD DRUG dont get me wrong, but I have seen it fail often in cases that it is not mycoplasmosis so if he does not improve within 72 hours (I dont mean be up and around back to normal, but he should be feeling better)  IF NOT, he needs something else either a new med OR something to go with the baytril like amoxil.