NOTE:
Due to the Holidays,there may be a short delay in receiving answers as fast as I usually do.However,any emergency question should be addressed by writing EMERGENCY in the subject line.If I read it and see its not an emergency at all but just a way to get my attention first,I will reject your question and you will not get answered at all.Any life or death situation, of course,should be handled by a qualified Vet.To request a telephone consultation, please email sandyscrittercity@yahoo.com. in order to schedule a date and time that is feasible for both of us. There is no time limit on weekends or after 9 pm M-F or if your cell phone carrier is Verizon Wireless.There is no charge for a telephone consultation. I offer my advice free of charge since my goal is to simply keep your rats happy and healthy for as long as possible. My reward is knowing that people learning as much as they can on rat care in order to provide the best care possible. Thats all I need to know. You cant put a price tag on love:)
As one of the top experts here at allexperts for 2008, I am happy to be able to help advise others on the proper care of pet rats.
I am a rat care specialist/advisor for area vets and have 20 plus years experience working with rodents.
I can advise you on the most current treatments available to your rat for common and also complicated ailments that seem to affect domestic rats during their life time. I do telephone consults and have even had some wonderful Vets call me to compare notes/stories. I also have training in animal behavior with the main focus being the study of rodent behavior.
I also have experience with wild rats, raising one myself.
Experience My expertise
Includes the following:
1. Education on prevention of tumors, lung and heart disease and disease of the kidneys too.
2. Up to date treatments for tumors in rats,both benign or malignant tumors.
3. The most current treatments used successfully to treat lung and heart disease
4. Prevention and treatment of the mycoplasma organism that our rats are plagued with since the day they are born, among other common ailments that attack our rats, just to name a few.
My job as a rodent consultant is to educate the owner on proper care of the animal but in no way does my advice take the place of seeking professional treatment by a qualified Veterinarian.
However, I will contribute to this site by answering your questions about raising pet rats and any problems that may arise regarding their health, diet, husbandry and over all well being of the rat to **the best of my ability.**
Organizations I maintain my website, Critter City and update it often to keep up with current treatments concerning pet rat health care. Please click the link above to take you there!
Publications My own website of course, and also I have brochures on rat care that are found in various animal clinics in my area.
Education/Credentials
Mentored by highly noted exotic specialists in my area. I am a member of the ASPCA.
Awards and Honors Was honored by being chosen to be one of the top 50 experts of 2008
Past/Present Clients My past clients have been through various animal clinics and I also am mentor to new rat owners that reach me through here and my website too.
Question I have been keeping rats for 12 years and I am familiar with most health issues that occur. However about one month ago one of may rats (who is otherwise a very healthy and lively 15 month old) started to show blood in her urine. I have never whitnessed this before and my vet says it is highly uncommon in rats. It is very bright red and normally has thick clotted blood in it also. She has been to the vet and neither of us could feel any signs of swelling, tumours or stones in her abdominal area so she has been treated for a urinary infection. she has been on a course of antibiotics (baytril-of course, its all i can get in this country!) for about 2 weeks but there is no less blood showing in her urine.
My vet has suggested a biopsy (he says its difficult to see what he needs to in an x-ray) but I am dubious about putting her under anesthetic.
She is the only one of 5 in her cage to be showing any signs and is still eating (very well) and drinking normally. Apart from seeing blood when she urinates-you wouldn't know anything was wrong with her. She seems to have lost a little weight (she was and still is the dominant one in the cage) but even with what i can notice as a little weight loss she still weighs average for a rat her age.
I just wondered, do you think it still could be a urinary infection and it just needs a different form of medication (i find i always get given baytril as an easy answer for my rats and i dont think it is always effective) or do the signs suggest otherwise
My vet says kidney stones are uncommon in rats and i think if it were a tumour-i would be able to feel it by now. But as I said-this has never happened to any of my rats before, and im worried about putting her through a potencially unecessary biopsy.
Sorry this is so long-but she happens to be the favourite character of the cage!
Thanks-Charlie (norwich-UK)
Answer Hi Charlie
First of all, I need to know if a urine culture was done. This is very important when diagnosing and treating a urinary tract infection. Doing a culture will determine the type of organism that is causing the infection.
Bleeding and passing clots can be caused by the rupture of small blood vessels in the bladder or even in the kidneys. Rats indeed can and do have kidney stones and although its not as common for rats to have this, it is not unheard of and should not be ruled out.
More testing needs to be done rather than invasive surgery.
Has any blood tests been taken?
Why is baytril the only antibiotic available to your rat? What about other antibiotics? Rats can take dozens of different antibiotics so I am a bit confused why baytril is the only one available. I am not real familiar with the drugs in the UK but if baytril is available what about drugs such as bactrim, keflex or penicillins? Your right to say that baytril is not always effective and in fact, sadly, some vets have a one track mind and think baytril is the only cure all for rats, which is not true at all. Sadly, there is an alarming increase in tolerance to baytril seen in rats because of over use. Its a good idea if a vet is going to dabble in exotics to also educate further into using other antibiotics. The list is endless what rats can safely and successfully take. I am thinking that this rat has a baytril resistant UTI and all that is needed is a culture to determine the organism (which now may be false readings since antibiotics have already been dispensed)
Is your vet a board certified exotics specialist or a traditional vet that sees exotics on the side as a special interest? There is a huge difference in education between these two which may explain the over use of baytril.
Please let me know about the urine culture and the blood tests. Hopefully we can get the vet to change the medication rather than do expensive, invasive and somewhat risky exploratory surgery.
