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 QUESTION: I have 4 pet female rats. A little while ago, one of them, Peach, started to
develop little red sores from scratching so we took her to the vet. The vet
didn't know what was wrong but prescribed some antibiotics.
Two weeks later and Peach was still scratching and had even more sores. We
took her to a different vet who also didn't know what was wrong but said that
it could be mites under the skin. We were given a spot-on Ivermectin
treatment.
We have tried the treatment for a month now and Peach is still scratching like
mad. None of the other rats have any symptoms and none of the vets in our
area seem to know anything about rats. Advice please? I know that diet can
be a problem. I feed my rats a variety of rat blocks, vegetables, pasta and
reggie rat. Have I done anything wrong?
ANSWER: Hi Steph
It could very well be protein allergies or it could be dry skin too.
You can put neosporin ointment on the sores and this will help heal them and prevent infection. Also you can add olive oil to the diet by adding a bit to a salt free cracker. Do this every day for a week and every other day after that.
Please check out my website. I have a page devoted to skin problems and also about parasites and diet too.
Let me know if you have any more questions after reading it over and I will be happy to help!
Sandra
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Hi Sandra,
Thanks for the advice. I've been doing what you said and a lot of Peach's
sores are beginning to heal, though very slowly.
Unfortunately, Peach is still scratching lots - recently she's been
concentrating on her face. One of the other rats (which are still fine and
showing no symptoms) keeps bathing her head and neck for her as well. She
looks such a mess and she seems to have lost weight recently. I think she's
unhappy because she's so itchy, though she still acts herself when she's out
playing. Is there anything else I can do?
ANSWER: Have you lowered the amount of protein in her diet?
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: Yes - she's mostly eating vegetables and pasta now. I've cut way back on the
seeds and I check all the levels of protein in every food i give her. Going vet's
again at the weekend. Could it be something like pyoderma? Or an infection
from a wound? I've checked out your website and I've tried everything i can think
of! I need to go to the vet's armed with as much info as possible because my vet
doesn't know much about rats!
Answer Unfortunately we have to do that if our vets are not up to par with rats and as long as the vet welcomes the info, thats cool, but some get really mad and offended which is beyond me when before that, all they knew to give was baytril for 5 days and that was all they knew.
Pyoderma is a pretty nasty skin infection usually caused by staph. Is she flaking and peeling?
What about cortisone cream (over the counter) I cant recall if I said to try that.....or benadryl cream, rub in thin layer....
