Rat losing weight rapidly with breathing problems

[-Wolfie-]

I don't know what to do, I'm worried it might be a heart problem or something. He is 20 months and has been to the vets 2, the first time he was given baytril to dilute in his water and i tried to feed him up good and he started to gain weight. About a week after he came of the meds he stopped eating again and lost loads more weight. I took him to the vets again and he now has a longer course of baytril to be given oral. I don't know if i should go back to the vets again because he is still refusing food and is really thin with difficulty breathing. The fact that the other rats he is housed with don't have the same problem makes me feel it might be a bit more than a URI. Just to get a second opinion from you guys!

[Addicted2Rats]

Well as rats get older, they become more susceptible to the bacteria mycoplasma that is already present in their body.  If mycoplasma flares up, it makes the rat more prone to respiratory infections from other organisms too.  Does his breathing sound noisy?  If its a mycoplasma flare-up, usually baytril given along with doxycycline reduces the problem.  You can't really ever totally get rid of mycoplasma problems because its always present in the rat's body.  However, it could also be heart-related problems like congestive heart failure.  The blood doesn't get pumped effectively through the heart into the body and backs up into the lungs, which causes congestion in the lungs and difficulty breathing.

You might want to get a second opinion from another vet who is very familiar with pet rats.

Deb

[italianqt]

Yep, new vet would be a good idea. Very inexperienced if he told you to give the first course of medicine in the water. He may even need to be kicked up to Amoxy instead.