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 hia
one of my rats died a few months ago of mycoplasma at only 7 months old. his brother who he was living with is starting to show signs of having mycoplasma aswell (though not as bad just same discharge and sneezing) was wondering if there was any point in giving him the antibiotics. I gave it to my other boy before but he hated it and started being aggresive and biting me cause he hated having the syringe in his mouth and it made his last (and unpredictible) days misrible. I dont want this to happen to ma other boy as he seems stable for the minite.
I also hav another question should i get my boy some friends he dosent seem to lonley but i know that rats should hav compony and he dosent do anything allday just lies there my parents are also against it because they think he will give the new ratties mycoplasma.
please help and sorry for the long question!!!
vivien
Answer Hi Vivien
Rat are born with mycoplasma so no matter what, they carry it anyhow. The key is to PREVENT it from coming on the best you can.
Yes you should give him antibiotics. Instead of using the syringe try putting the medicine in food, such as chocolate ice cream. Just a little bit of medicine to a spoonfull of melted chocolate ice cream so he cant taste the medicine and he will lick it right up. No, the chocolate wont hurt him at all and either will the bit of sugar he will get. Its better he have sugar than die from not taking his medication. The vet should add flavoring to his meds. What was he taking? There are only a few drugs that work for myco.
Myco is a hard thing to understand. Please read my website and the page that is all about myco and how to prevent it and treat it so if you do get other rats, you can lessen their chances of having an outbreak.
Certain litters and even the place they live can cause myco. If they live in an aquarium they have a high chance of getting sick because of poor air circulation. If they are on pine or cedar, this also contributes to respiratory disease. Not cleaning the cage good at least once to twice a week depending on how many rats you have can also add to myco because the ammonia from the urine building up irritates their respiratory tract as well. Poor diet such as listening to the pet store workers and buying seed mixes instead of lab blocks are a mistake because rats are not meant to live on seed mixes, this is not good enough for them and they will end up with a weak immune system.
Not that you are doing any of the above but just outlining a few things that contribute to mycoplasma.
Same for vets. If the vet is not fully understanding of myco, they do not realize how they must properly treat it. Baytril, zithromax with a combo of a second drug for secondary infection should be given for at least 21 to 30 full days. Many vets give it for just 10 days which is not enough and they end up sick again. The second attack causes more problems and eventually lung scarring or blistering.
Sometimes rats that end up with chronic myco need to live off a daily dose of medication to prevent an outbreak.
Myco also doesnt just cause respiratory infection. It can cause ear infection, urinary tract infection and even infection in the female rats uterus. Here is the URL to learn all about it: http://www.freewebs.com/crittercity/mycoplasmosispage.htm
