# Ugh it's Fitch this time...



## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

Fitch has started grunting - yaaaaayyyy :frown2:

I've totally lost faith in my vets and their ability to diagnose and treat. My last...4 rats I've brought in, Rufus, Seamus, Lavender, Tetley, they've been given meds and then crashed within 36 hours or less, resulting in pts. Every single time...  And now Fitch has started grunting despite me having the air purifier on practically all the time.

I'm worried it may be the start of CHF or even pneumonia - apart from BigBoy who had the abscess in his ribcage, his other relatives (Lavi and Tetley) died from eventually being unable to breathe thanks to what appeared to be flooded lungs or heart attack. They pretty much went the same way, with grunting etc. Baytril wouldn't cut it and I don't even want to try it on Fitch.

Is it worth me asking for something else? Will Septrin have more success than Baytril? And do I suggest trying Bisolvon as well? There's also Doxycycline, and Fortekor/Frusemide combo to try as well but the vets never seem to be able to get the bloody tablet doses right  Apparently there are liquid versions of all these meds but they just never have them in 

Does anyone know a particularly excellent rattie vet in Liverpool I could ask for specifically? I don't want to lose Fitch to this thing as well 

I've got him on a heatpad to keep him comfortable, there's no discharge, no fluffed fur, nothing that suggests he's unwell apart from the intermittent grunting and slight weight loss.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Hey Hun sorry to hear your having troubles again with your ratties.
I have a grunty boy, he's only 7 months old.
He's been on Baytril before but it did nothing he had been respy from day 1 of me having him.
Anyway last week I asked for doxycycline as well as Baytril.
The vet pre cut them up for he has to have 1/7th of a tablet twice a day. Along side his dose of Baytril twice a day. I found he likes taking it crushed and mixed onto cream cheese spread. 
So far he's been great and the grunting noises have stopped after 2 days of this but I asked for a 14 day course.

Hope you can sort something with your vet soon.


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## Guest (Apr 4, 2012)

Poor Fitch 
I've tried Septrin before with respy rats, when Bentley first turned up he was already on a course of Baytril which didn't touch it so I switched to Septrin as that works wonders in rabbits but I'm afraid it had little effect, Bentley still has breathing problems that we can't get on top of (going to be trying Doxy soon myself) so I'm not sure if Septrin is strong enough to make an impact :001_huh:


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

Thanks for the input guys, I think I'm going to have to push for a Baytril/Doxy combo and see if we get anywhere with that. I'm hoping it is just respiratory and not his heart but we'll see...
Might try and get him booked for after work tomorrow...


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## bewitched (Jun 9, 2010)

I can't offer any advice but hope you get the meds yOu want and he gets better x


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

Well we've returned with Baytril and Roxanan (Doxy). Hope to see an improvement in him this week...if not, then may have to try heart meds - the vet was pushing for an x-ray but I don't want to risk putting him under for a very expensive test which may come up with nothing and may kill him on the table with the gas alone.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Hey argent glad you got your meds.
Did they give you enough to last 2 weeks?

Do they have to put them under then fo an xray?
It's just years ago when buster had his xray they gave him a Piece of toast and he sat there while they took it.


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## CrazyRatLady (Jul 5, 2011)

From experience, grunting and/or gasping (rat opening it's mouth very widely when handled or stressed and taking deep intakes of breath) can also be heart related. One of my first bucks, Eddie, had a rare heart murmor which caused these things, and he had to be put to sleep at the grand old age of two. He made grunting and 'cheeping' sounds as he became ill. He also lost a lot of weight almost overnight. He was a very large rat, and up to this point a very healthy one. I would suggest asking a vet who is experienced with rodents about this as a possibility too. It can also be genetic, so if the rats are from the same litter, it could be this.


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

We were given 1 weeks worth but told to come back either for more if it works, or a different approach if it doesn't. Tbh, he started improving very quickly  I was home the first couple of nights, my mum has currently taken over medicine duties, she's very good  Within 48 hours I'd noticed a rapid decrease in the amount of grunting going on (he doesn't gasp or wheeze or even sneeze, no porph and only slight weight loss).
I even took him downstairs to see if stress of moving would bring the grunting back on but it didn't. I'm hoping we've nipped this in the bud and I'll just have to go back into the vets next week for another weeks worth to finish the course up


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Oh this is good news argent.
My boy is on doxy/Baytril atm he finishes his 14 day course this Thursday.
I must say doxy seems to be very good!


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

Very good indeed! Mum's not heard a peep out of him since I've been away and I've not heard anything yet either (not that they've bothered to get out of bed to see me yet!)


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

This is good news.
Do you work away a lot then?

Last night my hubby got my lot out for me while i was on the phone, came up to find 10 out of 11 ratties all over him. His head,shoulders,legs,arms etc then I sit down the one that feeds,cleans and gets them out and they stay with daddy!!


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

Nah, I get little chunks of time off work so I go up to see my OH in halls of residence.

Had a listen to him last night and there's still a slight grunt/click every few breaths, but he's not been oinking the house down like he was last week.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

He possibly needs longer on it then. Another week maybe?
Did you have Baytril as well? It works better with both.


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

Yeah we're doing a combo - I'll be ringing up to see if I can get more soon


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## spoiled_rat (Mar 24, 2008)

Argent said:


> I'm worried it may be the start of CHF or even pneumonia - apart from BigBoy who had the abscess in his ribcage, his other relatives (Lavi and Tetley) died from eventually being unable to breathe thanks to what appeared to be flooded lungs or heart attack. They pretty much went the same way, with grunting etc. Baytril wouldn't cut it and I don't even want to try it on Fitch.


Abscesses on the lungs = CK (Corynebacterium kutscheri) in most cases and is quite common. Just a random point there.


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

spoiled_rat said:


> Abscesses on the lungs = CK (Corynebacterium kutscheri) in most cases and is quite common. Just a random point there.


For future reference, is it treatable and if so, how? My vets were rather useless - bearing in mind though this started in his mouth and tracked down his throat to his lungs.


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

^ who is this????


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## Argent (Oct 18, 2009)

blade100 said:


> ^ who is this????


That's some weirdo who joins threads, posts a copied line or two from the OP and leaves. They should get banned tbh, it's all they do


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## blade100 (Aug 24, 2009)

Obviously got nothing better to do, morons.


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## debsc (Apr 14, 2012)

Hi - you might be interested to know that there is a vet in Holmes Chapel in Cheshire, Molly Varga, who is highly skilled and knowledgeable in the care and treatment of 'small furries', reptiles and exotics. She also has a certifcate in zoo mammalian medicine. She has clints visit from all over, including Liverpool. Look her up!


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