Expert: Sandra Todd - 6/16/2008

Question
Hi Sandra,
Thank you very much for your time in answering my previous question. I took Rosie to the vet the next day and the vet diagnosed a bad respiratory infection and ear infection. She gave us Baytril and Ronaxan which we were told to use 0.1ml of each twice a day for as long as Rosie needed it. To start with Rosie improved rapidly especially in the first few days which continued until yesterday when she seems to have suddenly got worse. Rosie has much worse balance and coordination than she had originally. She continually falls over when trying to walk and she is now not even trying to hold food with her front paws. I have noticed that she seems to be tilting her head and shaking it more too. Also one of her eyes seems to be quite a lot larger than the other which was an original symptom. She is still eating soft foods such as baby food and she is managing to eat some hard foods like carrot but by using her mouth. I fear that she has a pituitary tumour and I wanted to ask you whether there is anything I can do to give her the most comfortable life left as possible. Are there any medications that may help? I have read about a few but I am not sure whether we can access them in England. As an answer to your other question, I do have a vet but I feel that they are not experts on rat care and many of the vets I have seen in the past have seemed to know little about rats and some have even been frightened of handling them! I am not sure if you know of any rat specialists in the area where I live which would be better? I live in Saffron Walden, Essex, CB11 3ET in England.
If you can suggest anything for Rosie then I would be most appreciative!!!
Many thanks for your help, Rachel Greenaway

Answer
http://www.aemv.org/vetlist.cfm

Try the link above and let me know if you find anyone near you.


It does sound as if she has a pituitary tumor because she is not using her front paws....but take comfort in knowing that they can still do this when there is pressure on the 8th cranial nerve that controls balance.   


Why wasnt she given steroids?  She would benefit greatly from them even if she does have a PT. It would help with the inflammation on the 8th cranial nerve and you will see a big change in her. It may take a bit of time to work but it does help alot.
If the vet beats around the bush saying that steroids can weaken the immune system, this is true, but the benefits outweigh the risks in this case and if it is to give her some comfort in her last months, so be it. I would push for a bottle of prednisone.  You can give her a tasty liquid that is made for children and she can have it twice a day to start, going down to once a day after that.
This would help so much!


I hope this has helped you and please keep me posted!