Vet advice.

[JulesMichy]

Some of you may be familiar with my situation, but I'll go over it once more. I took in a 6-month-old female (Lilah) who had been described as making "coughing" noises about a year ago. I saw no sign of the strange coughing noise for quite awhile, but then one day she started making a loud croaking/honking sound whenever I picked her up (she got excited) or when she slept. I rushed her to my vet, she was put on antibiotics, the sound went away.

A couple months later it was back. We followed the same routine for awhile: treat, wait a few months, treat, etc. During her "sick" times, she never stopped eating, her activity level never decreased, porphryin never got out of control, her lungs never hardened but remained easily compressible... She didn't act or look sick. Occasionally the sound would even clear up on its own without treatment.

Eventually I theorized that maybe it was a physiological thing that simply caused her to have loud breathing.

Then I adopted Emma, and within weeks of living with Lilah she was making the noise. Then Bart, who had up until then never seemed effected by it started making the noise. I put it down to his approaching 2 years old, and his immune system starting to weaken.

My vet calls this the "mystery disease." Because the rats will usually stop making the noise when I bring them in to be checked, and the noise, while obviously contagious because it passes from rat to rat, doesn't seem to effect their health in any significant manner. To date they've been put on doxy, Baytril, doxy/Baytril combo and Zithromax. None of them have any lasting effect, and the Zithro did zilch. Not a single bit of improvement while on it.

I'm at my wit's end. It just pains me to hear such a huge noise coming from such tiny, little bodies. Even if they seem fine, it's not natural for them to sound like that. And the fact that it's contagious makes me feel like there is something that COULD be done to treat it that we just haven't found yet.

I love my vet dearly, but I feel like I need to maybe get a second opinion. Or maybe there's a more experienced vet who's seen this before? I was wondering if anyone here had used either of the vets listed under Indiana in the Vet Directory - either All Things Wild or the Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic of Indianapolis. They're both around an hour drive away, a drive I'd be willing to make if it meant finally being rid of this inexplicable thorn in my side.

[scout]

You might try getting a blood test done. It's expensive, but it will tell you what known diseases your rats have been exposed to. The test itself is only about $35-50, but usually the blood draw and the shipping add up and it can cost upwards of $200. RADIL labs in Missouri does testing of samples as does Charles River labs on the east coast.

But chances are your rats have been exposed to some bacteria that we have no medications that can effectively kill it. Myco is one, and another is Cillia Associated Respiratory Bacillus or CARB. CARB is not as contagious as myco unless the rats live in the same cage. Supportive care such as keeping a clean cage, healthy food and plenty of stimulating out time will do the most for keeping these illnesses at bay. Antibiotics will help fight off the secondary infections that usually occur as the rat ages, but there aren't any invented yet that will kill either one of these bacteria.

[gomezsusa]

Jules,
    Recommend getting the extra advice and getting rid of the thorn.  Besides the immediate ratties that will benefit, your knowledge as a future vet will be ever increased to make you a better vet.
    May be a better investment in your education than college itself!!  Best wishes in finding a cure.

    Found it is essential for them to not be sleeping on bedding during the recovery.  Cleaning cages every other day seems to be able to do more than antibiotics for their recovery when we had a "something" last winter.

[JulesMichy]

But chances are your rats have been exposed to some bacteria that we have no medications that can effectively kill it. Myco is one, and another is Cillia Associated Respiratory Bacillus or CARB. CARB is not as contagious as myco unless the rats live in the same cage. Supportive care such as keeping a clean cage, healthy food and plenty of stimulating out time will do the most for keeping these illnesses at bay. Antibiotics will help fight off the secondary infections that usually occur as the rat ages, but there aren't any invented yet that will kill either one of these bacteria.

My vet is very knowledgable about myco, and as I said, she calls this the "mystery noise" or "mystery disease." Also, I haven't heard any other reports from people in this and other forums about their myco rats making loud croaking/honking sounds when they breathe, but having no other symptoms such as sneezing, decreased appetite, lethargy, etc. Haven't heard of the other one, though. I'll do a little research on it tomorrow. It sounds like a plausible option, though, because you say it's not as contagious as myco. All of my rats live in the same cage, but as I said before, Bart only just now started showing signs and Gracie (Lilah's sister) has only done it once in the entire time I've had her. Meanwhile Emma and Lilah seem particularly sensitive to it.

Bloodwork could possibly be an option. I'll discuss it with whatever vet I end up seeing. I plan on calling both clinics and asking rat-specific questions and seeing what answers I get.

[EARPS Indy]

I'm the veterinary technician at the Avian and Exotic Animal Clinic.  In my opinion, this clinic is awsome!  I wouldn't work there if I didn't think so.  Dr. Lennox is very knowledgable and was voted exotic DVM 2005.  If you drive to Indy for a second opinion I would definitely recommend going there.  PM me if you need contact info.

[JulesMichy]

Thank you! Dr. Lennox... I'll remember that name. The contact info is on the Directory page. I plan on giving you guys a call when I get my next paycheck.