I'm worried that she might be dying...

[GinaMarie07]

I bought my rat Sheila in July 2007, turned out she was pregnant. Anyways, the pet store I bought her at didn't know how old she was, and I don't know how rats act when they start dying. I don't know if she's older or if she's sick.

She's been breathing so heavy that she can't even hold her food to eat it. She's lost a lot of weight quickly she doesn't move around very much, I tried to feed her some baby food with an eye dropper and she refuses to eat most of the time. I have one of her daughters in the cage with her and she helps Sheila get comfortable and move around...Please help...

[lilspaz68]

She needs a vet visit and antibiotics ASAP.  Your rat sounds like she has a severe respiratory infection or possibly pneumonia. 

do you have a vet who would see a rat?

[GinaMarie07]

I have a vet for my dog, I don't know if they see rats...I also don't know how much that is going to cost and the boyfriend (the one with the money) is hesitant about taking her to the vet for some reason...

[Marybelle]

Unfortunately, a vet may be the only thing that can save her at this point.  It does sound as though she has a pretty severe respiratory infection, and she's going to need antibiotics. 

[lilspaz68]

Call around and see if there's anyone who would see her and how much it would cost approximately.

She needs baytril (enrofloxacin) at least as an oral antibiotic for 14 days minimum.

Tell your bf that rats often will linger "dying" for a very long time and she is going to suffer along with yourself for watching it. 

[GinaMarie07]

We're probably going to take her to the vet soon then...I just need to call around and find out some prices then...Thanks for your help...I kind of figured that that was what I was going to have to do...But it's always nice to have more experienced people confirm it 

[LifeInCircuit]

She needs it within hours, rather than days, so don't wait too long.

[Scubbs]

Any luck at getting into the vet?  She needs to be seen ASAP.  It sounds like she has pneumonia, which can very quickly scar her lungs for life. 

[3ratlover]

Scubbs...I have a rat that has respiratory infections all the time.  She had one when she was young then about 6 months later and then again in another 6 months that was so bad that I thought I was losing her last December.  The vet did not say it was pneumonia but she was so sick and like this poor rat.  Now she has an infection so often it scares me.  The vet gave me a huge bottle of medication.  Since she has the infections so often do you think that the pneumonia caused scaring and that could cause her to have the infections more often?

[Squeeky]

What everyone else said, except I would keep her on baytril (or a combo of antibiotics) for a min. of 6 weeks.

[GinaMarie07]

Okay, so I couldn't find an exotics vet nearby, so I took her to PetCo...(they sell antibiotics and what not) They checked her out and they gave me the same stuff they give their rats when they get sick like that...Terramycin (oxytetracycline)...It's a powder so I put some in the water bottle and I mixed it in with a jar of baby food...Now she used to eat the baby food and the other rats love baby food too...but she refuses to eat,I feel horrible but the only way to get her to eat is by putting the eye dropper into her mouth and then she'll start scratching and fighting...she's lost so much weight... I really just don't know what to do...she won't even eat her yogurt drops...

[LOTR_Ratties]

Have you checked the vet directory on this site? Up at the top, put your mouse over where it says "Resources", then click on "Vet Directory". Surely there is someone around where you live who knows about rats and will see her, even if you have to do a bit of driving. I live in a small town in Texas, and I am very fortunate that my town has a small animal hospital with an exotics vet. My boy Shadowfax, who I just got on 11/28, had to be taken in last Friday, and was diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia. He is now on Baytril and Doxycyclene both twice daily. I agree that your precious little rattie needs further vet care and at least some Baytril ASAP. I sure hope your poor girl will be okay, but it does sound like she needs proper meds and vet care to save her at this point... good luck to you.

[scout]

Some vets will see rats even if they're not exotics vets. You may have to do some calling around, or let us know what city you're in and we may be able to recommend a vet to you. The meds in the water bottle isn't going to be very effective, unfortunately.

[PirateStardust]

Poor girl... how is she doing tonight? I wish I had some suggestion for you, but I'm afraid I don't

I hope she gets better soon. It's horrible to see a rat deteriorate like that.

[3ratlover]

Another thing I do when Shirley gets her infections I put a hot/cold pack in her favorite spot to sleep.  I heat it up for about 2 minuets in the microwave.  I use the clay filled ones.